Honda Prelude: Auto, hybrid coupe timing confirmed for key markets - but not Australia

The reborn Honda Prelude has been locked in for launch in key markets like Europe and the US, where it’ll be offered exclusively with a hybrid powertrain and automatic transmission.

But while Honda has released further details on its revived coupe, it still hasn’t confirmed the model for Australia though it has trademarked the name.

A Honda Australia spokesperson said only that they had “no news to share regarding Prelude for our local market at this time”.

It remains to be seen whether the Prelude will be forbidden fruit for Australia, like the Pilot, Ridgeline, and the entire Acura lineup.

The Prelude will go on sale in the US and Canada late in 2025, and in Europe in early 2026.

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While it’ll feature a hybrid powertrain with a four-cylinder engine and dual electric motors like numerous Hondas, including the Civic, it will debut the brand’s new S+ Shift technology.

This is designed to “simulate the sound and feel of quick automatic gear changes” with a “sharp upshift feeling”, and Honda says it will feature in all of its future models with the new e:HEV hybrid system.

Simulated gears can be changed using paddle shifters.

“Without compromising high environmental performance unique to [hybrid] models, the Honda S+ Shift precisely controls the engine RPM during acceleration and deceleration to realise direct drive response and sharp gear shifting,” Honda explained in a press release.

“Moreover, the powerful engine sound synchronises with the Active Sound Control system, enhancing engine sound quality by offering the engine sound in sync with engine RPM through the speaker system and the highly responsive meter display.”

While turning, S+ Shift is said to respond to steering input and hold gears to maintain a desirable line through a corner.

It builds on the existing Linear Shift Control of hybrid Hondas’ continuously variable transmission (CVT) which is designed to mimic the rev feel of a conventional transmission under acceleration.

Those hoping for a manual Prelude appear to be out of luck. Though Honda has done manual hybrids before, including the CR-Z, the company’s global electrification head has previously ruled out such an option for the Prelude.

The Prelude’s powertrain is expected to be closely related to that powering models like the Civic and Accord.

Honda’s dual-mode hybrid system sees one electric motor serve as a generator motor, supplying energy to the other (propulsion) motor and recharging the battery under some conditions.

The propulsion motor drives the wheels directly, while also converting the kinetic energy generated under braking into electrical energy to recharge the battery.

The Prelude’s 2.0-litre engine is expected to be capable of 150kW, matching the 152kW/335Nm unit found in the Honda Accord e:HEV.

After over 20 years, Honda revealed the new Prelude at last year’s Japan Mobility Show.

The last Prelude, which was sold with both five-speed manual and four-speed automatic transmissions, exited production in 2001.

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