2026 Honda Prelude review: Quick drive

If you grew up on '90s JDM classics like the MKIV Toyota Supra, R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R, FD Mazda RX-7, and Honda S2000, the resurrection of the Honda Prelude would have elicited feelings of absolute joy.

However, since that prototype was first shown off two years ago at the 2023 Tokyo Motor Show, that excitement might have quickly been replaced with disappointment as news of the Prelude’s drivetrain came to light.

Under the bonnet of the gorgeous, sculpted, and downright sexy two-door sits the Civic e:HEV’s petrol-electric hybrid powertrain – with no changes to outputs.

The new Prelude is also exclusively an automatic model, with no three-pedal solution in sight due to the heavily electrified powertrain.

However, Honda is still promising an engaging and enthralling driving experience, despite these appointments that seem at odds with what is being marketed.

So, are car enthusiasts and JDM diehards right to be turned off?

To begin, we still do not know exact pricing for the 2026 Prelude, but it will be positioned between the Civic e:HEV from which it borrows its engine, and the Civic Type R where it gets its brakes and some suspension componentry.

That means it will sit anywhere between $50,000 and $80,000 – I know, not really narrowing it down.

If we had to put a number on it, the $60,000–$65,000 ballpark feels about right given it shares much with the Civic e:HEV layout underneath, but of course, we will know more closer to the Prelude’s local launch in the first half of 2026.

Exact specifications for Australia are also unknown for now, but you’d guess it will borrow more than a few bits from the top-spec Civic e:HEV LX.

This means keyless entry, push-button start, heated seats, dual-zone climate control, a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, and a 9.0-inch infotainment touchscreen with Honda’s Connected Services.

Differing the Prelude from the Civic, however, will be front sports seats – and of course that two-door body style.

Naturally, this reduces the practicality of the Prelude, as the rear seats are very tight for 186cm-tall adults like myself.

The aggressively sloping roof line also meant I could not sit up straight, as my head needed to be kinked to one side so my back could be pushed into the seat.

It’s best to think of the Prelude as a 2+2, rather than a proper four-seater, and while the second row will do in a pinch, it is not a comfortable place to be over extended periods of time.

Likewise, boot space also takes a hit, as the liftback design means less volume than the more practical Civic hatchback design.

Of course, potential buyers aren’t looking into a Prelude – or any two-door for that matter – because of practicality concerns, but one big reason for purchasing a coupe is style, and the new Honda model has that in spades.

If you didn’t know the Prelude shares the same underpinnings as the Civic, you would think they are two wholly unique models.

An angular front end, slender headlights, a strong shoulder line, and smooth profile give the Prelude presence in the metal, arguably even as much as the Civic Type R.

Honda’s designers have done a wonderful job – at least to my eye – to modernise the classic Prelude’s design, with cues in the current car including a long bonnet, central cabin, and swoopy rear end.

The visual flair of a coupe should also be backed by showy driving dynamics too, and with the 2026 Prelude it all starts with the 2.0-litre petrol engine paired with two electric motors.

Combined, the system delivers 135kW/315Nm – the same as a Civic e:HEV – which is sent to the front wheels via an electronic continuously variable transmission (e-CVT).

The petrolhead inside me says this is a letdown, especially given the lighter Mazda MX-5 has the same power, and the Toyota GR86 has a full 174kW at its disposal.

I’d have liked to see that power figure closer to 150kW, but maybe Honda is leaving room for a more powerful version down the line…

In reality, though, the Civic e:HEV’s powertrain has always been sufficient for spirited driving, thanks largely to its large proportion of electric propulsion that enables instant torque and peppy acceleration.

On paper, the Civic can accelerate from 0–100km/h in around 7.0 seconds, and from feel alone, the Prelude is close to that mark as well, putting it in line with the GR86s and MX-5s of the world.

There is just about enough performance here to back up that sporty exterior, and while it might not win any races against turbocharged hot hatches, there is a thrill and delight in building speed in the Prelude.

The e-CVT is also an area of concern, as this type of transmission in the past has sapped driving enjoyment due to its elastic feel when driving hard to keep the engine in its optimal powerband.

To combat this, Honda has introduced the S+ Shift function, which can simulate a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, complete with a power 'cut' when changing cogs.

In practice, and after a brief handful of laps around Honda’s proving ground, I’ve become a believer.

Turning on the S+ Shift function also pipes in fake engine and exhaust noise into the cabin, dialling up auditory sensation, while using the steering-wheel-mounted paddles to change gears brings in tactile feedback.

It basically means that if you have been driving cars fast for years, the Prelude offers the exact same excitement as all your muscle memory comes into play – brake before a corner, downshift, listen to the engine rev, clip the apex, straighten the wheel, accelerate, and shift by sound alone.

Of course, with most of these functions being artificial, there is an argument to be made here that the Prelude isn’t as pure as a full-petrol model, but when it’s this smile-inducing, who cares?

The Prelude is also slightly shorter in overall length and wheelbase than the Civic hatch, but lower and wider.

And this results in a model more eager to turn and pivot, even in fast directional changes and despite its front-engine, front-wheel-drive underpinnings.

The Prelude also features the front brakes from a Civic Type R, ensuring more than ample stopping power, as well as the dual-axis front suspension to reduce torque and understeer.

However, when the fun needs to stop, the Prelude can also be put into its tamest setting – called GT, not Normal – to turn off all the noise and default the transmission back to its most basic setting.

This is where the Prelude excels and where its rivals struggle – the day-to-day, start-stop commute.

Strip away the new gimmicks, and the Prelude is just as comfortable and compliant as a Civic – even if you are seated a lot lower to the ground.

And with a frugal petrol-electric hybrid powertrain, it also promises to be very economical to run.

The 2026 Prelude very much fits the mould of a grand tourer, and while it’s probably more of a Civic coupe in reality, Honda probably wouldn’t get as many tongues wagging if it had called it that.

Just like the kids who used to lust after the previous model, the Prelude has grown up, matured in the last 25 years, and is now something different but still true to its original ethos.

Make no mistake, the new Prelude is a fantastic car to drive – at slower and higher speeds – even with the automatic transmission and hybrid engine.

Don’t let nostalgia or the weight of expectation fool you, the 2026 Honda Prelude is a very good car – one that offers fun driving dynamics, sex appeal, and enough flexibility to be useable every day, all in equal measure. And models that are south of a Porsche 911 price-wise, that can do all three confidently, are very few and far between.

Tung Nguyen has been in the automotive journalism industry for over a decade, cutting his teeth at various publications before finding himself at Drive in 2024. With experience in news, feature, review, and advice writing, as well as video presentation skills, Tung is a do-it-all content creator. Tung’s love of cars first started as a child watching Transformers on Saturday mornings, as well as countless hours on PlayStation’s Gran Turismo, meaning his dream car is a Nissan GT-R, with a Liberty Walk widebody kit, of course.

Read more about Tung Nguyen