Honda Is Apparently Killing Off Every Gas-Only Car in Its Arsenal, Except for One

It appears it’s the end of an era for internal combustion-only models (trucks, SUVs, and Odyssey notwithstanding).

Rear view of a red 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid Sport Touring with illuminated taillights and hexagonal blue background.

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Published May 4, 2026

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Updated May 5, 2026

The end may be near for the gas-only Honda automobile. At least, in Australia. Our friends down yonder at Drive report that the regional Honda department is going all-in on gas-electric hybridization. Except for one model: the Civic Type R.

While this news may be pertinent to our Aussie pals, it could also spell the end for gas-only Hondas globally. And that’s because the brand is really placing all of its current bets on gas-electric hybrid power.

Honda’s going full Insight across the board

Blue Honda Civic hatchback driving on a city street with tinted windows and black alloy wheels. — Honda recently made the Civic Hybrid the range’s standard powertrain as it standardizes gas-electric power.

According to the report, nearly all of Honda Australia’s lineup will transition to a gas-electric hybrid-only range by 2028. The only exception will be the high-po Civic Type R.

This may be a bit of a shocker (no pun intended), but it’s actually been a goal for the brand. It’s especially relevant since the brand has decided that full electrification isn’t the way forward.

Within the last several months, Honda quietly backtracked on its plan to fully electrify its lineup. The market clearly spoke and reflected a lukewarm reception (though this rapidly changed following the recent spikes in gas prices).

Gray Honda SUV parked on dirt terrain with a motocross rider jumping on a red dirt bike in the background. — The CR-V also jumped on the standard hybrid power train.

To make its products more enticing and cut losses from betting hard on EVs, Honda shifted its powertrain focus to gas-electric hybrid power. And the effects can be seen throughout its current lineup. The majority of its models now come standard with hybrid power.

At the recent Australian launch of the 2026 CR-V, Honda Australia exec Robert Thorp reaffirmed the brand’s hybrid strategy as the “right path for now.”

Black Honda sedan driving on a sunlit highway with reflections on the windows and roof. — Although available with two powertrains, the Accord’s upgradable option is gas-electric hybrid power.

“I don’t have a definitive time, but I would say it’s not too far away at all,” Thorp continued. “Somewhere between 2027 and 2028, it’ll be 100 per cent hybrid.”

The Civic Type R is safe, for now

Red and white Honda Civic Type R cars driving on a road with trees and cloudy sky in the background. — The Civic Type R is safe from the hybrid train, for now.

If you were worried as to what this transition could mean for the Civic Type R, you can rest easy. For now.

According to Mr. Thorp, the Civic Type R will stick to its gas-only turbo-four for the time being. Engineers and product planners are still in the midst of trying to figure out the Type R’s future as the brand continues leveraging hybrid power.

“There are a couple of exceptions within our line-up,” Thorp continued. “Type R is probably the obvious example, where, certainly in the short-term, there’s no hybrid offering within that [model range].”

White Honda Prelude coupe with black wheels parked on a mountain road under a clear blue sky. — The Prelude, despite the anticipation, has purists skeptical about what hybridization could mean for Honda’s reputation for fun cars.

Although gas-electric hybrid power makes tons of sense (and in more ways than one), true car enthusiasts are skeptical. That’s because Honda’s received pretty mixed reviews regarding the revived Prelude.

What was supposed to be a triumphant comeback for one of the brand’s most iconic sports cars has been a bit underwhelming. Many criticize the Prelude’s Civic Hybrid bones and lack of a manual transmission.

Because of Honda’s somewhat controversial choices with the Prelude’s execution, fans reimain apprehensive about this hybrid strategy.

Green Honda SUV driving through muddy terrain with dirt splashing around, rocky cliffs in background. — The future of Honda’s larger SUVs, the Pilot and Passport, remain to be determined.

As for what this could mean for some of Honda’s bespoke American offerings, like the Pilot and Passport SUVs, the Ridgeline, and the Odyssey minivan remains to be determined. All three depend on one of Honda’s longest-running internal combustion engines, the J-Series naturally-aspirated V6.

To date, Honda has only produced two gas V6-based hybrid powerplants specifically for its portfolio. The brand also produce several renditions for various Acura models like the last-gen RLX flagship sedan and the MDX.

For Honda models, the first was the seventh-generation Accord Hybrid and the second was the Honda/Acura NSX. The latter, of course, was an extraordinary application.

Not going all-electric just for the sake of EVs

a blue honda prologue EV driving on a highway by the ocean — The Honda Prologue is one of the brand’s latest EVs, but it’s been off to a sluggish start.

But if there’s any consolation, Honda executives did say that they’re not going all-electric just for the sake of jumping on the bandwagon. Some automakers (if not all) really wrapped themselves around electrification as their path forward.

However, Honda believes that balancing both internal combustion power and electrification is the more sensible strategy. Rather than dumping all of its eggs in one basket.

2025 honda civic hybrid — The Civic Hybrid remains one of the brand’s posterchildren for its hybridization efforts.

“We’re the biggest and largest producer of internal combustion engines in the world, and the biggest variety of them, they’re not done yet, but they will have to become sustainable,” Honda Australia’s President and CEO, Jay Joseph, recently said.

“It’s important to remember that our goal is not electrifying our powertrains, our goal is achieving carbon neutrality and not contributing to climate change,” he concluded.

About the Author: Chris Chin is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, trucks and anything else with four wheels. He has over a decade of experience writing news and reviews but considers himself an enthusiast first, with a passion for classics and European cars. His daily driver is a 1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL with nearly 250,000 miles (87,000 are his).

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