Honda Might Be Planning A Prelude Type R

When Honda debuted the sleek concept at the 2023 Tokyo Motor Show, hopes were high for a true driver’s coupe— instead Honda is building a rebodied Civic Hybrid.

According to reports from Japan, Honda is allegedly working on two performance variants: a Prelude Si and a flagship Prelude Type R. For now, the only confirmed version of the Prelude is a hybrid. Based on Honda’s two-motor e:HEV hybrid system, the incoming model is confirmed to share its setup with the 2025 Civic Hybrid.

The Prelude will pair a 2.0-liter inline-four with electric assistance, producing 200 horsepower and 232 lb-ft of torque U.S. Power is sent exclusively to the front wheels. While that’s a respectable figure for a commuter car, it’s a far cry from the 315-hp Civic Type R or the high-revving VTEC Preludes of the past.

The Prelude Si would aim to split the difference between a standard hybrid and a full Type R, offering performance enhancements like upgraded suspension and chassis reinforcements without the aggressive styling or high price tag.

“It’s a very difficult question, of course, and you can’t expect a direct answer,” the engineer told Top Gear. “We have been talking for years now about whether there will be a hybrid Type R in the future or a battery-electric Type R in the future,” Yamagami-san continued. “What we’ve always said is that Type R is not dependent on the method of propulsion.”

If it’s to match the current Civic Type R, the Prelude Type R would need to pack over 300 hp, potentially using a more potent hybrid system or even a turbocharged engine paired with electric assistance. But the Prelude's hybrid system would need to change or be reworked if that's the case.

Currently, the Civic—and by extension the Prelude—only uses the combustion engine to charge the battery; the battery then deploys power to the motors, which propel the car down the road. There is a high-speed lockup clutch that will allow the engine to power the drive wheels, but that's only during steady state highway cruising.

There's really not much use for a high-powered, turbocharged combustion engine if its only job is to charge a battery pack.

Honda has made it clear that it sees hybrids as a transitional technology on the road to full electrification—although the company has announced it will be spending significantly less on electrification plans moving forward. The Prelude’s hybrid-only arrival aligns with the automaker’s goal of becoming fully carbon-neutral by 2050, with the long-term goal of phasing out combustion engines by 2040.

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