Honda Wanted To Build the "Ideal Sports Car" With New Prelude
A lot of people have a lot of things to say about the new, hybrid-only Honda Prelude, and not all of them are positive. Honda’s all-in on the car, saying its engineers' focus “was to uncover the latent demand for the ideal sports car.”
Despite its electrified powertrain, the Prelude gets some of the Civic Type R’s suspension and braking components. Honda also said it optimized the car’s wheelbase and fitted larger wheels to improve handling, but it’s unclear how much pent-up demand there is for a car with very limited rear-seat space.
The Prelude is expected to get a massaged version of the Civic Hybrid’s powertrain, which produces 200 horsepower and 232 pound-feet of torque. Some expect more power and torque, but the car will retain its front-engine, front-drive format.
Honda hasn’t detailed all of the car’s specifications, but has said it will come with a simulated shifting system, and the automaker didn’t lean into using a CVT, improving the chances of a legitimately engaging driving experience. Additionally, the rumor mill is already churning with whispers of hotter Prelude variants to come.
The Prelude is expected to get a Type R or Type S upgrade in the future, but a potential performance version likely wouldn’t arrive until 2027 or 2028 at the earliest, given the standard model’s late 2025 rollout.
[Images: Honda]
Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and everything else that gets to the truth about cars first by subscribing to our newsletter.
Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.
More by Chris Teague
Comments
Join the conversation
Any Prelude was (will be?) the equivalent of putting bright red shoelaces in a pair of polished wingtip shoes. Some don't care, some think it's absurd, and some like it. Honda just has to sell to those who like it.
Who else is even trying to sell a 2 door fwd cvt? It has EVERYTHING people hate, including being mislabeled. How many 2 door cars run the TC classes in IMSA or WEC?