00:01The 1981 Honda Prelude is a pleasure to look at in many different ways.
00:06You can look at it as a sport.
00:08When you own a Honda Prelude, the temptation to drive it continually is irresistible.
00:17My advice to you is get a Prelude.
00:30Everyone loves a good comeback story, and today's is about the Honda Prelude.
00:47Gone since 2001, the sixth generation Prelude is back for 2026 and brings with it hybrid technology
00:54and a thoroughly modernized interior.
00:56So, let's go take a look.
01:00Historically, the Prelude has always been Honda's slightly more upmarket performance offering.
01:09Its ideological pillars were consistently defined as a sharp handling coupe with the latest in high-tech driving.
01:15So yes, it means the return of the Honda Coupe.
01:18In this case, the upcoming Prelude will use the two-liter, two-motor hybrid powertrain found in the Civic Hybrid
01:24and produce the same output, 200 horsepower and 232 pound-feet of torque sent to the front wheels.
01:31I was sort of hoping to see a little more power given this is the Prelude,
01:36but Honda says the focus here was more about handling and agility rather than straight-line power.
01:41On that note, the car will not get four-wheel steering, unfortunately, which is something that made the past Preludes extremely rad.
01:48There's no manual transmission anymore either, but Honda says the Prelude will use something called Honda S Plus Shift,
01:54which is a new drive mode that simulates gear shift responses by essentially torque-dipping the engine,
01:59now seemingly controlled via the paddle shifters.
02:02We don't yet know how that'll actually feel in real life, but we're very curious to try it out.
02:07As a car to look at, check out, and just generally hang out around, the vibes on the new Prelude are superb.
02:14I mean, we've all seen pictures of this thing, but in person, it's about the size of a Civic.
02:19It's definitely much lower, but the lines are so great. I mean, just look at the proportions.
02:24I am seeing Mercury Cougar in here. I'm seeing some final Mitsubishi Eclipse.
02:30It's 2003, but in the best way, and with Y2K being in, it just works.
02:34So a couple of things that I want to call your attention to.
02:37The first is pop-out door handles, and then we have 19-inch black wheels and blue brake calipers that were lifted from the Civic Type R.
02:48And also, speaking of the Civic Type R, this car rides on the same chassis and uses the same suspension bits,
02:54but we'll also say it is tuned to be like a GT car.
02:58So if you wanted to know what a Civic Type R was like as a hybrid but rides as a GT car, this is it.
03:03And finally, I do want to draw your attention to this spoiler right here.
03:09It is an optional extra, but you should be legally required to buy it because it's sick.
03:15Okay, inside of the new Prelude, I want to talk to you first about the seats.
03:21They are leather-trimmed, obviously, and this color combination is one of the options.
03:27Over here, there is this retro houndstooth design that does not appear in other Honda products.
03:33Another interesting fact about these seats is they are asymmetrically bolstered.
03:37So the driver's seat over here has firmer cushions and more lower thigh bolstering, whereas the passenger seat is wider with a more relaxed seat comfort.
03:53But let's get in and see what we're working with.
03:55So first up, this is a nice-sized steering wheel, and you can see this blue stitching right here.
04:02All Preludes will have that.
04:04There's a nice flat bottom here to lend to the sportiness.
04:08Obviously, you've got your paddle shifters.
04:10And this console basically looks like a pretty big mishmash between the Civic and the Integra.
04:17So you still have your screen up here.
04:20You've got your physical buttons, physical climate buttons, which is great, everything here.
04:25Very physical.
04:26But if you'll notice, in the Civic, there's that full-width vent work that is not here.
04:33So this is all broken up.
04:35Although, this is nice, too.
04:37If you get it in black, the stitching is in blue.
04:39It is very cool.
04:41Also, deviation from the automatic Civic, at least.
04:45You have your transmission selection lever right here.
04:48But here, it's all buttons, which lead to two cup holders right here.
04:54And a wireless charge pad here, as well as some under-elbow storage here.
05:00Visibility in this car is pretty good, out the front at least.
05:04In the back, well, these pillars are kind of big.
05:07So you might have to try to see around those.
05:11The new Prelude has a lift-back trunk design, just like the Integra.
05:18And it makes for a lot more convenient storage.
05:23So right now, those seats, those rear seats are folded down, and they do a 60-40 split.
05:28And as you can see, someone has conveniently fit a large rolling suitcase, as well as a set of golf clubs in here,
05:35to very much illustrate how practical the Prelude now is.
05:39They really want you to use it as a daily car.
05:42So that's why they gave it this lift-back.
05:44That's why they gave it the fold-down seats.
05:46So you could really fit the things that you want in it.
05:48You don't have to feel like you have to compromise.
05:50Another thing to examine is the back seat.
05:53So this is my driving position.
05:56You can all laugh.
05:57I am tiny.
05:58I understand this.
05:59So I can absolutely sit behind myself.
06:05So this is the headroom that we're working with.
06:10This pillar is like right on my head.
06:14And I'm right up against the glass.
06:17So if the driver were to, I don't know, hit a bump, I would definitely go up and smack my head on the glass.
06:24It's not great.
06:26I mean, the seat cushions themselves are pretty comfortable, but there are no amenities back here.
06:31Like, there's no cup holders.
06:32There's no USB ports.
06:34There's not even climate vents.
06:36So you'll be warm in addition to having head injury.
06:40The legroom is actually okay, but being able to sit behind myself is like not an accomplishment at all.
06:48So I think if you are under the height of 5'3", however short that time may be, this is your seat.
06:58But after that, no more.
07:00I lied. This is now the final piece.
07:02I want to show you the trunk with the seats up.
07:05And it's still pretty decent.
07:07I will note you lose a little bit of vertical room here because of the sloping line.
07:16But you can still definitely, there's like reasonable depth here.
07:19So you can definitely fit, as you can see here, duffel bags, suitcases.
07:24It's still pretty usable.
07:27Although we will reiterate that those back seats definitely aren't made for full-size humans.
07:36All in all though, it is a quite comfortable and functional interior and sporty as well, which definitely follows in the entire Prelude ethos anyway, which is everyday usability and sportiness.
07:49If the sporty civics are a little too boy racer for you, the Prelude is here as a logical alternative.
07:58It's interesting, if a little risky, for Honda to launch a hybrid sports car.
08:02But in this sense, think about it like an NSX, just in more affordable front-drive coupe form.
08:08Honda has always experimented with performance via new technologies and the 2026 Prelude is the latest example of that.
08:16But on a personal note, as the chaperone of Motor Trend's long-term Honda Civic Hybrid, I can attest how great and smooth this engine is.
08:25So I can't wait to see it in a sports car application.
08:29Honda did not say how much the Prelude is going to cost, but if I were to guess, I would say $38,000.
08:36That feels right, given the Honda hierarchy.
08:38But of course, we'll find that out when this car goes on sale in the late fall.
08:42But until then, please read our first look review at MotorTrend.com of the 2026 Honda Prelude.
08:48Thank you so much for watching, and we will see you next time.
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