The last time the Honda Prelude was on sale here in Australia was a whopping 25 years ago, when the fifth-generation model ended production in 2001 after the nameplate’s 23-year run. Since then, the car industry has gone through a massive period of flux, witnessing the rise of SUVs and EVs and the fall of sports car sales.
You might be thinking, then, that it seems odd for Honda to bring back the Prelude in 2026 in such a drastically different market to what it last existed in. I, for one, would counter that by saying it’s precisely the car that our world needs right now. If ever you needed proof that sports cars can still work in today’s world, this is Exhibit A.
Just a single specification is on offer in Australia, priced at an even $65,000 drive-away. Simply choose your colour – the hero Racing Blue hue pictured here is arguably the pick of the bunch – and go on your merry way.
Since the last time we saw a Prelude on sale, however, some big changes have been made in order for this car to exist in today’s world. For the first time, this sixth-generation model is now a three-door liftback, based on the current Civic underneath, rather than a two-door notchback. It’s also the first Prelude to feature a hybrid drivetrain.
To find out how this nameplate holds up with those modern changes, Honda Australia gave Retro Rides early access to the 2026 Prelude, and we pitted it against the challenging roads of the Adelaide Hills where a sports car’s chassis is truly put to the test.
Within mere hours of picking up the car and taking it out for some photos, the first impressions from the general public were incredibly positive, which I’m more than minded to agree with.
Sporting an aggressive nose and drastic teardrop shape, this new Prelude’s styling certainly stands out. With angular LED headlights, the customary rear light bar seen on any modern vehicle, subtle blue highlights such as the Brembo brake calipers, and 19-inch black alloy wheels, it’s a pretty yet sporty thing.
Inside, the Prelude’s premium positioning – always the case for this nameplate, but also how Honda is positioning itself more broadly today – is clear to see. Featuring a mix of cream and dark blue leather, two-tone blue and gold contrast stitching on the seats, subtle “Prelude” motif stitched on the dashboard, and tactile metal shift paddles only make the cabin feel more special.
As with all modern Honda cabins, quality is very high throughout. Most materials feel premium and the way everything has been bolted together is as good as you’ll find in any car at this price point.
Ahead of the driver, there’s an incredibly clear 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster with plenty of custom items that can be brought up inside each of its dials, with items such as a G-meter driving the performance theme home.
The central 9.0-inch infotainment system is also straightforward, features fast-connecting wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and has physical dials and buttons for the volume and home screen. However, the resolution is a tad grainy compared to the driver’s display, but that’s a minor gripe given the system itself works well.
Gladly, the Prelude still features tactile physical controls for all climate control system functions – something many new vehicles bury behind fiddly touchscreen menus.
It’s even practical thanks to a surprisingly massive boot that will easily swallow a few sets of golf clubs with the rear seats folded down. Those rear seats are clearly an afterthought otherwise, though, as you’d imagine in most sports coupés. They’re even trimmed in cloth, rather than leather like the front bucket seats.
But it’s the way the new Prelude drives that’s what makes it so worth crowing about, and the real reason why I say it’s the car we need right now. A 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder hybrid mightn’t sound so inspiring on paper, but the new Prelude is far more than the sum of its parts.
Indeed, the fact it’s a hybrid isn’t something Honda has done any shouting about at all. You won’t find any badges indicating it anywhere, nor is there a dedicated EV mode. That’s because this hybrid is all about performance.
Delivering a combined 135kW and 315Nm, sending it from 0-100km/h in a claimed 8.2 seconds, straight line performance isn’t the Prelude’s (or Honda’s) game – even if those numbers feel understated. Rather, this drivetrain has been bred for a blend of immediacy and efficiency.
Off the line, there’s a big dollop of immediate torque – the full amount is available from zero to 2000rpm – while at the top of the rev range there’s that typical Honda thrum thanks to its high 13.9:1 compression ratio, even if it doesn’t rev to high heaven like a full-fat VTEC engine.
Sure, it won’t throw you all the way back to rear seat, but with no turbo lag to contend with from the petrol engine and the immediacy of an electric motor’s power delivery, it’s incredibly responsive and driveable. Given Honda’s 25-plus years of experience developing hybrid systems, the transition between petrol and electric power is also imperceptible, a testament to its refinement.
The Prelude was typically always the model that tested new technology first (remember when four-wheel steering was an option?) and that’s no different here, as this version of Honda’s ‘e:HEV’ hybrid drivetrain is unlike any other. Rather than use a conventional transmission or a dreary CVT, the Prelude instead features two electric motors that can mimic an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission at the push of a button.
Dubbed S+ Shift, it’s truly uncanny. Ordinarily, the paddles on the back of the steering wheel control regenerative braking, but pressing the big S+ button transforms them into gear shift paddles. The simulated gear changes are about as immediate as you’ll come across; quickly snapping either paddle rewards you with a truly rapid upshift or downshift. It even works in any drive mode: Comfort, GT, or Sport. No wonder Honda isn’t shouting so loudly about this being a hybrid – it feels like a proper performance car in this sense.
With a kerb weight of 1468kg, it only weighs 133kg more than the last sporty Prelude we saw, the 2001 VTi-R, which is quite remarkable considering the hybrid system and its modern safety measures. As a result, the sporty feeling carries over to its thoroughly impressive dynamics.
While the steering might be a tad numb, a bit like all electric power steering systems, the front end of the Prelude is undeniably responsive. Thanks to the well balanced 2605mm wheelbase, it feels nippy and tight when you throw it around, yet also still planted at the rear end. No matter how hard I hammered it around some of the Adelaide Hills’ most challenging tarmac rally roads, it never once came unstuck.
Despite how flat it remains through corners, it’s not overly firm either. Thanks to its adaptive damper system and dual-axis front suspension, the ride quality is absolutely beautiful. Yes, you’re always aware that it’s a sports car thanks to its dynamics, even simply throwing it into a roundabout, but Adelaide’s road surfaces that are normally as pimply as a teenager’s face were ironed out with aplomb.
Although this hybrid system is clearly oriented towards enhancing its performance, it’s obviously economical as a side effect of that. Honda claims 4.3L/100km in any and all driving conditions, a claim I was easily able to match in purely urban driving conditions.
Even when thrashing it through the Hills, 6.6L/100km was the highest I saw the number climb, and after 343km that threw some freeway driving into the mix, the trip computer settled at 5.9L/100km. Oh, and being an atmo engine means it’ll even run on cheap 91RON fuel, although you’ll never hear me suggest you pick up that pump.
In case anyone wants to turn their nose up at this car for being a hybrid, don’t bother, because every part of that electrification system is a clear net positive. Anyone wanting to complain about the price tag should also consider a point made by occasional Retro Rides contributor Scott Newman, who noted in a video that prior generations cost close to six-figure sums in today’s money when adjusted for inflation.
Sure, it mightn’t be an out-and-out sports car like the hardcore Civic Type R, but the Prelude never was that. What it is, however, is a car that is unbelievably rewarding to drive hard on a winding road while still being a rational daily driver, rear seat aside.
More to the point, its excellent fuel economy and CO2 emissions figures keep it on the right side of authorities looking to crack down on performance cars. That’s why I say it’s the car the world needs right now – take this as proof that sports cars are still possible today despite Euro 6d emissions regulations, despite pessimistic accounting departments, and despite everyone being told for the last two decades that they need an SUV. Even with a hybrid system, nay, because of it, the Prelude is still fun.
But how does it actually compare to its forebears? Stay tuned, we’ve got more Honda Prelude content cooking…
