24 years have passed since the Honda Prelude rolled off the production line. One of the reasons why it shelved was, you guessed it, the popularity of crossovers and SUVs. Since then, several Honda coupes have faced the axe, namely the CR-Z, Civic Coupe, and Accord Coupe.
The Civic Coupe was the last two-door model that Honda sold, being discontinued in 2020 citing low sales. For the last five years, the company didn’t have a single coupe in its range. Now, that’s been rectified with the official debut of the Prelude.
First shown as a concept in 2023, the production model has finally rolled out. We waited quite some time for this, and it looks pretty faithful to the model we first saw about two years ago.
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As far as we can tell, the only changes we could see are a few tweaks to the bumpers. That means we get the same, swoopy design with a low-slung look that coupes must have. Honda calls it the ‘Unlimited Glide’ design philosophy, inspired by the company’s aviation division.
The revived Prelude takes cues from fourth-generation model with its rakish rear windshield and low hood. The classic logo from over 30 years ago also makes a reappearance, further linking those two models together. But unlike past versions of the coupe, the car is now based on the Civic and not the Accord. That said, it gets a wider track and a different wheelbase.
Under the skin, the suspension is lifted from the Civic Type R and includes the adaptive suspension from the hot hatch. It also gets a faster steering rack, larger Brembo brakes, and dual-axis struts at the front. The upgrades to the front suspension are meant to quell something called torque steer to prevent wayward handling. Plus, there’s Agile Handling Assist for sharper turn-in.
Inside, it’s a different take on Honda’s ‘Man Maximum, Machine Minimum’ design language. A high-set center console adds to the cockpit feel of the cabin, and the center of the dash is dominated by horizontal lines. The displays on the infotainment screen and instrument cluster should look familiar to Civic and CR-V owners, but the Prelude gets some unique touches.
There’s even a practical side to the all-new Prelude. For the first time, the coupe gets a tailgate, effectively making it a liftback. Because of that, the car gets a relatively expansive cargo area, especially with the rear seats folded down.
For powertrain, the Honda Prelude uses the familiar 2.0-liter Atkinson Cycle engine mated to a dual-motor system. Combined output has yet to be published, but the engine alone makes 140hp while the electric motor puts out 181hp. We might be looking at about 200hp for its total power figure. Meanwhile, the electric motor doles out 315Nm, similar to the Civic e:HEV.
Honda would also like to highlight the car’s S+ Shift system. It essentially simulates an eight-speed transmission that comes with three modes, namely Sport, GT, and Comfort. On top of those is an Individual mode that allows the driver to adjust steering, response, and suspension firmness to the preferred setup.
Other neat features? Of course, Honda Sensing is standard, bundling all the features one expects for an advanced driver assist system. Honda Connect is also included, and it’s powered by Google. An eight-speaker Bose premium sound system should make audiophiles happy, and there’s also an ON Limited Edition variant that serves as the ‘first edition’ model for the new Prelude.
Pricing in Japan has also been released and it kicks off at ¥6,179,800 for the standard model. It then goes up to ¥6,480,100 for the ON Limited Edition that adds a black roof and other special touches inside and out. Converted to local currency, that’s about P2.4-M to P2.5-M.
With the Civic Type R on the way out in the Philippines, the Prelude might soon take its place. After all, Honda Cars Philippines did show a video of the car on its socials a few months back. While it’s not meant to be a Type R replacement, it’ll at least serve as the company’s halo model.
Of course, that’s if the local division decides to bring it here in the first place.
More photos of the 2026 Honda Prelude:
