2026 Honda Prelude Hybrid Will Arrive In America Late Next Year
After a 22-year hiatus, Honda is officially reviving the Prelude nameplate in North America.
Scheduled for a late 2025 U.S. release, the sixth-generation Prelude will ideologically slot into the vacant space left by the discontinued Civic and Accord coupes.
Honda announced the hybrid-powered Prelude will debut a new S+ Shift drive mode which will use the aggressive influence of Linear Shift Control—a function of Honda's eCVT hybrid 'gearbox'—to deliver "maximum levels of driver engagement." By the sounds of it, a manual transmission is unlikely.
Some of you will remember the S+ button was originally offered on the Honda CR-Z hybrid and delivered a burst of battery deployment when activated.
Honda confirmed the 2026 Prelude will use a version of the company's latest two-motor hybrid-electric system, the same as powers the 2025 Civic, Accord, and CR-V hybrid models. The setup combines a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with a pair of electric motors.
Honda's system allows the gasoline engine to either power the battery powering the motors, or connect to the the driven wheels directly via a high-speed lockup clutch. One of the electric motors is powering the driven wheels at all times.
Check Out The New Honda Prelude Hybird
The 2025 Civic Hybrid already simulates shifting by dipping engine torque during acceleration to make the revs sound like they’re climbing through gears. We asked Honda to explain what S+ Shift would do exactly.
“The Honda S+ Shift maximizes the efficiency of a high-performance engine and high-output motor, finely controlling engine RPM across all acceleration and deceleration ranges based on driving conditions. This enables more direct drive response and sharper simulated shifts compared to previous models (with Linear Shift Control), coordinated with active sound control for powerful auditory feedback, and responsive meters that engage the senses.
"Together, these elements deliver a driving experience that stimulates the body and mind, synchronizing driver and vehicle and offering a sensory-rich experience of driving at will.”
Exact specs haven’t been released—at least 200 horsepower and 232 lb-ft. of torque should be on offer, but hope for the torquier version of the system that works in the Accord and CR-V.
The system differs slightly between models, with the Civic having its motors placed inline, while the Accord and CR-V use a parallel orientation. The CR-V is also the only one of the trio to offer the two-motor hybrid system with all-wheel-drive, but AWD performance cars have never been Honda's real domain, so I don't think anyone should get their hopes up.
Speculation aside, we still haven't seen a production version of the Prelude—Honda is still showing the 2023 concept— so expect a formalized car and more details to flow in the coming months.
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An experienced automotive storyteller and accomplished photographer known for engaging and insightful content. Michael also brings a wealth of technical knowledge—he was part of the Ford GT program at Multimatic, oversaw a fleet of Audi TCR race cars, ziptied Lamborghini Super Trofeo cars back together, been over the wall during the Rolex 24, and worked in the intense world of IndyCar.
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Honda S+ Shift, which simulates shifts, sounds like a really dumb idea. Just put in an automatic, or better still, a manual, a la the last version of the CRZ. Seriously, all the recent money spent on goofy electronic "features" could have been better invested in building long lasting, quality cars, rather than rolling "simulated" video games.