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The original Prelude, which debuted in the U.S. in 1978, embraced many of the design vibes of that era’s Accord and Civic, with subsequent generations taking on a swoopy and sporty look. Honda will revive that look for the 2026 Prelude. The wedge-like profile of the two-door hatchback will share little with its Accord and Civic stablemates. Its front end features a wide, minimalist grille with slim LED headlights that wrap around the corners. Meanwhile, the rakish liftgate is punctuated by a full-width LED taillight bar, giving meat to the Prelude’s aggressive stance.
Inside, Honda has teased images of the Prelude’s 2+2 cabin, marked by deeply bolstered front sport seats. Meanwhile, a streamlined dashboard boasts a large infotainment touchscreen atop a flowing center console that divides the front row. The futuristic yet functional interior styling makes it look more like an Acura than a Honda. For instance, the full-width honeycomb band that hides the climate system vents in the Accord and Civic is absent in the Prelude.
One thing the Prelude will share with the Accord and Civic is a hybrid powerplant: Honda has been upfront about electrification’s role here but hasn’t gotten into specifics. The automaker uses a 2.0-liter four-cylinder hybrid system in the Accord and Civic, so expect to see a similar arrangement in the Prelude. The Accord Hybrid makes 204 total horsepower, while its Civic counterpart produces 200 ponies. We anticipate the Prelude to have output in this range or higher. The current Civic Sedan Hybrid reaches 60 mph from zero in a brisk 6.2 seconds, but don’t be surprised if the Prelude breaks the 6-second barrier. This is a special vehicle, and there’s always a chance that Honda’s engineers have created a more powerful hybrid system, giving the Prelude sports car-like credentials. Like the Accord and Civic, the Prelude will ride on front-wheel-drive architecture. We also know the Prelude will use an electronic continuously variable transmission (E-CVT). However, Honda will use the Prelude to debut the new S+ Shift mode, which promises “maximum levels of driver engagement” via steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. We’ll provide updates on this feature when more information is available.
It’s too early for EPA fuel economy estimates to be available, but the least-efficient Civic Hybrid is rated to return 50 mpg in the city and 45 mpg on the highway. The Prelude should also provide something close to these ratings.
Honda hasn’t shared the 2026 Prelude’s trim range. It could come in a single, well-equipped edition or as a range of trim packages. The 2025 Civic Hybrid comes in the base Sport grade and the top-tier Sport Touring edition, so it would be unsurprising to see the same arrangement for the Prelude. Likewise, the Prelude’s equipment and options list isn’t available, but we expect it to have a full range of Honda Sensing advanced driver assistance systems and numerous standard or optional amenities.
