New 2026 Honda Prelude Sports Coupe Expands Honda Hybrid-Electric Lineup

• New Prelude pairs two-motor hybrid powertrain with Civic Type R chassis components
• New “Honda S+ Shift” drive mode provides performance transmission experience
• ‘Grand Touring’ experience delivers precise steering, responsive handling and a composed ride

The highly-anticipated 2026 Honda Prelude hybrid-electric sports coupe is arriving at Honda dealers across Canada later this month, expanding the brand’s hybrid-electric lineup to four fun-to-drive and fuel-efficient models.

The all-new Prelude is the first model to pair the award-winning Honda two-motor hybrid-electric powertrain, and the high-performance chassis hardware of the iconic Civic Type R. Prelude marks the debut of S+ Shift, an innovative new drive mode that simulates a performance transmission experience to deliver an engaging grand touring experience, while remaining comfortable for everyday driving.

The 2026 Prelude is available in one well-equipped trim with a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $49,990¹.

“The return of the legendary Prelude brings feelings of nostalgia, fun and fond memories for generations of Canadians,” said Emile Korkor, Assistant Vice President Honda Canada. “Like its past iterations, this all-new Prelude is a vehicle that embodies the joy of driving. The combination of our award-winning hybrid-electric powerplant, chassis components shared with the vicious Civic Type R, and Honda’s new S+ Shift technology, solidifies it as world class grand touring machine.”

Hybrid-electric models represent over 40% of Honda sales in Canada, thanks to the success of the CR-V Hybrid, Accord Hybrid and Civic Hybrid, and Honda plans to expand hybrid application to represent over 60% of total auto sales in the coming years.

The first-ever electrified Prelude is powered by the powerful and efficient Honda two-motor hybrid-electric system found in the award-winning Civic, Accord and CR-V hybrid models. It combines two large and powerful electric motors with a highly efficient 2.0-litre Atkinson cycle direct injection gasoline engine to deliver sporty driving experience and obtain exceptional fuel economy ratings. A combined system output of 200 horsepower⁴ and a robust 232 lb.-ft. of torque gives the new Prelude quick and responsive acceleration off the line and out of corners.

Notably, the Honda two-motor hybrid system is not equipped with a traditional transmission or CVT. Rather than use a torque converter and multiple gear ratios, or mechanical pulleys and drive belt, drive force from the traction motor is sent to the wheels directly through a fixed ratio, while engine power is blended seamlessly through a simple lock-up clutch. This simple form of drive force transfer offers smooth and predictable acceleration from the traction motor, matched with efficient low-rpm highway cruising when the gasoline engine is in operation.

2026 Honda Prelude Pricing & Fuel Economy

New Honda S+ Shift
The 6th-generation Prelude marks the debut of Honda S+ Shift, an innovative new drive mode that simulates a performance transmission experience to deliver the ultimate electrified Honda driving experience with a responsive and engaging shifting simulation. Honda S+ Shift advances Linear Shift Control to deliver maximum levels of driver engagement.

By precisely managing engine RPM and integrating paddle shifters, Honda S+ Shift delivers quick simulated gearshift responses through seamless coordination between the engine and high-power drive motor, including downshift blips, rev matching, gear holding and enhanced engine sounds to increase driver engagement. Honda has announced plans to feature S+ Shift on future hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) models.

Responsive Civic Type R Chassis Hardware
The 2026 Honda Prelude is the brand’s first hybrid-electric model to feature the high-performance chassis hardware of the legendary Civic Type R, including the dual-axis strut front suspension, wide front and rear tracks and large brakes originally designed for the iconic hot hatch. The new sports coupe delivers a sporty yet comfortable grand touring experience with high levels of driver exhilaration and engagement due to suspension and brake systems tuned exclusively for Prelude, including the standard Adaptive Damper System.

Selectable drive modes enable the driver to optimize the Prelude driving experience, seamlessly switching between Comfort, GT, Sport and Individual driving modes for various conditions with pre-set performance settings controlling powertrain response, steering assist level, suspension damping, engine sound, gauge cluster layout and adaptive cruise-control responses. The suspension’s distinct damping characteristics in each drive mode, give the driver precise control of the sports coupe’s ride and handling responses with optimized damping curves. High-performance summer tires that maximize grip and handling are available.

Prelude offers exceptional braking performance, sharing its front and rear brakes with the Civic Type R. Lightweight two-piece 13.8-inch diameter front rotors are paired with brawny Brembo™ monobloc four-piston aluminum calipers dressed with both the Prelude and Brembo™ logos and finished in a Prelude-specific blue hue. The rear rotors are 12.0 inches in diameter.

Striking Colour Combinations
The 2026 Prelude is available in three bold colours, including the new Winter Frost Pearl, Crystal Black Pearl, and Rally Red. The Prelude interior is available in two striking colour combinations, a two-tone Blue and White (Winter Frost Pearl only) or Blue and Black – both featuring premium materials and high-contrast blue accent stitching to compliment the blue exterior accents that include Prelude’s large four-piston front Brembo brake calipers.

New Line of Honda Genuine Accessories
For customers looking to take the sporty styling of Prelude even further, the sports coupe can be customized with an extensive new line of Honda Genuine Accessories, including uniquely styled 19-inch machine-finished Berlina Black wheels, black tailgate spoiler, front underbody spoilers, black emblems and door mirror covers.

The new 2026 Honda Prelude is available in one well-equipped trim that includes these features as standard equipment:

• Honda two-motor hybrid system
• New Honda S+ Shift system
• Leather-trimmed front sport seats with perforated houndstooth pattern, integrated head restraints and three-way heating
• 19-inch Berlina Black alloy wheels
• 235/40R19 AS tires
• Brembo™ four-piston aluminum front calipers (shared with Civic Type R), finished in unique Prelude Blue
• Dual-axis strut front suspension (shared with Civic Type R)
• Adaptive Dampers (shared with Civic Type R, uniquely tuned for Prelude)
• Four driving modes: Comfort, GT, Sport and Individual
• Leather-wrapped flat-bottom steering wheel with alloy shift paddles
• Sport pedals
• 2+2 Seating with 60/40 split fold-down rear seat
• 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster
• 9-inch HD touchscreen with Google built-in
• Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto compatibility
• WiFi Hotspot capability
• Wireless phone charger
• 8-speaker Bose premium sound system
• Honda SensingTM suite of safety and driver-assistive technologies
• Post-Collision Braking System (PCB)
• Blind spot information with Rear Cross Traffic Alert

For more information on the Honda Prelude click here.

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About Honda Canada
Honda Canada Inc. was founded in 1969 and is the parent company for both Honda and Acura vehicle brands in Canada. Since 1986, the company has produced Honda engines and over 11 million cars and light trucks at its Alliston, Ontario manufacturing facilities, where the Honda Civic and Honda CR-V are currently built. Honda Canada has invested over $21 billion in Canada, and each year sources over $3 billion in goods and services from Canadian suppliers. Since its inception, Honda Canada has sold over five million Honda and Acura passenger cars and light trucks in Canada through a dealer network of more than 280 dealerships across the country. For more information, please visit www.hondacanada.ca.

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1. Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) excludes tax, freight and PDI, applicable fees, levies and duties, premium exterior and interior color charges, insurance, license, and registration. Dealer prices may vary.
2. Selling Price includes MSRP, $1830 for freight and PDI, and A/C charge, Dealer Fees as determined by the dealer (which may vary by dealer and province), regulatory fees as applicable, and all other applicable fees, levies, and duties (all of which may vary by region and dealer). Vehicle Price does not apply to customers who lease or finance the vehicle. Premium exterior and interior colour charges (where applicable), license, insurance, registration and applicable sales taxes are extra. Dealer may sell for less. Dealer order/trade may be necessary (but may not be available in all cases). Vehicle Price current as of date of publication and may be subject to change.
3. Based on Government of Canada fuel consumption ratings; Actual fuel economy will vary based on several factors including, driving habits, vehicle age and condition, temperature, terrain, loading, use and maintenance – use for comparison only. For more information visit http://vehicles.nrcan.gc.ca.
4. Total system horsepower (ISO net) of the peak, concurrent output of the two electric motors and gasoline engine.