2026 Honda Prelude - Where does this fit in the market?

Well, Honda just released the 2026 Prelude, and honestly, I'm here for it. But what does the market for this car look like? Who would buy this car? My guess: teenagers and middle-aged men having a midlife crisis who want a fun weekend car but whose wife needs it to be fuel-efficient and a little practical. Could this car be dailied? Yes. Should it be dailied? Probably not.

The new Prelude features the same powertrain from the Civic, Accord, and the CR-V - the same 200 horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder with two electric motors, which has proven to be very fuel-efficient and reliable. However, does this powertrain make sense in the new Prelude? What is the purpose of this car? To answer this, let's look at the most direct competitor to it - the Toyota GR86.

The Prelude's return doesn't seem to want to make a statement for a performance sports car when compared to its competitors. The GR86 is arguably the better "performance" sports car when looking at the specs - it's RWD, can come in a manual, has more horsepower, and also has a Torsen limited-slip differential. Compared to the Prelude's FWD hybrid powertrain and CVT transmission, which is allegedly supposed to simulate a dual-clutch transmission in its "S+ Shift" mode for "enhanced driver engagement", it doesn't really scream performance like its competition. It is more of a sportier coupe version of the Civic Hatchback Hybrid, which I don't hate. The Hatchback trunk opening gives the vehicle a nice side stance and definitely makes it a lot more practical. Coupled with the "high-performance chassis hardware of the legendary Civic Type R," it does really make it sound like a performance car, unlike its front facia, which reminds me of the new Toyota Prius.

Interior

The interior of the Prelude, on the other hand, is amazing, other for this one quirk I will get to. This may sound a little biased, but Honda makes some of the best interiors in the market today - it has the perfect combination of screens and physical buttons - therefore, it was no surprise when we saw the new Prelude's interior and it looked like a sportier version of that in every other Honda.

The steering wheel, with its paddle shifters, looks incredible, along with all of the physics buttons and dials for the climate control. The stitching on the dashboard in front of the passenger side looks high-quality as well. The quirk - the gear selector. What were you thinking, Honda? The only other cars in Honda's lineup that have that gear selector are the big SUVs and Minivans. This is the sports car, and it has buttons for selecting the gear. Easily a deal breaker for me.

The seats, though, are awesome, same with all of the materials used on the inside. Overall, it has a nice interior and definitely holds up with the standard Honda has set for interiors; this is nearly Acura-level.

Conclusion

Overall, though Honda has definitely made another nice car, it lacks in some places that people who buy this might care about.

People who buy this car are not those who care about fuel efficiency and practicality; that's what the Civic hatchback hybrid is for. People who buy this car want to drive it, mod it, and enjoy its performance. That said, there is a clear discrepancy between what Honda claims and what it offers. They claim it is a sports coupe with a "high-performance chassis" and has features "for enhanced driver engagement," but do they really offer this performance and engagement they talk about? Not really, the powertrain and transmission lacks for a performance car, especially compared to its competition like the Toyota GR86, which offers a more engaging car overall. This vehicle should be marketed as more of a Civic Coupe Hybrid because that's what it is, a coupe version of the Civic hatchback hybrid with Civic Type R chassis upgrades, a more refined interior, and a worse looking front end. If you are in the market for a fun, practical sports car, Honda offers a Civic Type R, which makes more power, has a manual, and is even more practical.

Sources: https://automobiles.honda.com/future-cars/prelude