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- Honda revives Prelude; affordable hybrid sports coupe launching mid-2026 in Australia
- Targets Mustang, Z, MX-5, GR86 with Civic e:HEV powertrain
- Type R suspension, wide tracks, and Brembo brakes promise engaging dynamics
- CVT-based “S+ Shift” mimics manual; true manual unavailable
- Sleek exterior, blue-white cockpit; driver seat specially bolstered for sport
There’s a new affordable sports car on its way to rival the Ford Mustang, Nissan Z, Mazda MX-5, and Toyota GR86. That’s right, Honda is bringing back one of its most famous nameplates with the launch of the new Honda Prelude (6th-generation). Due to arrive in Australia in mid-2026, the vehicle is a launch platform (Prelude) to the brand’s latest-generation “e:HEV” hybrid technology, but with a sporty twist.
It will be powered by the same two-motor hybrid-electric powerplant as the Civic hybrid. It’s sad to see that the new Honda Prelude won’t use the 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder engine in the Civic Type R (329HP/420Nm). However, it will be underpinned by the same suspension, wide front and rear tracks, and Brembo front brakes from the Civic Type R, so we expect it to be a pretty fun momentum car.
Sadly, the six-speed manual transmission won’t carry over either. It’s been replaced by a CVT transmission that mimics the sound and feel of a traditional gearbox and sends power to the front wheels only. Honda calls it the “S+ Shift system,” and it works with the Active Sound Control (ASC) system in the car to augment a gearbox by syncing the “upshifts” with engine RPM each time you pull on a paddle. Honda says the new Prelude will “deliver high levels of driver exhilaration and engagement, including unmatched driving dynamics and fun-to-drive feel,” but we’ll be the judge of that once we get behind the wheel. Let’s take a closer look!
While the powertrain choice is a tad disappointing, it’s still refreshing to see a compact sports car in the era of oversized, overweight vehicles.
The design is near-perfect. It’s exactly what a modern-day Prelude should look like, with clean surfacing, a sleek nose, glider-inspired headlights, black chrome plating on the front grille, and a low-slung roofline.
Wheels are pushed to the edges to create a wider track, while a closer look reveals a large diffuser and flush door handles.
When we look inside, the main colour is “blue × white,” which Honda says expresses the concept of PRELUDE with a light white and deep blue coordination. We love the instrument panel and its attention to detail on the ivory skin finish. Meanwhile, the driver’s seat and the passenger seat have different specifications, which is very Ferrari-like. The driver’s seat has an increased hold suitable for sports driving, while the passenger seat provides “moderately wrapped comfort,” according to Honda.
Tech-wise, there’s a D-shaped design steering wheel with a full-graphic instrument cluster behind it, exclusive to PRELUDE, but further details will be shared closer to the local launch.
We don’t have specific engine power or torque figures available, but the 2.0-litre 4-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid system in the Civic hybrid e:HEV produces 135kW (approximately 181 HP) and 315Nm of torque.
The new Honda Prelude will arrive in Australia in mid-2026. “We’re thrilled to add this iconic nameplate to the Honda line-up next year,” said Honda Australia automotive director Robert Thorp at a media roundtable in Melbourne.
When asked about who’s going to purchase the new Prelude, Thorp said: “To be honest, older males who used to own them back in the 90s, (could be) buying them again, but you can see it opening up to a female audience as well because of the way it looks and drives and handles, which we’ve heard about (internally),” he said. “Maybe they owned one back in the 90s, or had a used one, because that’s what they bought during uni and in the 2000s. But this might be something that brings them back.”
We don’t know how much the new Prelude will cost when it arrives in Australia next year, but Thorp says it will be competitive: “We think we’ll be able to bring a great value package to market.”
“We’re very confident that this will be a model that will attract a lot of interest.”
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