Earlier, we wrote an article on the Honda Prelude Concept and what to expect of it. Back then, we didn’t have too many details about the Honda Prelude Concept.
Now, we know a lot about the Honda Prelude Concept. And it’s time to learn some details about the concept car.
The Prelude met a conclusion in the year 2021 while its fifth generation was still running in the market.
The introduction of the fourth-generation Integra, the alter ego Acura dropped a real explosion on the sales tag of Prelude.
The sky-high price ultimately met a cut in sales in 2001 (only 58,118 5th gen Preludes were sold compared to the high market value of 336,599 3rd gen sold Preludes in the United States). It eventually led to the conclusion of the series.
After 22 years, Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe finally announced the comeback of the Honda Prelude. It’s going to revive as Sporty Coupe Concept with the same old Prelude nameplate.
In fact, the car already made a debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show in North America. We believe the comeback is going to be a blast. Finish our article to learn more about the iconic Prelude Concept car, it’s the real proof when style meets performance.
No! It’s not a review article. This is going to be a Q&A article that includes all the interesting inquiries about the upcoming Concept car.
Highlights from the Japan Mobility Show
- The upcoming Prelude is going to be a Concept car. It’s going to be a hybrid-electric car (it’s now official) and already had a showcase at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show.
- The Prelude Concept 2023 is a two-door sporty coupe. **Coupes are cars with two doors and one cabin, although rare as most cars feature four doors. The two-door sporty coupe is going to be the exclusive feature of The Prelude Concept.
- We have a long way to go. The Prelude is expected to launch in the 2026 model year. However, the exact timing for the production model hasn’t been announced yet.
- The Honda Prelude concept has made debuts two times since now – one at the Japan Mobility Show (JMS) and the next one at the LA Auto Show in NA, just weeks after the first showcase.
- It has been 45 years since the Honda Prelude 1st Gen made its debut in North America. The first debut was in November 1978. The Sports Coupe was one of the most favorite car models for automotive lovers, until the end in 2001.
Gary Robinson, vice president of Auto Planning and Strategy, at American Honda Motor Co., Inc said,
“Honda hybrid-electric models have been doing a great job of furthering our electrification strategy and now represent one-quarter of Honda sales in 2023, displaying the hybrid Prelude Concept demonstrates our electrification strategy in a sporty and dynamic package.”
The Prelude Concept had a showdown in LA along with the first all-electric Honda SUV – the Prologue. Not as a competition, but we believe, the Honda Prelude is going to have a grand opening in sales in 2026.
Top 7 Common FAQs and Answers
A lot of tangling talk has been roaming among automotive enthusiasts. If you are one of them, let us help you with some common FAQs and Answers regarding the Honda Prelude Concept car 2026.
- What’s New in the Honda Prelude Concept?
The Prelude is already a familiar name to many of us. However, higher your expectations cause it’s about to get an entirely new lookover inside and out.
In 2026, the Honda Prelude will make a debut as the Honda Prelude Concept. You can consider it as a complete substitute for the discontinued Civic and Accord coupe models.
However, even though the estimated time frame is not clear to us. We anticipate it’s going to be released in the 2026 model year.
- Is the Honda Prelude Concept Going to Be A Hybrid?
Yes, that we know for sure! The Honda Prelude Concept will be a hybrid model.
The Prelude Concept is about to fulfill Honda’s commitment to delivering environment-friendly and sustainable driving solutions. Although not so much information is available regarding this hybrid model, we believe this hybrid model uses the modern electric propulsion system.
It will highly contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions. Plus, let’s not forget how well deserving that would be for the global automotive shift toward a more eco-conscious and fuel-efficient alternative.
- What About the Performance of the Honda Prelude Concept 2026?
So far, Honda has only revealed that the Prelude concept car will be a sport hybrid powertrain. It is likely to have a hybrid system similar to a few other Honda vehicles such as the CR-V, Accord, and the planned 2024 Civic Hybrid.
FYI, the Honda Accord delivers 204 HP from its hybrid configuration. It also houses a 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine. However, since the Prelude will feature sporty aspirations, we are hoping for more.
In terms of transmission, we still can’t hope for manual transmission around 2026 or any time soon. The company no longer supports transmission in the regular Civic sedan. However, you can still opt for the Civic Hatchback like the Civic Si.
With the Prelude Concept 2026, our expectation lies in the front-wheel drive (FWD). We want it to be more standard, unlike the 78s traditional Honda Prelude. Not to mention, how we have high hopes for the all-wheel drive (AWD).
- Why the Honda Prelude Is A Concept Car?
Honda Prelude is promotionally known as a concept. However, automotive enthusiasts believe the remarkable showdown we had in the two former events, is enough to sell down the market. In fact, we don’t think there would be much change to start with.
It’s only our wish that Honda decides to make this automobile a reality as soon as possible.
In our previous articles, we made it clear that Honda is highly focused on electric vehicles now and wishes to replace all ICE-based models by 2040.
Work is in progress and Honda has already started some procedures. Such as the battery plant in Ohio is solely dedicated to EVs for North America and other regions.
In this pipeline, electric sports cars are the first runner-up, followed by other successors like Acura NSX. We are truly excited to learn more about what’s to come, as well as learn more about the comeback of Prelude.
- Why Did Prelude Discontinue?
As mentioned earlier, Prelude was a hit during its timeline, from 1978 to 2001, until its 5th gen model arrived. The car went through a significant drop in sales after the introduction of the Honda Integra (4th Gen), and Honda ultimately had to drop the Prelude behind.
Let’s not forget how Honda’s lineup evolved during this time. The performance and efficiency of the Prelude started to overlap with other models in the lineup. Take the Honda Accord for example.
Accord became more powerful and ahead of its time that it took only a little time to steal away the prominence Prelude once had.
Additionally, production cost was also a factor. By 2001, an update was foreseen for the fifth-gen Prelude. As we all know, how expensive it can be to produce and update any particular model in the automotive industry.
Clearly, Honda didn’t meet the target benefit to put the car in production. Without the projected sales and profits, it’s not possible to continue any automotive model in the mass market.
- What’s The Estimated Price of the Honda Prelude Concept?
It is an assumption that, like most other Honda Hybrids, the Prelude Concept will range between $ 42,209 to $ 50,209. It will take some time to reveal the exact numbers. But we will soon be back to you!
- What Is a Sporty Coupe?
Sports coupes, often known as sports cars, have a compact enclosed cockpit with a tall bonnet. They place a premium on performance over interior space.
The Honda Prelude is called a sporty coupe due to its design, sleek performance, and placement in the automotive industry. It is historically sleek with rich aerodynamics.
The two-door coupe body style contributes to a more compact and versatile appearance. We told you! The 90s Honda Prelude was ahead of its time!
Honda Prelude Concept 2026 Overview
We are almost at the end of our article. Conveniently, the Prelude Concept will be released in 2026.
Now, we know almost a lot of significant details about the Prelude with our FAQs and their answers. Here is an overview of the Prelude Concept from our perspective.
We all know the Honda Prelude as one of the most fashionable sporty coupe since 1978. And truly we missed the sporty vibe so much. Now that, it’s about to make a comeback in 2026, we are really excited about the Prelude.
The concept car looks totally fit for production. And, this time, we are about to have a two-door coupe, and most likely to be available as a hybrid only.
From what we have witnessed in the two consecutive events, we know the style of the upcoming Prelude Concept is sleek and modern, exclusively what it should be to match the fashionable sense of the 21st century.
However, we still don’t know much about the powertrain and mechanical details of this Concept car. We believe it to be slim. Plus, it’s really interesting that some elements and configurations of the upcoming Prelude are similar to the Honda Civic and Accord models.
Needless to say, Honda is also hopeful of our reaction and claims that the upcoming Prelude Concept will offer us a fun driving experience. Let’s give it a time and we will soon have some more information disclosed before you as the furnishing model gets one step closer to reality.
Final Words
Congratulations! You have successfully been here and read the article till the end. We believe the Prelude Concept 2026 will retain the value once the 90s Prelude had.
The comeback will create a buzz in the market and make it harder for the competitors. Since the Prelude Concept is going to be a hybrid, and we already have only a few options for Honda hybrids, it’s not going to be an easy choice between the hybrid models. Consider the Honda CRV Sport-L Trim for a bit. It’s scheduled for 2024 too.
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