Honda Prelude review: Finally, a new car that ISN'T an EV or an SUV - but is the hybrid coupe exciting enough?

When carmakers revive iconic nameplates from the past, it typically goes one of two ways.Sometimes they strike gold. The new Renault 5 E-Tech is proof that nostalgia, done properly, can be a very powerful thing. Other times they commit automotive sacrilege. Ford discovered that the hard way when it slapped the Capri name on an electric SUV and unleashed the fury of everyone old enough to remember the original.Honda will be hoping its revived Prelude – which I've been driving over the past few days – lands firmly in the first category.It's certainly started on the right foot by staying true to its bloodline; a two-door coupe with 2+2 seating is in its DNA spanning five generations from 1979 until its disappearance in 2001.But in the Prelude's 25-year interlude, much has changed in the automotive landscape: sports utility vehicles dominate sales and the industry is awash with regulations, technology and electrification. Yet Honda has resisted temptation to relaunch it as an EV, instead taking the middle ground of a self-charging hybrid – which means there's still a petrol engine doing much of the legwork.That makes this something of a unicorn road test in 2026 – a new car that isn't electric or an SUV. The big question is whether Britons still want coupes... Do not adjust your screen, this is genuinely a new car that ISN'T an SUV or fully-electric. And, in a huge diversion for 2026, it also isn't made in China. But is the Honda Prelude any good?Honda's new 'hero' carThe EU's increasingly stringent emissions regulations have been wiping out some big automotive names in recent years. And in 2026 there's been another major scalp – a car that's been a staple of the boy-racer fraternity for decades.Honda was forced to lower the curtain on the Civic Type R in January – its perennial hot hatch that has been the benchmark for affordable performance cars for decades.Its retirement leaves its showrooms with a significant hole to plug. There's the desperate need for something with a touch of dazzle to liven up what is a relatively sedate line-up consisting of the pensioner-favourite Jazz supermini and a selection of functional – if not forgettable – SUVs.Step forth the Prelude, or as I like to call it, the 'exciting Honda'.And that's traditionally been the case for the nameplate across all five of its former iterations.The Japanese manufacturer has always treated Prelude as its engineering tour de force. The third-gen example, for instance, was the first mainstream car sold with rear-wheel steering as standard, which in 1987 was lightyears ahead of its time.The 2026 car stays true to this pioneering lineage, which I'll come to shortly.Starting from just under £42,000, it's almost £10,000 cheaper than the Civic Type R whose flagship role it's inheriting. The first Honda Prelude (pictured right) arrived in European showrooms in 1979. Another four generations have followed before the arrival of the new hybrid Mk6 Possibly the most popular Prelude in the UK in terms of sales was the fourth-generation car pictured, which was on sale between 1992 and 1996 The last Prelude - the fifth-gen model - was pulled from UK sale in 2001 and the nameplate hasn't been used since...until nowWhat's new?The Prelude is a sight for SUV-sored eyes; the much-needed coupe antidote to every boxy new car I've driven in the last few years.Chief engineer Tomoyuki Yamagami says its svelte shape is inspired by a glider. The nose sits low. The double-bubble roof arcs dramatically towards the tail. Even the body sides appear sculpted to slip through the air with minimum resistance. It's testament to Yamagami-san's vision.Yet it's still somehow unmistakably Japanese.Its squinting headlights that wrap around the flanks and a single-beam LED bar at the back are styling cues that, I would argue, are straight out of the Toyota and Lexus design handbook.Beneath the handsome bodywork, however, things become rather more familiar.It uses the same platform as the Civic hatchback – arguably one of the most civilised family cars on the market. The Prelude's handsome look is a welcome break from the seemingly never-ending flow of crossovers entering the market Its squinting headlights that wrap around the flanks and a single-beam LED bar at the back are styling cues that, I would argue, are straight out of the Toyota and Lexus design handbook The drivetrain has been lifted from the standard Honda Civic family car. This means a 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated petrol engine, two electric motors and a small 1.05kW batteryThe Prelude borrows its 2.0-litre direct-injection petrol engine, which is supplemented by two electric motors and a 1.05kWh battery to form an efficient 'e:HEV' full-hybrid system.Already, that doesn't sound like a recipe for a pulse-racing sports car, does it? Surely Honda's Type R tuning division has been let loose to unleash more power from the super-frugal unit, right?Erm, no. Not a single additional horse, with the Prelude matching the five-door family hatch's 181bhp and 315Nm of torque (pulling power).Incredibly, the Prelude – on paper – takes longer than the Civic to reach 62mph. At a not-very-sportster-like 8.3 seconds, it's almost half a second slower.This is partly down to its engineering showpiece I teased earlier: the S+ Shift simulated gearbox that sends its modest power to the front wheels.It uses a tried-and-tested (though terribly dull) single-speed CVT automatic transmission but – via software wizardry – superimposes eight 'virtual' gear-ratio steps over the top.Using hefty metal shift paddles behind the steering wheel, you can prod your way up and down a virtual gearbox like a seasoned F1 driver. And it's gone to ridiculous lengths to make it feel authentic. The system adjusts the combustion engine's revs to replicate the sounds of a genuine gear change - it even delivers a physical 'shift shock' through the steering wheel to mimic to response to moving up and down a traditional 'box to provide an acceleration feel most drivers are accustom to.Tug on the righthand paddle and it even produces a fake blip of the throttle on downshift.But this synthetic gearbox setup does blunt the Prelude's outright acceleration. With it turned off, I timed it to 60mph in 7.5 seconds – around half a second quicker than S+.Elsewhere, Prelude has also raided the Type R's parts bin for its dual-axis front struts, multi-link rear suspension and adaptive dampers. Its electronic power steering and brakes are from the hot hatch too. Prelude's party piece is its S+ Shift mode - a virtual eight-speed gearbox synthetically overlayed onto what is a typically monotonous single-speed CVT automatic transmission The system allows the driver to move up and down the synthetic gearbox using metal paddles behind the steering wheel. It even generates a fake throttle blip on downshiftsWhat's it like inside?Given this is a sporty 2+2 coupe, it should come as no surprise that getting in and out will put a strain on ageing joints. If you've crept beyond your mid-forties and plan to order one, you might want to give your chiropractor a heads-up first.Once lowered into the driver's chair, you're perched low in the guts of the chassis – as you'd want from any sporty car. Plenty of seat and steering-wheel adjustment means folk of all proportions should get comfy, and there's ample head and elbow room in the business end of the cockpit.The cabin itself is Honda at its clinical best: all controls are logically placed, the dials feel solid and the air vents are among the best in the business for directing cool air onto whichever body part needs it most.Like the Prelude's mechanical underpinnings, the infotainment screen and driver instrument cluster are lifted from the Civic. Sadly, the graphics are dated and the main display feels budget at best compared with the crisp OLED screens in European and Chinese rivals. The reversing camera resolution looks like it has the single-digit pixel count of a nineties games console. This all does, however, come as standard. In fact, there's just one trim level – Advance – which also includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The driving position and cockpit controls are nigh on perfect. The big disappointment is the digital instrument and infotainment screen, which feel dated. The reversing camera is poor too Can you REALLY use it as a family car?Honda's telling porkies listing this as a four-seater. It simply isn't that.The roof falls so low into the rear compartment that the back seats are suitable only for small children. Toddlers, I would argue.Try to wedge a teen in the back and they'll probably report you to Childline. Shove an adult into the second row and you'll be done for GBH.Then there's the tiny boot. With very little in stacking height, it has the storage capacity of a large bedroom chest drawer. At 264 litres, it's about the same as a dinky Hyundai i10 city car – and more than 100 litres shy of its nearest rival in the sporty coupe segment.In reality, Prelude should be treated as a two-seater. And if you delete the second row entirely by folding down the rear backrests, there's a decent 760 litres of stowage space behind you that's more than suitable for suitcases for a week's holiday. Calling the Prelude a 2+2 is a stretch - the rear seats have very little headroom above the sunken headrests. Force your teenager in the back and they'll likely report you to Childline The Prelude's dramatically sloped roofline also impedes boot space. It offers just 264 litres of space, which is about the same as a dinky Hyundai i10 city car What's it like to drive?Prelude isn't fast on paper. And, disappointingly, it doesn't feel quick from the driver's seat either.For a car that's been shoehorned into the vacant 'hero-car' spot left by the Civic Type R, it lacks the unhinged ferocity that defined its hot-hatch sibling for generations.But Honda says the Prelude hasn't been engineered for white-knuckle driving thrills. Instead, it wants to evoke the effortless refinement of a Grand Tourer.Remind yourself of this fact and the Prelude starts to make a lot more sense behind the wheel.Dab at the throttle and it builds speed in a progressive – if not underwhelming – manner. Even in the 'Sport' setting, it doesn't deliver acceleration that pins you into the seatback.This is because the e:HEV drivetrain predominantly leans on one of the two electric motors to deliver power to the front wheels. The reserve e-motor is driven by the combustion engine to generate electricity and recharge the hybrid battery.As a result, the Prelude can return incredible efficiency of up to 50mpg – though only if you're willing to accelerate at a speed comparable to an elevating Stannah stairlift. Rob Hull says that for a car that's been shoehorned into the vacant 'hero-car' spot left by the Civic Type R, it lacks the unhinged ferocity that defined its hot-hatch sibling for generations Softer suspension damping provides a supple ride. The same chassis parts that in the Civic Type R can realign your vertebrae are wonderfully forgiving here Dab at the throttle and it builds speed in a progressive – if not underwhelming – manner. Even in the 'Sport' setting, it doesn't deliver acceleration that pins you into the seatbackIf you really stamp on the go-faster pedal, the petrol engine becomes the primary power source. And with S+ Shift activated, Prelude can do a convincing impression of a fun sports car when you really encourage it to.But its with the adjustable drive settings dialled back to 'Comfort' or 'GT' where it really finds its sweet spot.Softer suspension damping turns the ride from stiff to supple. The same chassis parts that in the Civic Type R can realign your vertebrae are wonderfully forgiving here. It doesn't necessarily iron out imperfections in the tarmac – it almost breathes with the changing road surfaces.The underpinnings also make it a real joy in the bends. It feels pointy at the front end and the steering is gorgeously weighted to inspire confidence.Its body control is exceptionally good, too. There is a touch of roll in the corners, but it quickly regains its composure, settles into the direction change and delivers ample levels of grip.This makes the Prelude a car you can really enjoy hurrying through twisty corners without having a terrifying amount of power that can get you into trouble.We're not convinced: For Honda's bravery to release a very good looking two-seat coupe in 2026, Prelude is let down by its modest performance. It feels like a car with the capacity for more power and excitementThe Cars & Motoring verdictYou have to give it to Honda; releasing a two-door coupe in today's market is a bold move.Sports cars have become such a diminishing segment that by 2026 it has only one direct rival, BMW's 2 Series – a roomier, rear-wheel-drive option that also starts from around £40,000.But Honda is well aware that Prelude won't be a volume seller. That's why it plans to bring just 400 examples to the UK in 2026 (of which 216 so far have been sold), and only 500 per year thereafter.It certainly won't serve the same customers the Civic Type R did but it was never intended to do so.What it does is prove that Honda has more strings to its bow than just sensible family cars. And having a hero model to entice drivers into dealers – and serve the odd nostalgic Prelude owner from years gone by – is a smart tactic.My only wish is that they'd given it a dash more power – not just to make it a more convincing sports car but to put clear air between it and the prudent Civic hatchback.i make this statement having recently criticised Porsche for putting too much power – over 1,140bhp – through its new Cayenne Electric Turbo, which is more than six times the output of the Prelude but from a 2.5-ton family SUV. Even with its clever gearbox trying to trick your senses, the Honda coupe's notable lack of grunt means it sadly lacks the adrenaline-pumping theatre drivers shopping in this niche market want.And this mostly is due to the constraints of a hybrid drivetrain - a setup you'd typically find in eco-conscious cars, like the Toyota Prius.Self-charging hybrids are lacklustre by their very nature; they're engineered to conserve fuel, not to intensify excitement levels. Let's face it, nobody buys a Prius because they're fun to drive, do they? Honda Prelude: Specs at a glance On sale: Now (limited to 400 cars in 2026 and 500 cars each year after)Price: £41,595 DIMENSIONSLength: 4,532mmWidth: 2,076mmHeight: 1,349mmWeight: 1,480kg Boot capacity (backrests up): 264LBoot capacity (backrests down: 760LPERFORMANCEDrivetrain: Self-charging hybrid Engine: 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder petrol & 2x e-motors Battery: 1.05kWhTransmission: Single-speed CVT with S+ simulated manualDrive: Front-wheel drive Max power: 181bhpMax torque: 315NmAcceleration (0-62mph): 8.2 secsTop speed: 117mphECONOMYFuel economy: 54.3mpg (combined)CO2 emissions: 117g/km CARS & MOTORING: ON TEST