The 2026 Honda Prelude Can Carry Its Own Track Tires - We Proved It

The new 2026 Honda Prelude is out, and the car is drawing a lot of attention. If you have not seen it in person, you should do so before making a final judgement. We saw it this week, and it is hands-down one of the best-looking coupes you can buy at any price point. It’s gorgeous, and you don't have to be a Honda fanboy to see the beauty in this design.

How Big Is the Honda Prelude Inside?
Honda’s official specifications sheet for the Honda Prelude is not much help with understanding how big the car is inside. Officially, the cargo capacity is listed at just 15.1 cubic feet. Pop the hatch, drop the rear jumpseats down, and it sure seems a lot bigger than that in person. In one Honda video, they show a surfboard in back.

Can the Honda Prelude Fit a Set of Tires In Back?
Yes, the Honda Prelude can fit a set of tires inside the back area. You do need to drop down the rear jumpseats to fit them in. Do so, and you have room to spare. Why does this matter? Well, with sports cars, some owners have two sets of tires. One for daily driving, and one for track days. If you plan to track a Prelude, it sure is handy to haul your sticky-slick track tires along. 

Is the Honda Prelude As Big Inside As the Toyota GR86?
The Prelude has about 85 cu ft of passenger volume. The GR86 has just 77 cu ft. The Prelude’s rear cargo area with the back seats up is 15 cu ft. By contrast, Toyota lists the GR86’s rear cargo area at a minuscule 6.26 cu ft. The Prelude is much larger on paper.

You may be wondering if the GR86 can fit four tires inside. Yes, as we demonstrated when we did our review of the Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season tire.  

Other Prelude Facts and Figures
The Prelude is powered by a front-wheel drive hybrid powertrain. The engine is a weakling with just 134 lb-ft of torque. However, the electric motors add 232 lb-ft of torque from zero RPMs. So, combined, the Prelude can feel sporty in some situations.

The Prelude is a 6.5-second car to 60 MPH according to Car and Driver. That’s about as quick as a Prius. Not slow, but not sports car quick in 2026.

The Prelude is still in its early launch stage. In 2026, Honda has delivered 515 Preludes to U.S. customers as of the end of February.

Are you surprised that a Honda Prelude has enough space to carry four track tires? Tell us in the comments below. 

All images by John Goreham.

John Goreham is a 14-year veteran of Torque News. An accomplished writer and a long-time expert in vehicle testing, Goreham also serves as the Vice President of the New England Motor Press Association and has a growing social media presence. He’s also a 10-year staff writer and community moderator for Car Talk. Goreham holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and an undergraduate Certificate in Marketing. In addition to vehicle and tire content, he offers deep dives into market trends and opinion pieces. You can follow John Goreham on X and TikTok, and connect with him on LinkedIn.