The Honda Prelude Returns for 2026 and This Is Why You’ll Want One
The classic sports car returns, this time sleeker, more powerful and with hybrid power and MPG
Stacy’s Mom has got it going on … and she drives a Honda Prelude. That was in the ’90’s, or maybe the ’80’s or the 2000’s when the Fountains of Wayne song was part of the soundtrack of life. Album images from “Stacy’s Mom” show a woman behind the wheel of a vintage American car and not a Honda Prelude, but in my mind, the Prelude is exactly what she drove.
The Honda Prelude was just what she needed: She was hot, newly single, managing her kids, crushing it at work and still carving out time to be herself. She needed a car that did the dual job of a reliable commuter but also, matching her spirit and ambition to be the woman she wanted to be.
And now, the 2026 Honda Prelude reminds us again: our reliable and economical ride can be fun and sexy, too.
This story is 100% human-researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience, and expertise on the subject of cars and trucks.
A New Era of Honda Prelude: A Fast, Efficient Hybrid
First things first: It’s “Pray-lude” not “Pre-lude.”
Then, unlike the original Prelude, which was a boxy two-door coupe that gave ‘crushing it at work’ vibes along with a sporty drive, the modern version is a sleek sporty hatchback coupe that gives more Porsche 911 or Nissan Z than BMW 2 Series or Audi A3.
The new design reflects Honda’s shifting design language with a sleek, sculpted front end with steely, focused headlights and a rear tail light bar. Just under the light bar is the new Honda nameplate and the Prelude name in cursive, placed just above the rear bumper and standing out against the car’s paint.
And, this is a hybrid. Honda hasn’t released MPG estimates but we’re guessing this one will run for weeks on a tank of gas, even when you’re having a lot of fun with it.
Read: The Redesigned 2022 Honda Civic, in the Civic Si Edition: a Stick Shift With No Compromises
Honda’s New Signature Stands Out on the Prelude
The new Honda nameplate is really interesting; Prelude is the first non-EV to carry the sans serif, almost digital modern Honda typeface instead of the classic “H” logo.
Altogether, the new signature makes the Prelude stand out and adds a fresh feel. It’ll add to the Prelude’s star power in the Honda lineup.
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Prelude Builds On Honda’s Successful, And Powerful, Tech
The Honda Prelude will be powered by a hybrid powertrain that generates 200 HP and 232 pound-feet of torque. For a car this small, that’s a nice amount of power; it’s the same powertrain that we find in Honda’s Civic Hybrid models: Two electric motors that assist a 4-cylinder engine.
But for performance, Honda designed the Prelude based on the Honda Civic SI, which we know as a sporty driving, manual transmission-only 4-door coupe. The Prelude is neither manual or 4-door, though it will have the option of manual driving via paddle shifters, an innovation for hybrid driving.
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And It’s Still Manual… Sort of
Part of what set the Prelude apart for Stacy’s Mom was that she could do this: Drive a manual. She didn’t need help from a man, or an automatic transmission to get where she needed to go. That idea of independence in your drive choice remains true in the 2026 Honda Prelude. Next to the gear selector there’s a button for S+ Shift, which puts the car in manual mode.
Once in S+ Shift mode the paddles can be used to upshift or downshift. Honda says drivers (and passengers) will hear and feel the engine and transmission response, even though technically there is not a transmission but instead, a direct drive mode that connected to the electric motor. Shift+ simulates manual shifting and creates the feedback sound and feeling.
Purists and original Prelude drivers may take a pause at this new technology, but we’ve seen just how smart and fun it can be in other cars that have engineered the experience, including the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N.
When the car is not in S+ Shift the paddles can be used for regenerative braking, recouping and storing unused energy to further increase MPG.
Read: 12 Affordable Manual Transmission Cars, and 3 Splurges, To Fuel Your Stick Shift Dreams
Inside, An Interior Built For Fun
Honda is only offering one trim in the Prelude and a few choices of exterior and interior colors. In addition to paint choices, buyers can opt for a black interior or the white seats with blue inserts that the company showed on its preproduction models.
To enhance the sport driving feel, Honda added sport seats with nice bolstering to keep you firmly planted on curvy roads. Seats will be finished in leather and feature premium details like stitching and embroidery.
The center console and dash carry the modern feel of Honda, with the brand’s upgraded multimedia system and driver display, mesh air vents and in the center of the lower console, a modern feeling pushbutton gear shifter. The center console will feature all the expected goodies like USB-C ports and a wireless phone charger.
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A Four-Seat Hatchback Adds Function to the Fun Factor
This coupe technically seats four, though with the low-swooping roof line, the rear seat is pretty small and better suited for very small passengers or furry friends. The seats fold for more cargo space and the rear hatch opens to allow nice access to the space.
The 2026 Honda Prelude, which will go on sale later in 2025, adds a sporty, modern performance model to the Honda family, and it’s much needed. As much as Stacy’s Mom loves to head out to the Palisades Parkway to blow off the day’s steam, the Honda Civic SI just isn’t her cup of tea. The Honda Prelude fills that spot nicely and will turn heads as she drives through town or pulls into the high school parking lot for back to school night. As she exits from her sports coupe, everyone will see that Stacey’s Mom has got it going on.
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