Honda — and frankly god bless it for doing so — has confirmed that the new Prelude coupe will go on sale in Europe in early 2026.
Proper, two-door coupe
Yes, that’s right — in less than 18 months, instead of buying some pointlessly big and hefty SUV, you’ll have the option of buying a low-slung and sleek two door coupe, which we’re guessing now will be at least mildly good to drive.
So far, we don’t know a huge amount about the Prelude’s likely performance, only that it will use a variation of the current Honda hybrid system, which pairs a 2.0-litre petrol engine with two electric motors, one to act as a generator, and one which helps to power the front axle.
Clever gearbox (that’s not actually a gearbox)
How much power? We don’t know yet, but what Honda has told us is that the new Prelude will also come with a new gearbox. If you drive the current Honda Civic or H-RV hybrids, you’ll find that they’re very smooth, but that their CVT-like gearing (which really uses the bigger electric motor to control engine and wheel speeds, rather than a traditional gearbox) lacks the interaction you’d expect from a manual, or even a short-shifting automatic.
Hence, for the Prelude, Honda has developed a new system called the Honda S+ Shift. Alas, it’s not a six-speed manual, but it’s the current hybrid system with new software which is meant to mimic the sound and feel of a responsive multi-ratio automatic gearbox, a bit like what Hyundai is doing with the simulated gearshifts in the electric Ioniq 5 N.
24 years on from the last Prelude
Astonishingly, while the Prelude was originally launched in its first generation some 46 years, ago, the last one went out of production at the end of 2001, with the last few being sold through 2002. So it will be a full 24 years later that the new one finally goes on sale. Frankly, we can’t wait.
Hans de Jaeger, Senior Vice President, Honda Motor Europe, said: “The Honda Prelude is an iconic nameplate, and this latest model promises to build on that heritage with our trademark hybrid performance and the latest dynamic technology. All with a view to not only delivering exceptional efficiency, but also the fun-to-drive performance for which this model is known. We are excited for its arrival in Europe following a very positive reception so far.”
Incidentally, the Prelude might have been out of production since 2001, but Honda is currently celebrating 25 years of hybrid innovation, with its first mass-produced hybrid — the brilliant, hugely aerodynamic, Insight — going on sale in December 1999. Today, all of Honda’s current European product lineup — Jazz, Civic, HR-V, ZR-V and CR-V — all come with eHEV hybrid powertrains as standard.