The First 2026 Honda Prelude Dyno Run Did Not Go As Planned, But We Have a Number

The 2026 Honda Prelude was one of the most highly anticipated Japanese sports cars. Similar to Toyota, which is on a roll reviving iconic nameplates from its past, Honda brought back the Prelude after a near-20-year hiatus. 

Unfortunately, we can see an obvious pattern in the way Honda is "bringing back” its sports car names, and it seems to be a similar case to the Acura Integra, which came back as a hatchback. Granted, the Integra Type-S is a superb hot hatchback, but it’s not a coupe like its iconic predecessor. And don’t get me started on the upcoming Acura RSX, which will be a performance EV crossover coupe. 

The car is out of the bag, and the sixth-generation Prelude came back as a $43,000 hybrid coupe. Essentially, it is a Honda Civic e:HEV in tight jeans. We know the figures - 200 horsepower and 232 pound-feet from what is, otherwise, a brilliant partnership between a normally-aspirated K20 engine and an electric motor. 

Related Honda Prelude story: I Was Willing To Forgive Honda For The Prelude, But Then I Saw The 0 To 60 MPH Time

The official numbers quoted by the manufacturer are always at the crankshaft, not at the wheels. This begs the question: How much power does the 2026 Honda Prelude make? PLM recently uploaded a series of dyno runs on YouTube, which attempted to answer the question. I say “attempted” because it wasn’t easy to make the hybrid Honda do a proper run. Nevertheless, we eventually got some numbers.

Hybrid vehicles don’t like dynamometers.

Putting a car on a dyno is the most accurate way to determine the actual power and torque that goes to a vehicle’s wheels. It also determines the difference between crankshaft (or flywheel) horsepower and wheel horsepower, otherwise known as mechanical or drivetrain loss. With non-hybrid vehicles, the procedure typically goes smoothly, but hybrid powertrains like those on the new Honda Prelude aren’t as cooperative when it comes to “running” on the dyno.

18 horsepower and 113 pound-feet?

Those are the numbers on the first run. The car struggled noticeably, and it seemingly refused to accelerate on the dyno, rendering the first dyno runs meaningless. That’s mostly due to the car constantly switching between electric and combustion power, but not staying in either mode. 

As a result, the dyno’s safety feature kicks in to protect the vehicle by shutting down. Moreover, the hybrid powertrain is focused on efficiency, and the car’s computers are effectively fighting the dyno.

Electric motors typically have negligible (if any) powertrain loss. The 2.0-liter engine alone makes 141 horsepower at 6,000 RPM and 134 pound-feet at 4,500 RPM. The 113-pound-feet of torque at the wheels gives an idea of the ICE’s mechanical loss (roughly 15.5 percent). 

Eventually, the dyno runs produced a horsepower number. 

The drama between the Honda Prelude and the dyno unfolded on the second day of trying to get a figure. The car still refused to go anywhere near the redline, but with a bit of clever trickery, the guys at the dyno managed to fool the car’s systems into not freaking out (as much). In the end, the graph showed 115 horsepower and 141 pound-feet at the wheels. 

Those numbers weren’t consistent either. The next run showed 100 horsepower and 119 pound-feet at the wheels.

The 2026 Honda Prelude features some brilliant tech, but that’s also the main reason getting a decent dyno run proved difficult. The car does not feature a physical transmission, but there is still a fake S+ shift, manual mode, which you can use through the paddle shifters. This was the only way to get any decent numbers.

Disappointed? So am I. Luckily, two more variants of the Honda Prelude are coming within the next two years, and at least one of them will not be a hybrid and will have a manual transmission. I still love the way the Prelude looks, despite reminding me of a certain French coupe. But let me know what you think about Honda’s revived Prelude? Would you still buy one knowing how much power it makes?

More stories by Dimitar Angelov: 

• This Is The Ultimate Toyota Land Cruiser Pickup Truck, And You Can't Have It Just Yet

• With The GR Celica Confirmed To Be Mid-engine, Will Toyota MR-2 Become Front-engine?

• Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R Prices Have Plateaued, So Now Is The Time To Buy One

• Lexus GS-F Sells Better Than A BMW M5, But Only As A Used Car. Here's Why

Dimitar Angelov's automotive interests made him an expert in a wide variety of vehicles. Japanese brands like Toyota are closest to his heart, although performance cars in general are his favorite segment, which is why he is constantly on the lookout for the best deals on the market. Dimitar Angelov's car passion and knack for the written word led him to complete a Master of Arts in Media and Communications, and classic car restoration. Dim is happy to get behind the wheel of any car and share his impressions. You can follow Dimitar on X, Linked-in, Instagram, and Facebook.

Image sources: Honda Prelude Press release