If you’re among the few who not only shed a tear when Honda axed the Civic Coupe, but also never truly got over the Prelude’s demise, dry your eyes. Honda is filling that niche once again, this time with a blast from the past.
After a string of teasers and sneak peeks at concepts and pre-production prototypes, Honda finally took the wraps off the production-spec 2026 Prelude. It wears a familiar nameplate and fills a familiar niche in Honda’s lineup—sporty-looking, front-wheel-drive coupes—but we’re not sure Honda purists will take too kindly to a couple of the new Prelude’s plot twists.
The first of which is what’s underneath the 2026 Prelude’s swooping sheet metal. It uses the same two-motor hybrid powertrain as the thoroughly impressive Civic Hybrid, meaning its 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine works with two electric motors and a small battery pack to send 200 horsepower and 232 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels, through a CVT.
Though the numbers remain the same, Honda is introducing a new feature called S+ Shift to spice up the driving experience. CVTs mimicking gear shifts isn’t anything new, but Honda says this new feature does so faster, can rev-match, and enhances engine sound. Whether this will be enough to satisfy enthusiasts calling for a proper manual—Honda pulled it off with the CR-Z a decade ago—remains to be seen.
The Civic hand-me-downs don’t end there. Not only is the 2026 Prelude built atop the same platform as the Civic, it uses the same dual-axis front suspension setup, adaptive dampers, and Brembo brakes as the extra-spicy Civic Type R. It also does the drive mode thing, letting you choose between Comfort, GT, Sport, and Individual.
Visually, the 2026 Prelude leans into a sleeker, more aerodynamic look than its Civic siblings. Its wide stance, low nose, and double-bubble roof, not to mention the flush door handles and swooping silhouette are almost un-Honda-like. Like the exterior, the Prelude’s interior leans more sophisticated and upmarket than the Civic, with standard leather seats, a flat-bottom steering wheel, and more visual customization built into the 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster and nine-inch infotainment touchscreen. By the way, wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and wireless charging are all standard.
Honda hasn’t announced Canadian pricing just yet for the 2026 Prelude. But if you’re itching for a hit of that sweet, sweet nostalgia, head over to your favourite Honda dealer now: the reborn Prelude is set to arrive by the end of the year.
