Honda Prelude

All-new two-door coupé packs hybrid power while channelling the Civic Type R hot hatch On sale Spring 2026 Price from £40,000 (est)

- LAWRENCE CHEUNG [e-mail]

WE'VE SEEN BAGGY jeans and Tamagotchis make a reappearance, and it seems CDs are enjoying a resurgence in sales, so it begs the question: are the 1990s coming back? Well, the return of the Honda Prelude suggests we should all get our Reebok Classics out again.

The previous petrol-powered Prelude (sold here from 1997 to 2001) had plenty of coupé rivals to fend off, but the field is now much less densely packed. The BMW 220i Coupé is close in terms of power, size and list price (predicted, anyway), and that's about it.

But with this fifth-generation Prelude using the same basic underpinnings and hybrid setup as the current Civic hatchback, could this be the next best thing for buyers looking for a Honda that's as fun to drive as the soon-to-be-discontinued Civic Type R?

Well, our introduction to the Prelude was limited to a short drive on a track; a full review will be arriving in the autumn. However, Honda said the prototype we drove is 99% production ready and shouldn't be drastically different from the car you'll be able to buy from next spring.