A Historic Honda Finally Makes Its Return After 25 Years off the Market

And that’s not even mentioning the multitude of teasers over the past 12 months.

a close-up of a headlight on a white honda prelude

Published 11 hours ago

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Honda introduced the Prelude in 1978, and the model enjoyed a lengthy 23-year production run that culminated with the fifth generation in 2001. Much to fans’ dismay, it then quietly left the market.

However, back in 2023, Honda breathed new life into the nameplate with the unveiling of its modernized Prelude concept car. Though the Japanese automaker confirmed the sixth generation’s eventual debut, that day was beginning to seem like it would never come.

Blue Honda electric sedan driving on a highway with mountains in the background under a clear sky. — The Prelude will be a part of the Honda lineup for the first time since the discontinuation of the fifth generation in 2001.

Now, after 25 years (and no shortage of teasers over the past 12 months), the icon is finally making its return. Meet the 2026 Honda Prelude.

A hybrid with Type R cred

True to the concept, the 2026 Prelude sports a compact two-door liftback design, and it incorporates the Civic hybrid’s drivetrain. With a pair of electric motors and a 2.0-liter Atkinson four-cylinder engine, it’s rated at a combined 200 horsepower and 232 lb-ft of torque.

Silver Honda sports coupe with black alloy wheels parked on a paved surface, set against a backdrop of green forested mountains and clear sky. The car features sleek, modern headlights and a streamlined design. — Though the Prelude shares some design similarities with the Civic, it offers a far sportier look.

Because the motors drive the front wheels directly, the system doesn’t require a conventional manual or automatic transmission. Instead, Honda’s Linear Shift Control and slick new S+ Shift simulate the feeling of gear changes with rev matching and downshifts.

Taken together with the system’s paddle shifters, it’s sure to make the Prelude an engaging driver — especially when you consider the various components the car borrows from the Civic Type R.

Interior of a modern Honda vehicle featuring a black steering wheel with blue stitching, a digital instrument cluster, and a central touchscreen display on the dashboard. The dashboard has a sleek design with black and dark gray materials, blue accent stitching, and a "Prologue" badge. The center console includes push-button gear selectors and climate control knobs. The driver's side door panel has window and mirror controls, and the view outside shows a scenic landscape with green hills and a partly cloudy sky. — Because of its hybrid drivetrain, the Prelude does not use a conventional transmission — notice the absence of a third pedal and even an auto shifter.

Along with the hot hatch’s dual-axis strut front suspension, Honda has also given the Prelude its wide front and rear tracks, as well as its beefy Brembo monobloc calipers and large 13.8-inch rotors.

Rounded out by a standard Adaptive Damper System with selectable drive modes and Honda’s Agile Handling Assist, the result is a hybrid that’s packed with performance pedigree.

White Honda Prelude coupe with black accents, tinted windows, and black alloy wheels, parked on a paved surface with mountains and a clear blue sky in the background. — Though the full-width light bar is a popular look, it does translate to the Prelude quite well.

Digital driver’s car

Nowadays, most cars are inundated with screens and other distractions that detract from the driving experience.

While the new Prelude does feature a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, a 9-inch color touchscreen and wireless Apple CarPlay as well as Android Auto compatibility, Honda has gone to great lengths to ensure that you’re focused on enjoying the road.

Two-tone car seats with white leather sides and navy blue fabric centers, featuring "Prelude" embroidered on the headrests. The interior includes a white and black center console, with a view of green hills and trees visible through the window. — The sport seats are optimized to provide more support for the driver and more comfort for the passenger.

For starters, the cockpit is decidedly driver-focused. Along with a position marker on the wheel, the Prelude also features leather-trimmed sport seats with integrated head restraints and asymmetrical bolstering to provide more support for the driver and more comfort for the passenger.

What’s more, Honda has worked with Bose to design a Centerpoint 8-speaker sound system specifically for the car. It also has new door-mounted Super65 wide-range speakers and a large subwoofer in the cargo area.

Finally, the Prelude brings a suite of driver-assist tech to keep occupants safe. Beyond features like Collision Mitigation Braking and Lane Departure Warning, Honda has included Driver Attention Monitor, Traffic Jam Assist and Traffic Sign Recognition (among many others).

A sleek blue sports car driving on a road with mountains in the background, featuring a modern, aerodynamic design and black wheels. The car's windows are tinted, and the front has narrow, horizontal headlights with a shiny finish. — Honda’s Prelude carries the spirit of its predecessors through its many innovations.

Pricing and availability

While the Prelude is expected to go on sale this fall, Honda has yet to share pricing information.

However, because the model will be available in a single trim, it will likely slot in above the current Civic Hybrid, which starts around $30,000. Given that the more powerful Civic Type R starts at $46,690, Honda has a wide berth for its Prelude pricing.

In the meantime, you can head to Honda’s website to learn more.

Blue Honda electric coupe driving on a winding road with a hillside covered in grass and shrubs in the background. The car features sleek, modern headlights and black wheels.

2026 Honda Prelude

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About the Author: Gray is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, motorcycles and anything else with wheels. When he’s not chasing the latest industry news, he’s probably wrenching on one of many projects. For better or worse, he believes classics make perfectly practical daily drivers.