2026 Honda Prelude (BF1) | UK Review

You’ve got to give Honda credit for doing its best to make hybrid cars feel more fun than they have any right to be. When Toyota launched the Prius, the world’s first mass-produced hybrid car, as a dreary three-box saloon in 1997, Honda countered with the streamlined and comparatively lightweight Insight. The Prius would ultimately sell in substantially larger numbers, leading Honda to develop a more conventional Insight for the second generation – but that didn’t prevent it from releasing another quirky two-door hybrid in the CR-Z. Like the original Insight, the CR-Z sold in tiny numbers, which you’d think would have been the final nail in the coffin for the entire concept. But Honda’s having yet another stab at the formula with the new Prelude, and honestly the world is all the better for it.

For one, Honda fans have been calling for the return of the Prelude name for some time. The days of 2.2 VTi Motegis are still fondly remembered, and Prelude enthusiasts are often keen to remind you that it was the world’s first production car with four-wheel steering. On top of that, in case you hadn’t noticed, there are hardly any affordable, sporty-ish coupes on sale any more, with emissions legislation and faltering demand making them all but extinct in this part of the world. Despite evidence to the contrary, Honda clearly still believes there is a gap in the market for a hybrid coupe, and to call it anything else would virtually be an admission of defeat. So Prelude it is. 

As with any reboot, however, the new model hasn’t had the easiest return to the limelight. The looks haven’t gone down especially well, and in the pictures its proportions do look a little awkward. Fortunately, it’s much sleeker in the metal, particularly around the rear where the sloping roofline meets the faintest of boot lips. Admittedly, it does look a little bloated around the nose, a problem the FL5 Civic also suffers from, and the beak-like front end is perhaps a little too similar to that of the Toyota Prius – nevertheless, there’s just enough charm in its oddball design to overlook some of its less-flattering angles. 

What’s a little more difficult to overlook is the powertrain. Like the Civic Hybrid, the Prelude employs combustion and electric power in a way that, on the surface, seems somewhat counter-intuitive. A pair of electric motors power the front wheels, while the 2.0-litre four-pot under the bonnet primarily serves as a generator for the 1.05kWh battery, though it can also be called into action when the full 184hp and 232lb ft are needed. Those numbers doesn’t exactly get the juices flowing, and a claimed 0-62mph time of 8.2 seconds to push along 1,450kg is technically slower than what the Motegi managed nearly three decades ago. But the idea is that the near-instant punch from the electric motor should make the Prelude feel significantly quicker than if it were arranged the other, more conventional way around.

Moreover, Honda has some tricks up its sleeve when it comes to driver engagement. You may have heard that it’s pinched a few bits from the Civic Type R, including the dual-axis front suspension, adaptive dampers and four-pot Brembo brakes up front. It even shares the same track width, front and rear. That, understandably, led some to believe the Prelude would continue where the Motegi left off, but that’s not the case here. Instead, it’s a warm coupe that occupies the space between the regular Civic and dearly departed Type R, or “a Prelude like so many of them used to be”, as Matt B put it back in October. 

On the positive side, the Prelude’s chassis shines just as brightly here in the UK as it did on the continent. Not in the way a Civic Type R remains almost completely flat no matter how hard you push it, but in the sense that it feels both nimble and pliant in equal measure. As you might expect, the suspension has been retuned for the Prelude, though it remains significantly more engaging than a regular Civic. This impression is helped by a faster steering rack, and while it’s hardly brimming with feel, it’s nicely weighted and doesn’t become muddied when you dial up sportier drive modes.  

It’s a shame, then, that the powertrain isn’t on the same level as the chassis. Granted, as promised, it’s quick off the line, and if you’re on a stretch of road that’s short on straights, you’re in for a right treat. Pace is gathered relatively sedately beyond that, all while the drone of the Atkinson cycle engine washes away the Prelude’s sporty facade.

To reel you back in, Honda has included a clever new ’S+ Sport’ mode with its own dedicated button. Pressing it simulates a virtual eight-speed gearbox, meaning you get to flick the paddles on the back of the steering wheel to swap simulated cogs. Of course, all that’s happening in reality is that the combustion engine revs match the car’s speed, and you’re merely dropping those revs by pulling for another ‘gear’. But it’s certainly a welcome addition to proceedings, and the use of regen to give you a slight jolt with every shift is convincing enough if you’ve managed to suspend your disbelief.

Crucially, though, the limitations of the powertrain aren’t enough to detract from what is otherwise a fantastic little couple. There are so many layers to the driving experience. It’s as modest as a Civic Hybrid in comfort, meaning you’ll likely spend most of your time in GT mode. This is where the Prelude is at its best, delivering a sharper throttle response without sacrificing pliancy in its damping. Brake feel is well judged and provides just the right level of bite without tearing your face off, which is impressive given they’re arguably more powerful than is strictly needed. For seven-tenths driving, it’s mostly a joy – even more so if you remember to not bother chasing the remaining three-tenths.

Even the interior strikes just the right balance of sportiness and comfort. Honda has developed a new set of asymmetric seats for the front half of the Prelude’s 2+2 layout, which not only look and feel superb, but provide a good amount of support when required. There is plenty of physical switchgear flanking the digital panel in the centre of the dash, though the button-operated drive selector feels a touch cheap and overly complicated. But at least the cabin is not a mess of haptic sliders. It’s all very well laid out and solidly put together, if a little short on frills and luxuries. Typical Honda, then. 

Ultimately, and not unexpectedly, if you arrive at Prelude ownership expecting a hybrid Toyota GR86 or anything resembling a Type R coupe, then you’ll be left bitterly disappointed. This isn’t for the crowd petitioning for the return of the Motegi screamer either – but it very much is for those who have a Mk1 Insight knocking about and fancy something a little more modern. A niche demographic, certainly; one made even more so by the £40,995 asking price. Honda admits it only expects to sell a few hundred here in the UK, the purpose being to drum up excitement for its hybrid tech. The irony there is that the electrified Civic is really rather dull, whereas the Prelude, partly thanks to its chassis, is brimming with character. In other words, it’s a sophisticated and over-engineered oddity that wastes no time at all getting under your skin. Sound familiar?

Engine: 1,993cc, four-cylinder, 1.05kWh battery, electric motor
Transmission: e-CVT, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 184 (engine 143@6,000rpm)
Torque (lb ft): 232 (engine 137@4,500rpm)
0-62mph: 8.2 seconds
Top speed: 117mph
Weight: 1,480kg
MPG: 54.3 (WLTP combined)
CO2: 117g/km
Price: £40,995