The 2026 Honda Prelude review: Didn't expect such a head-turner

# The 2026 Honda Prelude review: Didn't expect such a head-turner Source: [https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/06/2026-honda-prelude-review-we-need-more-affordable-coupes-like-this/](https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/06/2026-honda-prelude-review-we-need-more-affordable-coupes-like-this/) In Comfort mode, the ride is soft, the powertrain is quiet, and the engine cuts out whenever possible\. Toggle into GT, and the Prelude’s adaptive dampers stiffen up a little, the steering gets weightier, and if you engage S\+—which mimics an eight\-speed gearbox by changing throttle and regenerative braking maps—the shifts become a little jerkier to provide the driver some feedback\. Sport takes this further; the engine remains running to feed energy into the battery or motors at a moment’s notice, and in S\+, the shifts become more deliberately violent \(although only a little—we’re not talking sequential crash box or anything\), and the powertrain is at its \(still not obnoxious\) loudest\. [](https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2026-Honda-Prelude-1.jpg) It might not be an all\-out sports car, but it’s still engaging to drive\. Credit: Jonathan Gitlin It might not be an all\-out sports car, but it’s still engaging to drive\.Credit: Jonathan Gitlin I found GT to be the car’s sweet spot\. The throttle response is good—better than a turbocharged non\-hybrid, perhaps not quite as sharp as the sportiest EVs\. The S\+ mode’s party trick of replicating a paddle\-shift transmission works well on twisty roads, providing an extra layer of driver engagement\. Most of the time, though, I left S\+ unengaged and simply used the steering wheel paddles to adjust the amount of lift\-off regenerative braking, which can be as little as 0\.02 g for coasting or as much as 0\.2 g, which is less than you’d find in most battery EVs but is still strong enough to replicate the effect of engine braking\. ## Type\-R goodies There’s more to the drive experience than just an efficient but involving powertrain\. The front and rear tracks have been stretched like the Civic Type\-R, which donates its front dual\-axis and rear multilink suspension to the Prelude, as well as its adaptive dampers, which have been recalibrated for a more comfortable ride\. \(The stiffest setting in the Prelude is slightly softer than the softest setting in the Type\-R\.\) Consequently, there’s plenty of grip, especially on the \($1,200\) optional summer tires fitted to our test Prelude\. The hybrid powertrain encourages a driving style that maintains momentum rather than using a point and squirt approach, and there’s so much front grip that you can corner quicker than you expect, with nary a squeal or noise from the tires as you carry your speed through the apex\. And while the curb weight is a good deal more than a Miata or BRZ, compared to the usual diet of crossovers and EVs, the Prelude feels remarkably lithe and nimble\.