2026 Honda Prelude

Honda already builds two different performance-oriented cars: the Civic Si and the Civic Type R. Now we're getting a third: the new 2026 Honda Prelude. Yes, the Prelude is back after a 26-year absence. The Prelude is a distinctively styled two-door coupe that's built from a mashup of Civic components. Notably, it has the Civic's hybrid powertrain. You might not think a hybrid engine is sporty, but we've been impressed with it in the Civic; it makes 200 horsepower for respectably quick acceleration, and it gets an EPA-estimated 44 mpg. Honda then further augments the Prelude with suspension and braking components from the Type R to create a sporty — albeit expensive — sport coupe.

Many automakers will simply make a few tweaks to a vehicle's suspension and call it a sport suspension. The Honda Civic Type R's suspension involves some specialized hardware, and so it says something meaningful that Honda chose to fit those same parts to the Prelude. The takeaway is that the Prelude provides an impressive balance between responsive handling and smooth ride comfort. The Type R also donates its braking system, complete with Brembo calipers, to give the Prelude stout emergency stopping power.

As a compact hybrid sport coupe that comes well stocked with premium features, the Prelude is in a class of one. But there are other options. We recommend checking out the Subaru BRZ, Toyota GR86 and Mazda MX-5 Miata. All have a classic rear-wheel-drive sports car layout as well as standard manual transmissions for a more engaging driving experience. They're also less expensive than the Prelude. Other viable alternatives include the Ford Mustang, Hyundai Elantra N, Subaru WRX and Volkswagen GTI.