In the mid-’90s, the Honda Prelude wasn’t just another coupe — it was the coupe. But then… it vanished. For over two decades, the world moved on. SUVs took over, and the Prelude became a memory.
But now it’s back. And Honda says it’s not just back to remind us of its glory days… It’s here to redefine what a modern sports car can be. So then the question is: does the new Prelude offer more than just a nostalgia trip?
Performance
Engine – Under the long hood, the new Prelude receives a familiar powertrain. It’s the 2.0L hybrid engine from the Civic Hybrid. It produces 200 hp & 232 lb-ft of torque (149 kW & 315 Nm), all of it being delivered to the front wheels only. With power like that, this car won’t set any sort of 0-100 km/h time records. It wasn’t designed for that anyway. But it feels adequate. With the assist of the electric motor, it picks up quickly when exiting a corner and because there’s no turbocharger, the powertrain is responsive.
It also does the usual hybrid stuff. When setting off from a stop, the engine and electric motor get the car up to speed. Once you ease off the throttle, the engine shuts off and the car drives on electricity for brief periods.
Fuel Economy – Because it is a hybrid, this makes it one of the most efficient sports cars on sale. It’s rated for 5 L/100km (47 MPG) in a city and 5.7 L/100km (41.3 MPG) on a highway. I’ve been averaging 5.4 L/100km (43.5 MPG) during my time with the car. Best of all, it doesn’t require premium fuel.
Transmission – The big story with this car is the new “S+” shift system. The transmission is Honda’s direct drive automatic which behaves like an eCVT but it’s not in the traditional sense. In everyday driving, it behaves like one. But when pressing the S+ button on the center console, it replicated 8 virtual gear changes. This is different from other eCVTs as this transmission also replicates the momentary “lurches” as the gears change and it forces the engine to perform rev-matches. At the end of the day, these shifts are fake but it genuinely does make for a more enjoyable driving experience. The only thing that annoys me is that if you don’t use the paddles often, the car reverts back to “D” instead of sticking with manual mode.
Braking – Though much of the new Prelude is based on the Civic Hybrid, the brakes are from the Civic Type-R. That means 4-piston Brembo calipers with 13.8-inch rotors on the front and single piston calipers with 12-inch rotors on the back. These provide plenty of stopping force and a great feeling brake pedal.
There’s also regenerative braking to help slow the car down. The regen force can be adjusted via the paddles but only if the S+ function is switched off.
Handling – More Civic Type-R DNA finds itself in the 2026 Prelude in the form of the dual-axis front suspension. This helps give the car better front end grip and feel while reducing torque steer. Multi-link rear suspension and standard adaptive dampers provide balance rather than bone-jarring stiffness. The result? It’s quite fun to drive on a twisty mountain road. The steering is sharp, the power is manageable and you feel the road beneath you. Despite its lack of power compared to some other FWD sports cars, this is a thoroughly enjoyable car to drive on an entertaining road.
Comfort
Ride Comfort – When you’re not tearing up your local mountain pass, the Honda Prelude is civilized. The aforementioned adaptive dampers keep the ride supple over rough pavement.
The seats are the second half of the comfort equation which hit that magical sweet spot between sporty and comfortable. You can do a three-hour road trip and step out fresh.
Interior Space – Space-wise, it’s a true coupe. Front occupants have plenty of room, but the rear seats are more “insurance discount” than “passenger-ready.” You can fit kids or hockey gear. Not both. As for the trunk, there’s 428 L (15.1 cu-ft) of space and a tire repair kit, not a spare wheel.
Visibility around the car is adequate. Front, side, and rearward visibility is good but the blind zones are fairly large. It’s not too bad on the driver’s side but on the passenger’s side, it’s very hard to see.
Noise, Vibration, & Harshness – Cabin noises are relatively low but it depends on the type of tires the car is equipped with. Honda used acoustic glass and extra insulation around the rear bulkhead but with this demo vehicle having winter tires, road noise is evident at highway speeds. Engine noise is well subdued and some engine enhancement noises do get pumped through the audio system in Sport mode.
Odds and Ends
Pricing – Now for the elephant in the room. This new 2026 Honda Prelude will cost you $49,990 CAD ($42,000 USD). For that price, you can get the GR86 Yuzu Edition that I drove not too long ago, and that one is limited to just 30 units for all of Canada. You can also get the Mazda MX-5 with the hard top roof. A Mustang, but not with the V8. Heck, for another $900, you can get a BMW 230i. A BMW!!
Gadgets – For the money, it has the usual convenience features a GT/Sports car would have. There is leather upholstery, heated seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, a wireless phone charging pad, a dimming rearview mirror, and a Bose audio system.
The infotainment system is displayed on an 9-inch touchscreen which runs Honda’s latest software. It’s Google based so it has Google Assistant and Google Maps built in with more apps available to download. It also supports wireless CarPlay & Android Auto.
Interior Design – The cabin looks the part of a GT / Sports car with the aforementioned leather upholstery, suede on the center console and big S+ button on the center console. It’s also very simple to use as it’s based on the Civic which still uses physical controls for commonly used functions and doesn’t have them buried into a touchscreen like other manufacturers.
Exterior Design – This car turns a lot of heads! It looks great from every angle and people can’t resist walking up to it to take a closer look. From the front it resembles the new Toyota Prius but that’s not a bad thing because the new Prius is a looker as well. My only critique of the exterior styling is that it should have had a dual exhaust outlet. The real exhaust tips are hidden underneath the car.
Safety – The 2026 Honda Prelude comes standard with Honda’s Sensing Suite of advanced driver and safety aids. These include forward collision alert with automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning with lane keep, adaptive cruise control, blind spot sensors, auto high beams, rear cross traffic alert, and so on.
Warranty – The 2026 Prelude is covered just like any other Honda with a standard 3 year / 60,000 km new vehicle and 5 year / 100,000 km powertrain warranty while the hybrid components are covered by an 8 year / 160,000 km warranty. For more information about Honda’s Canadian warranty, click here. For information on USA warranty, click here.
Conclusion – With a price tag of $50,000 CAD, is the 2026 Honda Prelude worth it? As a used car? Yes. It’s efficient, it’s fun, it’s unique. But someone has to pull the trigger and buy it new before we start seeing these on the used car market. Because as a brand new car, it’s just too expensive and there are cheaper options out there.
Thank you to Honda Canada for providing the Prelude. www.Honda.ca
2026 Honda Prelude Gallery
