Back in October 2023, Honda surprised us all during that year’s running of the Japan Mobility Show. Out of nowhere, the Honda Prelude made a comeback in concept form, much to the shock to most attendees.
After 22 years, the Japanese automaker decided to bring back one of its well-known nameplates. However, at the time, it wasn’t yet confirmed if it will reach production. Sure, there was a good chance, but we won’t know for sure until Honda says so.
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Well, finally, there is confirmation from the folks at Tochigi. Months after it was first revealed, Honda said we can expect the production model of the Prelude in ‘the mid-2020s’…which is literally around now.
Given that, the reborn Honda Prelude could roll out as early as 2025. Just in time, too, as Honda celebrates a quarter century of building hybrids. Per the automaker, the Prelude will be a showcase of its hybrid technologies, in this case, e:HEV.
That confirms the powertrain of the all-new Prelude. However, what we don’t know for sure is the hardware that will be placed in it. At the very least, it’s the familiar e:HEV combination we’re already seeing in the CR-V. That means a 2.0-liter Atkinson Cycle engine mated to three electric motors to make a combined output of 204hp and up to 335Nm of torque.
Another prototype will be revealed at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed which opens this month Given that the Prelude will be a ‘technical showcase’, we might expect a little more juice under the hood. With that in mind, there is a chance that we could see a turbo-hybrid setup. A Type R, or in the Prelude’s case, Type S, version is yet to be confirmed. But if Honda wants to flex its hybrid knowhow, we’d love to see a 300+hp model with a six-speed manual.
