Open Today Sales: 9 AM-6 PM
The Prelude has long been a trailblazer and is no stranger to innovative design, having debuted four-wheel steering in 1987. The 1983 Prelude had pop-up headlights, while every year of the model came with a standard power moonroof – a factor that distinguished it for the life of the model. In 1996, the Prelude Type S was the vehicle that introduced Honda’s then-new technology, the Active Torque Transfer System, which automatically distributed torque between the two front wheels for the ultimate handling. The 2026 Prelude will continue to be on the vanguard of innovation, as it will debut Honda S+ Shift, a system designed to enhance responsiveness through advanced Linear Shift Control technology.
As of this writing, Honda was still keeping many of the Prelude’s powertrain and drivetrain specifications under wraps, other than the fact that it will be a gas-electric hybrid. On that note, we’ll mention that the Accord Hybrid and CR-V Hybrid both feature a 204 -horsepower inline four-cylinder/dual electric motor pairing, so we might assume that the Prelude will have something similar. While the upcoming model’s fuel economy details are still a mystery, the Accord Hybrid returns 44 combined mpg on the Sport trim, so we believe that’s a comparable estimate for the future Prelude.
Honda has not yet indicated how many trims the Prelude will come in, but if it follows the pattern of the Civic, Accord, and CR-V, you can look for a base trim followed by a sportier version and a loaded Touring-type edition. As far as its looks, the concept design suggests that the Prelude will showcase an aerodynamic silhouette with a low profile, long body, and sporty accents.
Inside, the all-new Prelude will surely have a tech-driven, performance-minded, and driver-centric cockpit. Judging by the current Accord Hybrid, drivers can expect a dual-screen layout featuring a digital gauge display and an infotainment touchscreen. The leather-wrapped steering wheel and sport pedals, also found on the Accord Hybrid’s Sport trim, would be no surprise either. The Prelude is also expected to get the latest rendition of the Honda Sensing driver-assist technology suite, including a collision mitigation braking system, adaptive cruise control, a road departure mitigation system, a lane keeping assist system, traffic sign recognition, a blind-spot information system, and a cross-traffic monitor.
The 2026 Prelude concept design was first unveiled at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show and made its North American debut at the 2023 Los Angeles Auto Show. Honda is slowly revealing more about the sixth-generation Prelude, which is scheduled to arrive at dealerships in late 2025.
