Honda Prelude: Successful comeback

Lightweight, agile, and surprisingly innovative: since 1978, the Prelude has been an important technology platform for Honda and a highly regarded prestige model. For countless fans around the globe, the sports coupe still stands for pure driving pleasure and indestructibility. The model repeatedly introduced technical innovations: among other things, the Prelude was the first Japanese car with standard ABS, had all-wheel steering as early as 1987, and wheel-selective torque control (Active Torque Transfer System) from 1997 onwards.

As the coupe market steadily declined over the years, the Prelude was discontinued after five generations, first in Europe (2000) and then worldwide two years later. So it came as a big surprise when Honda announced the model's comeback after a 25-year hiatus: the sixth Prelude is set to impress in the old style with unadulterated driving pleasure and technical refinements. The model will roll into Swiss dealerships in February 2026 – we've already taken it for a test drive.

No Type R for the time being
The days of high-revving intake manifold injection engines are, of course, long gone. The new Prelude must comply with strict emissions regulations and CO2 limits and is therefore only available with Honda's e-HEV hybrid drive system. The Japanese manufacturer is keeping quiet about whether there will be a version with the superb 2-liter turbo gasoline engine from the Civic Type R at a later date – but fans would certainly like to see one.

In Honda's hybrid system, the combustion engine is essentially downgraded to a power generator, and the wheels are driven by an electric motor. This means that the car runs mostly on electric power, while the 2-liter four-cylinder engine under the hood produces the electricity for it. The Japanese car is correspondingly high-torque and fuel-efficient – but Honda wouldn't be Honda if they hadn't added a technical refinement to the Prelude.

Great sound charade
This comes in the form of the new transmission called «S+ Shift.» In S+ mode, this continuously variable transmission simulates an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission—and does so very realistically. While the virtual gears are shifted using aluminum paddles on the steering wheel, the combustion engine revs willingly, allowing the revs to skyrocket when downshifting, while the engine control briefly reduces the throttle. This brings a lot of excitement to a drive system that is very boring to drive in other models.

The output of 135 kW/184 hp is not particularly impressive, nor is the acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 8.2 seconds. What is impressive is how Honda has managed to create such a great driving experience from these modest performance figures. The Prelude drives with wonderful precision, hardly rolls in corners, and surprises with a comfortable chassis setup—it's simply top class. The 4.53-meter-long Japanese car no longer has all-wheel steering, but the coupe is still nimble and agile, thanks in part to the further optimized «Agile Handling Assist.» The comparatively low curb weight of 1480 kilograms is also helpful – which is remarkable for a hybrid car.

Fair price
The interior of the new Prelude is also a pleasant surprise. The seats fit like a glove and the steering wheel feels great. There is plenty of space, at least in the two front seats – the rear seats are only really suitable for children. But that doesn't matter, because sports coupés are classic «empty nester» cars, i.e. for people whose children have already moved out. The easily accessible trunk with a capacity of 264 liters, together with the storage space behind the front seats, is easily sufficient for longer vacation trips. The cockpit, with a display behind the steering wheel and a small touchscreen above the center console, seems downright old-fashioned by today's standards, but many will welcome this.

All in all, Honda has done everything right with the new Prelude. Not only does this harmoniously designed sports coupe drive superbly, it also comes fully equipped with a beautifully crafted interior at a very fair price of CHF 47,900 at dealerships. Whether this will be enough to make the series a commercial success remains to be seen.