Honda brings back an iconic nameplate in 2026, adding the sixth-generation Honda Prelude to the mix. This new Prelude signals a hybrid comeback for the brand.
Hybrid vehicles are showing up everywhere you look. Whether you want a high-powered performance car or a fuel-sipping sedan, hybrid powertrains are becoming much more commonplace than ever before. The new Prelude will arrive next year, making its way to the U.S. market which is where this car has been a top model for fun and active driving from Honda.
Here’s what we can expect when the new 2026 Honda Prelude returns as a hybrid car.
It’s been shown as a concept car
Its been two years already, but the hybrid-electric Honda Prelude Concept appeared in 2023 at the Los Angeles Auto Show. This appearance followed its global debut at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show. Despite the newness of the concept, and the three years that Honda has taken between showing off this new car and when it will appear in the market, the Prelude name dates back to November 1978. That makes the Los Angeles Auto Show the place that marked the 45th anniversary of the Prelude name.
Innovative style, iconic name
The return of the Prelude name marks the resurgence of one of Honda’s most iconic names. The 2026 Honda Prelude will arrive as a hybrid car, but it should be exciting and fun, showing that hybrids don’t have to be boring. It will also bring the new Honda S+ Shift, which is a new drive model that advances Linear Shift Control to bring the driver maximum levels of engagement. This makes perfect sense for the Prelude, which has been one of the most fun and active cars on the road during every generation of its previous existence.
One of the original trio is back
If you look back at the history of the Honda name in the United States, you will find out that the Prelude was one of the first three products from the brand. In the 1970s, the first cars offered by this brand were the Civic, Accord, and Prelude. Bringing the trio back together just makes perfect sense, and all three will be offered with hybrid powertrains once the Prelude returns next year.
“The return of the Honda Prelude as a hybrid-electric sports model demonstrates our continued commitment to offer a variety of exhilarating products to meet the needs of our customers.”
– Jessika Laudermilk, assistant vice president of Honda Auto Sales
Should it be powered differently?
The return of the 2026 Honda Prelude as a hybrid car makes sense, but hopefully, it won’t be a disappointment. Would you be upset if this sporty car with the historic name appears to simply replace the coupe versions of the Civic and Accord models? Would you also be disappointed to find out that it might use a version of the hybrid powertrain already being used by other Honda models?
Currently, the Honda Accord hybrid produces 204 horsepower from a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder hybrid powertrain. It would certainly be upsetting if that were the powertrain used for the early models of the new Prelude. For this car to make a significant splash and honor its historical name, it needs to be much more fun and deliver more power to create an amazing driving experience.
Why not the Civic Type R powertrain?
Can the Honda Civic Type R powertrain be offered with a hybrid motor attached to it? That question needs to be answered by Honda, but the added power and performance of the Type R would be much more fitting for the new Prelude, which should hit the market as a real sports coupe, not simply a replacement for what the market already offered. Adding hybrid power to the Type R powertrain could mean more than 350 horsepower and a quick and performance-oriented sports coupe that would be a lot of fun to drive.
The next logical step for Honda
Honda’s electrification strategy calls for global carbon neutrality by 2050. Additionally, the brand is working toward 100% EV and hydrogen vehicles by 2040. Adding new hybrid-electric models to the lineup is the logical next step. An exciting car, like the new 2026 Honda Prelude, is the next logical step toward these goals, giving the market a car that’s fun, active, and energetic while also providing drivers with an amazing hybrid setup.
Will you choose the new 2026 Honda Prelude when it arrives? Currently, the jury is out about the powertrain, but everything else sounds like this car will be a strikingly attractive and enjoyable car to drive.