Recently, Honda took the wraps off the production version of the Prelude concept we saw almost 2 years ago. Order books have already opened in Japan. Prices start at JPY 6,179,800 (USD 42,146 or EUR 35,592), MSRP (including consumption tax). Honda is targeting to sell 300 units a month in Japan. The sports coupe has also been listed on the Honda USA website, but the order books are expected to open sometime in early 2026. As for Europe, the Prelude has been listed on Honda France and Honda Italy websites. Others may have to wait for a bit longer.
The production version looks identical to the concept except for the lack of a grille lightband at the front, different ORVMs, and the lack of a rear wing. But otherwise, it’s a clean and fuss-free design in my opinion. Some of you may find the design rather bland/boring, but Honda might be cooking sportier versions for the future. The car rides on 19-inch machine-finished Berlina Black wheels as standard, wrapped with 235/40 all-season tyres. The wheels hide ‘Prelude Blue’ painted Brembo calipers; the rotors measure 13.8-inch at the front and 12-inch at the rear. Suspension components and adaptive dampers are the same you’ll find in the Civic Type R, albeit specifically tuned for the Prelude.
For those wondering how big the 6th-gen Prelude is, well, it is more or less the size of a 911. It measures 4,531 mm long (JDM: 4,520 mm), 1,880 mm wide and 1,356 mm tall. Wheelbase measures 2,606 mm. The Japanese-spec model weighs 1,460 kg (3,219 lbs).
Moving on to the juicy bits of the story then, the Prelude packs a hybrid powertrain. It combines a 2.0L 4-cylinder Atkinson-cycle N/A petrol engine with an electric motor integrated into a CVT. The ICE produces 104 kW (141 metric hp) and 182 Nm (134 lb-ft), while the e-motor is rated at 135 kW (183.5 metric hp) and 315 Nm (232 lb-ft). However, the system power output will be a lousy 149 kW (202.5 metric hp/200 bhp).
And, as with any vehicle with multiple “driving modes”, you’ll typically get the full power and torque only in the ‘Sport’ mode. That ‘S+’ you see, simulates rev-matched downshifts. And, yes, the 6th-gen Prelude continues the tradition of being a front-wheel-drive coupe. You might think that it is a missed opportunity to make the new Prelude a rear-wheel-drive coupe, but since the new Prelude is built on the same platform as the 11th-gen Civic, that might be a bit of a challenge. However, an e-AWD in the future might be possible, but there’s no confirmation yet.
Key features inside include leather-trimmed sport seats with perforated houndstooth pattern, a flat-bottom steering wheel with alloy shift paddles, a 9-inch touchscreen, a 10.2-inch digital cluster, wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto connectivity, a wireless smartphone charger, and an 8-speaker Bose Centerpoint premium sound system. The Honda Sensing suite of safety and driver-assistive technologies are included as standard.
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