Words and Photos: Deven Solanki
If you’re a Honda fanatic, and let’s be honest, there are plenty of you in the enthusiast scene, the Prelude nameplate probably hits differently. Now, before you see the word ‘hybrid’ and immediately click off, it’s not going to give you that VTEC crossover ‘hit’. It’s not the loud Honda you’d be waking the neighbours with at 11pm. This is Honda making a genuine effort to preserve the joy of driving in a world that’s rapidly shifting toward greener tech, whether we like it or not. The Prelude has always been about Honda doing things its own way, and this version stays true to that spirit.
A BIT OF HISTORY
The Honda Prelude first arrived in 1978 as a sportier, more compact alternative to the Accord with two doors and more power. It was Honda’s proof that practicality and driving pleasure didn’t have to be mutually exclusive. The second and third generations leaned hard into that identity with a classic wedge shape, pop-up headlights, and that retro-futurist design language shared by many iconic coupes of the era such as the ST162 Celica, S13 Silvia and 180SX, A60 Supra and so on.
The third gen even debuted Honda’s clever 4WS four-wheel-steering system with the rear wheels turning opposite to the fronts at low speed for tighter city manoeuvres, and in the same direction at higher speeds for added stability. Mind-boggling stuff for the late ’80s!
The fourth and fifth generations are the ones you’ll still spot out on NZ roads today, sitting amongst the Civics, Integras and Accords. Both carried on that signature wedge shape but wrapped it in a rounder, sleeker skin that’s aged incredibly well. These are the ones that live in the memory of most NZ enthusiasts, with both generations crowned by the VTi-R flagship, powered by Honda’s 2.2-litre H22A engine pushing out around 200 horsepower of pure, naturally aspirated VTEC glory. That unmistakeable raw induction Honda soundtrack climbing all the way to redline, until it ended in 2001.
Fast forward 25 years, and the 2026 Honda Prelude has landed back on New Zealand roads — albeit a fair bit quieter than the one you remember, and this time wearing the badge of Honda’s first hybrid sports coupe. Priced at $69,990 plus on-road costs, available in five colour options, and in Honda Centres from May 1st. Honda New Zealand’s managing director, Carolyn McMahon, sums up its appeal as having “driving pleasure and outstanding fuel economy in the same package, without sacrificing one for the other”, so let’s see if the car can back them up!
A FAMILIAR SILHOUETTE
To Honda’s credit, they haven’t completely abandoned the Prelude’s design roots. If you look hard enough, that iconic wedge shape is still in there. Flared arches give it an aggressive, planted stance, the door handles are seamlessly flush with the body, and the front end is sharper and more purposeful than anything the Prelude has worn before. Around the back, a full-width LED taillight bar runs across the rear alongside the latest Honda and Prelude badging, while blue accent trims at both the front and rear fascias tie the whole thing together, matching the same blue you’ll find on those Brembo callipers.
For those of you already eyeing the aftermarket catalogue, Honda’s got you covered straight from the factory floor, with an optional rear spoiler and front lip extension available right off the shelf. But if you want to go further, Mugen has already gone to work on the new Prelude’s body. Up for grabs is a carbon front under spoiler, carbon side garnish, carbon rear under spoiler, carbon rear diffuser, and a carbon tailgate spoiler to sharpen up that tail end.
Mugen have also developed a sports exhaust tuned specifically for the Prelude to deliver a more powerful, deeper sound from low all the way through to high rpm. It pairs particularly well with Honda’s S+ Shift system, where that extra exhaust note makes the simulated gear changes feel that much more convincing. We will touch on that shortly.
UNDER THE BONNET
Powering the new Prelude is Honda’s e:HEV two-motor hybrid system which is a setup that works a little differently from what most people picture when they hear the word ‘hybrid’. A 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine produces 104kW on its own, but it’s paired with a 135kW electric motor that does most of the heavy lifting at the wheels. The petrol engine largely functions as a generator, keeping the battery charged, and only hooks up directly to the front wheels at open-road cruising speeds. It’s a clever, smooth system that results in 315Nm of torque available almost immediately and a combined output of around 200hp. That power figure is identical to the last Prelude’s, though this new one is far more torquey and kinder on fuel. No VTEC crossover though. Sorry, Honda fans, that one still stings a little!
The sprint to 100 kph takes 7.0 seconds, which puts it in the same territory as a Toyota GR86, Subaru BRZ, or Mazda MX-5, albeit those are rear-wheel drive machines that feel very different in character.
MANUAL… SORT OF
Every generation of the Prelude has introduced something new to Honda’s lineup: sunroofs, VTEC, four-wheel steering. For 2026, the headline act is S+ Shift. Activated via a button on the console, it works through the paddle shifters and simulates the feeling of a traditional dual-clutch automatic. Drive modes include Comfort, GT, and Sport, each adjusting steering weight, suspension tuning, power delivery, and engine sound to suit the mood. In GT or Sport with S+ engaged, throttle response sharpens, in-cabin engine sound gets more vivid, and you’ll hear that satisfying blip on downshifts. It won’t fool a die-hard manual driver, but it adds a layer of engagement that a standard CVT simply doesn’t offer.
The Prelude borrows a tinkered-with version of the Civic Type R’s (FL5) suspension and braking package with dual-axis strut front suspension, widened track, adaptive dampers, and four-piston Brembo callipers up front. That’s serious hardware for a hybrid coupe, and it shows in the way this thing handles around those tight bends.
INSIDE THE CABIN
Step inside, and it’s a noticeable step up from a Civic, with a more driver-focused, more premium finish than a GR86 or MX-5 at this price point. Two-tone leather and cloth seats keep things looking sharp, the climate vents are finished in metal honeycomb mesh, and there’s a stitched Prelude logo on the seats and dash, a subtle nod to the heritage that long-time fans will appreciate.
Tech is well covered too: a 9.0-inch central touchscreen with built-in Google services, a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster behind the wheel, and Honda’s full Sensing safety suite as standard. Importantly, they’ve kept tactile physical switches throughout, too, something enthusiasts will appreciate in an era where everything is buried in a touchscreen menu.
SO WHAT’S IT LIKE BEHIND THE WHEEL?
Honda gave us a first proper thrash of the Prelude out on the east Auckland backroads, exactly the kind of winding tarmac that’ll tell you everything you need to know about a car like this.
On the power front, let’s be straight with you, this isn’t going to pin you to your seat like a Type R. But 135kW and 315Nm from that hybrid setup is more than adequate, and more importantly, it’s instantaneous. There’s no waiting around for a turbo to spool or an engine to climb through the revs; the electric motor serves up the torque right when you ask for it, which, out on tight, winding backroads, actually makes it feel pretty lively. Throttle response in S+ is sharp and direct, exactly what you want when you’re threading through corners and need the power to be predictable.
In the corners, it’s equally impressive. The Type R suspension and Brembo brakes are honestly overkill for this amount of power, and we mean that in the best way possible.
The other thing worth mentioning is how well it works as a daily. Flick it back to Comfort, and it’s a completely different car, relaxed, silent and easy to live with in that commute to work. That ability to switch between fun and comfortable is where the Prelude makes its best case for itself.
Because at the end of the day, this isn’t a car for chasing lap times. It’s for the enthusiast who’s grown up a bit, who still wants to feel something behind the wheel on a Sunday morning but also needs to function on a Monday. The one who probably has a fourth- or fifth-gen sitting under a cover in the garage and has been quietly hoping Honda would do this nameplate justice. In a market where two-door sports coupes are practically extinct, the fact that this exists at all on New Zealand showroom floors in 2026 deserves a bit of respect. Hybrid or not.
Check out Honda’s site for full specs and details: https://www.honda.co.nz/prelude/
