The last time the Prelude was available at your local Honda dealer the iPod had just come into existence and “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” was dominating the box office and the first mass market hybrid had just hit the U.S. market. A lot can change in 20-plus years: the iPod is now a relic, Harry Potter is all grown up and hybrid vehicles have come into the mainstream in a big way. Right after the turn of the millennium, hybrid sales barely broke the 20,000 mark, but the segment has made some major gains in the intervening two decades with 2024 marking a new high point for the hybrid market.
Last year, hybrids accounted for 20 percent of all new vehicles sold in the U.S. with over 1.9 million units moved in 2024 alone. Hybrid vehicles—along with their all-electric cousins—now have a proven track record for reliability and efficiency that goes a long way towards attracting new drivers, which makes it the perfect time to reintroduce the Honda Prelude in a new hybrid form.
First teased at the 2023 Tokyo Auto Show, the Prelude is both a blast from the past and an exciting example of modern automotive engineering. Honda has stuck to a proven formula when designing the new sixth-generation Prelude, which retains its two-door coupe style and sport compact designation. Designed to fill the gap left by the Civic and Accord coupes, the Prelude leverages an as-yet undisclosed hybrid powertrain that aims to give the sporty compact plenty of pep to deliver the same engaging on-road experience that defined the original.
With a slated release date of late 2025 it’s still a little early to delve into some of the finer details, but that doesn’t mean we can’t explore the Prelude history and take a well-informed look into the future. From the original Prelude and its legacy of performance-focused innovation to the new version’s hybrid powertrain and unique simulated gear shift system, let’s review some of the model’s best moments while previewing some of the coming attractions.
Opening Act
First introduced in 1979, the Prelude played an important role in establishing Honda’s identity in the US market. The Civic subcompact had made waves as an affordable, reliable vehicle that prioritized fuel efficiency, but with a 1.5-liter engine that produced just 60 hp, it wasn’t exactly blowing anyone away from a performance perspective. The compact Accord soon joined the roster with a larger 1.8-liter engine, but it was Honda’s fateful decision to launch the Prelude in the same year that really set the tone for the decades of performance-minded engineering to come. The Prelude coupe was smaller and lighter than the Accord, but the Japanese automaker paired it with the same 1.8-liter engine—and plenty of other upgrades—to create a responsive, engaging ride that immediately upped Honda’s profile amongst U.S. drivers.
The second-gen Prelude built on the sporty precedent set by the original, embracing a new, modern design complete with pop-up headlights and serving as the guinea pig for Honda’s new Si approach. Short for “sport injected”, the Prelude Si was the first in a long line of souped-up Honda models that live on today in the Civic Si. A fuel-injected 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine gave the mighty compact 135 hp to play with. As the Prelude entered its third generation in 1988 it would gain a few extra ponies, along with an innovative rear-wheel-steering system dubbed 4WS. Giving drivers the ability to turn the front and rear wheels in opposite directions, the steering angle-sensing 4WS system offered some real benefits in terms of maneuverability, allowing the Prelude to deliver ample low-speed maneuverability, especially when facing tough road conditions.
The Prelude continued to evolve through the 90s with the fourth- and fifth-generation models introducing a new, updated style, improved interior tech and Honda’s first double overhead cam (DOHC) VTEC engine. Rated for 190 horsepower and 158 lb-ft of torque, the 2.2-liter inline-four produced was even brawnier than previous Si offerings. Sadly, the Prelude fifth generation would be its last as Honda worked to expand its lineup to include new designs like the Odyssey minivan, Passport, and CR-V SUVs.
With the Civic and Accord so well entrenched in the U.S. market, there simply wasn’t room for the powerful little coupe. The Prelude would get a nice little send-off with Honda making a 200-hp VTEC engine standard across every trim and introducing a SH model that was packed with an alluring new torque-vectoring system. Named one of Car and Driver’s best-handling vehicles under $30,000, the Prelude SH beat out such well-heeled rivals as the Chevrolet Camaro BMW 3 series and Mazda MX-5 Miata. Characterized as “spirited, predictable, and utterly unflappable,” in the Car and Driver review, the Prelude left a strong impression that kept it in the hearts and minds of loyal Honda drivers over the past 24 years.
Perfecting the Hybrid and Shifting Expectations
The sequel to the original Prelude will replace the fifth-gen version’s 200-horsepower VTEC engine with a hybrid powertrain that is expected to mirror the setup found on the current Accord, Civic and CR-V hybrids. These existing Honda hybrids are powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that’s paired with two electric motors to offer between 200 and 204 hp, but odds are the Prelude will squeeze as much power as possible out of the same setup. Like the Civic, Accord, and CR-V, the Prelude looks to be a full hybrid model. While this will allow the Prelude to offer lower emissions and better fuel economy, the exact number is hard to peg. We know that the current Civic Hybrid offers around 50 MPG in the city and 47 MPG on the highway, so the smart money would be on a similar figure.
Again, details are scant, but even if the Prelude doesn’t blow away the Civic and Accord in terms of pure power, its small size and sporty design should help the coupe to make the most out of every pony. The Prelude will likely be outfitted with front-wheel drive, though we wouldn’t be surprised to see an all-wheel drive version hit the market in the near future. The Prelude is primed for just such a design, which allows the model to live up to its lofty sport compact aspirations thanks to the enhanced traction, stability and handling that the AWD approach can offer.
Hybrid technology offers countless advantages in terms of efficiency—and often enables a powertrain to produce just as much output as one would find in a gas-powered or full-electric vehicle—but there are some inherent disadvantages to the strategy. One obvious drawback would be the lack of feedback that risks endangering the driver/car connection. Without the auditory and tactile input that comes with a traditional engine and transmission, it can be tough for a driver to establish a real rapport with their vehicle.
Luckily, Honda looks to have engineered around this issue with a new S+ Shift that elevates the driving experience by offering quick, crisp simulated gear changes by strictly controlling the engine’s RPM when accelerating and decelerating. The S+ Shift is also said to enhance the Prelude’s efficiency and features an advanced Linear Shift Control system that customizes the car’s shifting in response to steering inputs and road conditions. By keeping the vehicle in the ideal RPM range, drivers will be able to access plenty of power when they step on the throttle for a truly sporty driving experience.
Honda’s S+ Shift tech is paired with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters for precise control and an Active Sound Control (ASC) system that creates an enhanced simulated engine noise in response to changing RPMs and simulated gearshifts. It might sound like a bit of smoke and mirrors on the part of Honda, but it’s hard to discount just how vital this type of auditory feedback can be in forging a connection with a vehicle.
The Prelude’s Journey Continues
Honda has already proved itself with an impressive record of hybrid models, but the new Prelude represents one of its most ambitious efforts to date. The original Prelude set a high bar as one of the brand’s sportiest models—and even introduced the world to Honda’s enthralling Si experiments—so the new hybrid version certainly has its work cut out for it. While it’s still early days, the coupe looks to be off to a promising start, employing Honda’s time-tested hybrid tech while introducing a few enhancements that round out the Prelude’s performance resume.
The revitalized Prelude also fills an important gap in the current Honda lineup, which has been without a two-door option since the company discontinued the coupe versions of the Civic and Accord in 2020 and 2017 respectively. Whether you’re a legacy Prelude driver who’s been eagerly awaiting the model’s return or a newcomer looking for a vehicle that merges Honda’s reputation for reliability and efficiency with an athletic new hybrid sport compact design, the contemporary version of the classic coupe is certainly worth a closer look.
