Hybrid Coupe Gets Civic Type R DNA
The 2026 Honda Prelude revives one of the Japanese automaker’s iconic names, but this sixth-generation version will also borrow some hardware from another, more current icon. Honda has announced that the new Prelude will employ the suspension, widened front and rear tracks, and Brembo brakes from the Civic Type R.
Honda said in a press release that this will be the first time its dual-axis front suspension system will be used on a non-Type R model. First seen in the United States on the 2017 FK8 Civic Type R, but introduced on the previous-generation FK2 model in Europe and Japan, this design uses two kingpins to help mitigate torque steer in these front-wheel drive cars.
A Sleeker, Sportier Civic Hybrid
Honda
Honda’s confirmation that the sixth-generation Prelude will share suspension components and track dimensions with the Civic Type R is another strong hint that this will be as much a revival of the discontinued Civic coupe as it is of the Prelude, which departed the market in 2001 after five generations as one of Honda’s key enthusiast models.
The Type R’s front track width is 3.5 inches wider than that of a base Civic hatchback, while the rear is 1.9 inches wider. That contributes to the pleasing proportions of the new Prelude coupe, which Honda has been showing in concept form since 2023. Honda has a reputation for making minimal changes to its concept cars for production, so what we’ve seen so far should be pretty close to what the final version looks like when it reaches showrooms as a 2026 model.
Honda said the Type R hardware “will be tuned exclusively for the Prelude to deliver a sporty yet comfortable grand touring experience.” That indicates something a bit more mellow than the track-focused Civic Type R, and leaves some headroom for the rumored Prelude Type R should Honda decide to go that route.
Will Enthusiasts Like It?
Honda
Honda previously confirmed that the new Prelude will use the version of its two-motor hybrid system found in the current Civic Hybrid. In the Civic, the pair of motors are teamed with a 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle inline-four, with a total system output of 200 horsepower and 232 pound-feet of torque.
The Prelude will debut Honda’s S+ Shift system, a sportier version of the Linear Shift Control simulated-gearshift feature in the Civic Hybrid. But some car enthusiasts are unlikely to view that as an acceptable substitute for a manual transmission, and fans of the brand may not be satisfied with what is essentially a Civic Hybrid coupe, with seemingly less differentiation from other Honda models than previous Prelude generations.
But with the march toward SUV homogeneity endangering more-practical sedans, let alone traditional coupes, the arrival of a new one with sporting intentions seems like a win.