The 2026 Honda Prelude Surprises, But Lack Of These Two Features And Weird Choices Hold It Back

If you're one of those folks, do yourself a favor and take one for a test drive. You'll be pleased with the car's performance, and you won't even miss the third pedal. But unless you don't want/need a back seat, or unless you have a willingness to part with a surprising amount of cash, you won't be going home with it.

Honda offers the Prelude with just one powertrain -- a hybrid that pairs a 2.0-liter four-cylinder and an electric motor. Total system output is 200 horsepower and this one is a front-driver, with a direct-drive transmission.

That transmission uses drive force from the traction motor that gets sent to the front wheels through a fixed ratio. A simple lock-up clutch blends power from the engine.

That may be too technical -- to put it plain English, it all seems to work.

Torque News Takes To The Road

I got a short stint of 20-ish minutes behind the wheel on the winding roads outside of Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Near the famed Road America racetrack -- in fact, I was at an event using the track as base camp for the day. Honda didn't want this one on the track, which is too bad because it likely would've been quite fun. Thankfully, it acquitted itself well enough on twisty Wisconsin roads.

There are four main drive modes -- Comfort, GT, Sport, and Individual -- plus a S+ Shift mode that makes the transmission feel like a more traditional one.

Sport or S+ Shift are the modes to use on the backroads. GT is fine for pushing it, but the car comes much more alive in Sport. It handles neutrally with just a trace of understeer, and while the steering occasionally feels artificial, it's also generally well-weighted and accurate. A dual-axis MacPherson strut front suspension, multi-link rear suspension, and active damper system all play a role here.

In Comfort mode, the car rides smoothly -- but pop it into on the sport modes when it's time to play and the Prelude can easily put a smile on your face. It's easy to hustle -- the car works with you, not against you, and there's no drama. The brakes, which use Brembo calipers, are nice and firm when you need them.

All this from a stylish hatchback that makes 46 mpg city, 41 mpg highway, and 44 mpg combined.

A fun-to-drive, front-drive coupe that looks good? Sure, sign me up. I'd prefer a high-revving turbo four (no VTEC jokes, please) mated with a six-speed stick, but this powertrain gets the job done well.

Part of the problem with the Prelude is that Honda itself offers vehicles that perform as well or better -- and cost less and ask for less sacrifice. The Prelude lists for around $42,000 and while it technically it has four seats, the rear seat is a parcel shelf. No human above the age of toddler will be happy back there. Some dog breeds wouldn't even fit.

If you want fun in a Honda and you like to row your own, you can pick a Civic Si for a lot less money, and you'll have rear-seat room for adults. Or go a bit wilder and take home a Civic Type R for not much more than a Prelude (assuming no dealer markup). You'll sacrifice ride comfort and fuel economy, but, again, you'll have a real rear seat.

Or you can spend a little less dough for an Acura Integra A-Spec, getting a manual transmission, entry-luxury trim, and access to Acura dealers. You'd still maintain the hatchback body style. Or go nuts and get the Integra Type S, which might be the best blend of sport, luxury, and utility/convenience on the market, at least at a (somewhat) reasonable price.

Torque News Says The Honda Prelude Is A Hoot To Drive But Has Flaws

The Prelude's appeal is understandable -- it looks cool and the fuel-economy will be a draw. But Honda's own lineup, including from its luxury arm, offers the best competition for this car.

Should you not have wandered off to the Civic Si section of the Honda store, we can give you a highlight list of available Prelude features. Those features include Bluetooth, a wireless cell-phone charger, Bose audio, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, USB ports, remote start, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, and LED exterior lighting.

The interior is familiar to anyone who has been around Hondas lately. There's the standing screen above the center stack that houses the outdated-looking infotainment system. Below that is an easy-to-use climate-control system. While the rear seat is nonexistent for adults, the front seats are plenty comfortable. The hatchback also swallows more stuff than you'd think it would.

Honda's Prelude seems like a nostalgia play -- a premium front-drive sport coupe that isn't cheap but also isn't too expensive. Even taking away the manual and moving to a hybrid powertrain, the Prelude still seems to occupy a nice niche as a slightly upmarket stylish sportster.

Unfortunately, Honda's own lineup offers vehicles that will be chosen by those who prefer to row their own, those who want/need an adult-friendly rear seat, and those who disdain electrification.

That's too bad, because in a vacuum, the Prelude is excellent. Or, at least, its on-road moves are. As a driver's car, the mission is accomplished. But the Prelude doesn't exist in a vacuum.

I understand why Honda went hybrid here, and I understand why the company won't worry about building another trim with an ICE powertrain and perhaps a manual. This is already a niche car, no need to chase a handful of enthusiasts.

It's a little harder to understand why the company didn't make the car just a skoosh bigger to make the rear seat a little more usable. Though, again, dimensions are carefully thought out -- Honda has its reasons, probably performance- and/or fuel-economy related.

The younger, well-heeled buyer and the empty nester -- that's the target. Those who want fun and don't care about the lost utility. And they'll be happy.

But most of the rest of us might find a different Honda product to be a better fit.

About The Author

Tim Healey is an experienced automotive writer and editor from Chicago. He has covered automotive news at Consumer Guide Automotive, Web2Carz, AutoGuide, and was the managing editor at The Truth About Cars. Tim is a member of the Midwest Automotive Media Association. You can find him on Facebook, X/Twitter, and on LinkedIn.