2026 Honda Prelude

The 2026 Prelude comes back as a hybrid: a 2.0-liter Atkinson inline-4 gasoline engine paired with dual electric motors. Together they produce about 200 horsepower and 232 lb-ft of torque. It uses Honda’s new S+ Shift system, which simulates gear shifts and rev-matching, giving more driver engagement even though there’s no traditional multi-gear transmission. The chassis borrows performance hardware from the Civic Type R—dual-axis front strut suspension, adaptive dampers, wide tracks, and Brembo front brakes, all tuned especially for the Prelude to deliver both sporty handling and a comfortable ride.

The Prelude’s exterior is bold and sporty. It has a low, sharp nose, a wide stance, flared fenders, a “double-bubble” roof, and machine-finished 19-inch Berlina Black wheels wrapped in 235/40R19 tires. The body is designed with clean, dynamic surfaces, flush door handles, and accent details like blue accents in the front and rear fascias and on the Brembo calipers. Aerodynamically, it includes a front under-spoiler and a flat edge along the rear of the liftback to support stability at higher speeds.

The interior leans driver-focused: ultra-premium front sport seats with leather and perforated houndstooth pattern, three-way heating, integrated head restraints, asymmetrical bolstering (firmer for driver, softer for passenger). The rear is modest, a 2+2 layout with a 60/40 split fold-down rear seat to expand cargo space when needed. Materials are upscale, with synthetic leather trim, soft-touch surfaces, accent stitching (blue), a flat-bottom steering wheel with a 12 o’clock marker, alloy paddle shifters, and a “cloud-like” texture in certain areas.

Standard is a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster paired with a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Google built-in, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, WiFi hotspot, and wireless phone charging. The audio setup is an 8-speaker Bose Centerpoint system designed for a premium sound experience. Multiple drive modes are available (Comfort, GT, Sport, Individual) to adjust steering, suspension, powertrain response, etc.

The Prelude includes the full Honda Sensing® suite of safety & driver-assist features: forward collision mitigation (with pedestrian detection), road departure mitigation, lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, blind spot information with rear cross-traffic alert, automatic high beams, etc. It also features passive safety upgrades: an updated ACE™ front body structure, front knee airbags, rear side airbags, and Post-Collision Braking (PCB) to help in multi-crash scenarios.