The Honda Prelude is one of those little automotive legends that sticks in the mind of motoring enthusiasts. First appearing in 1978, this delightful car has been through several iterations that have proved to be immensely popular until, one sad day, it disappeared from the UK; gone but not forgotten. Well, joy of joys, it is back and better than ever. The very 21st Century design still has echoes of preceding models whilst being fit for today’s roads and has just been voted ‘Coupé of the Year 2025/6’ by a global awarding organisation.
About The Car
The Honda Prelude is now a premium four seat (maybe 2 + 2 is a better description) sports coupé allying an advanced hybrid power-train and innovative Honda S+ Shift gearbox with a striking design approach to deliver the ‘joy of driving’ for which the model has always been known. Returning after many years away, the sixth-generation model’s exterior design is inspired by the timeless grace and elegance of gliders (an interesting idea, as if wafting through the clouds), while the compelling combination of engaging handling and dynamics is reminiscent of ‘an acrobatic flight’, say the Japanese company, hopefully not literally.
This has clearly been made possible thanks to the vehicle’s wide, low stance, which is complimented by suspension technology from the famous and long-serving Civic Type R, itself something of a legend, plus adaptive dampers and the latest iteration of Honda’s ‘Agile Handling Assist’ (AHA). Developed to deliver superior levels of performance, the car has been engineered to provide a balance of sweet handling and comfort. The Prelude uses an advanced multi-link suspension set-up and the latest generation of Honda’s AHA, as above.
Honda S+ Shift
Simulating the sound, feel and driver engagement of quick automatic gear changes, Honda S+ Shift helps the Prelude deliver a new dimension in driving pleasure.
The latest development of Honda’s ‘Linear Shift Control’, the system works in combination with Active Sound Control (ASC) to correlate engine sound, revs and road speed for a more natural feel when accelerating.
This technology has evolved to create a virtual eight-speed transmission that generates an even stronger connection between the car and driver. Controlled via the steering wheel paddles, ordinarily used to control the level of regenerative braking when auto is used and the Honda S+ Shift is not engaged, this allows the driver to shift through the gears as per a manual transmission. When changing down, drivers will also experience a comforting engine braking effect, providing even greater throttle control and a rev-matching throttle ‘blip’ to match; just like the old days!
The Power Plant
Utilising more than 25 years of hybrid experience, the Prelude features Honda’s full hybrid ‘e:HEV’ power-train. Pairing a 2.0 litre petrol engine with the company’s lightweight dual electric motor automatic transmission, the 181BHP (184PS / 135kW) system offers true driver exhilaration with responsive power delivery, excellent efficiency and superb refinement.
There is also a unique array of drive modes to choose from, which can be used to seamlessly switch between four options at the touch of a button – ‘Comfort’, ‘GT’, ‘Sport’, and ‘Individual' – each of which fine-tunes the characteristics of the hybrid power unit, suspension and steering response to suit the driver’s needs.
The Premium Interior
This prestige design approach extends to the welcoming interior, which echoes that of a glider’s cockpit, seamlessly combining comfort and practicality with premium materials and the driver-assistance safety system, ‘Honda SENSING’, delivering an exhilarating experience to Prelude drivers.
Once inside, the interior has been created to deliver a driver-focused feeling of control and exceptional visibility, featuring high quality materials and an uncluttered layout that allows occupants to enjoy the vehicle’s careful, premium craftsmanship. Including a choice between a pair of exclusive two-tone material finishes that feature either a white-and-blue or black-and-blue theme.
This is typified by a customisable 10.2 inch driver display that features unique Prelude graphics and coloured themes tailored to each drive mode. There is also the latest in connectivity with Honda’s responsive nine-inch touchscreen infotainment system that features Apple ‘CarPlay’, with wireless connectivity, and ‘Android Auto’, alongside a rich and powerful eight-speaker audio system jointly developed with Bose.
Despite its sleek exterior profile, the new Prelude offers both space and usability, with seating for four occupants, alongside a large hatchback tailgate that opens to reveal up to 663 litres of luggage space. Customers can also choose from four exterior colour options, including a new rich ‘Moonlit White Pearl’, plus ‘Meteoroid Grey Metallic’, ‘Crystal Black Pearl’ and ‘Racing Blue Pearl’.
Safety is also a high priority, with the latest ‘Honda SENSING’ system carefully tuned to deliver enhanced driver support. In addition, the ‘Adaptive Cruise Control’, ‘Road Departure Mitigation System’ and ‘Lane Keeping Assist System’ have been carefully re-calibrated to suit the model’s more dynamic character, typified by the attention to detail that is apparent throughout this all-new Prelude e:HEV.
The Drive
The new Honda Prelude is not an out and out sports car but it is also not an SUV and that’s what makes it so pleasing. The hybrid motive power blends electric and petrol ensuring a smooth drive and delivering an immediate yet unhurried response under acceleration. On the road, the car feels progressive rather than urgent and the sprint from 0 to 62mph (100kph) time of 8.2 seconds tells to the story. But it is the drive that count and how the car behaves on the road. The steering is a pleasure, precise and consistent, just how it should be and delivering the kind of natural weighting that Honda has long excelled at (there’s that Type R flavour again). The chassis feels balanced and predictable, so, in short, the Prelude is a sweet car to drive.
Honda & MHH International
Honda have long been known for the reliability of their products and that should give purchasers of this great coupé some extra confidence. MHH International export cars from the UK to destinations worldwide, including New Zealand and Kenya among many others. You can see our current stock of Honda cars here and enquire about availability of Honda vehicles, or indeed any cars from the our listings for premium car brands, by contacting us through this website. Our comprehensive export service is well established and highly regarded as can be seen in our client testimonials. We look forward to hearing from you.
