The Honda Prelude might return in 2026. The Prelude was last seen decades ago in the form of a sporty coupe, but it looks like it’s making a comeback.

A concept car was unveiled by Honda and it looks very production-ready. It’s a two-door coupe with sleek styling and will probably only be offered in a hybrid powertrain. Let’s take a look.

All-New Prelude for 2026

The Honda Prelude would obviously be all-new for 2026 if indeed that is its target release date. Despite its familiar name, it would be a brand-new addition to Honda’s current lineup and serve as a replacement for the discontinued Civic and Accord coupes. It will likely also share some components with the Civic and Accord models.

The exact timing for production isn’t clear, but it seems likely that the Prelude will arrive at your Honda dealer for the 2026 model year. The price of the Honda Prelude should start around $31,000 for the base Sport model. A Sport Touring model will likely go up to about $38,000. However, these are just guesses based on rumors and Honda’s current lineup.

Another educated guess is that the Honda Prelude is being positioned to compete with other affordable sports coupes like the Mazda Miata and Toyota GR86. This would bring much-needed diversity to the segment.

Honda Reveals Hybrid Powertrain

So far, Honda has only revealed that the Prelude is a hybrid. This likely means that it will use some version of the hybrid system currently in the CR-V, Accord, and upcoming Civic hybrid. The Accord combines an electric motor with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine for a total of 204 horsepower. Hopefully, the Honda Prelude will pack a bit more power as a sporty coupe.

The Honda Prelude will likely be FWD, but it’s not far-fetched to think that there might be an AWD option as well. Unfortunately, it’s far more unlikely that the Prelude will offer a manual transmission. More likely it will be a CVT or automatic.

Back in 2023, Honda seemed to indicate that the upcoming Prelude wouldn’t compete with performance models like the Civic Type R or the Integra Type S. If that’s the case, you probably shouldn’t get your hopes up about the Prelude packing a big performance punch. Quotes from Honda’s chief engineer imply that the Prelude will still be fun to drive.

Blast From the Past

The past Honda Prelude enjoyed five generations of production between 1978 and 2001. It was loosely based on the Honda Accord and was the first Honda model to feature a moonroof and this remained standard on all Preludes during its production. The Prelude was a two-door coupe with a front-engine, FWD layout.

The first few generations of the Honda Prelude were fairly unremarkable, but the third generation showcased a noticeably sporty appearance with flip-up lights and a sleek profile. The models produced between 1987 and 1991 featured a 2.0-liter engine and a choice between manual and automatic transmissions.

The new Prelude isn’t a major departure from past models, but it exudes a modern flare at the same time.