Japanese carmaker Honda isn’t done yet about hyping up the revival of its front-wheel-drive sports coupe, the Prelude. Much has been said about the car, and this time, Honda went all-out, revealing the 2026 Honda Prelude in its full production model guise. The best part is that Honda also showed off the Prelude as a left-hand-drive car.
This had us wondering; the 2026 Honda Prelude in left-hand-drive form looks Philippine-ready, doesn’t it? Now that the car has shown off its looks with the driver seated on the left, would Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) be enticed to bring it in for the first time ever? At this point, it’s anyone’s guess, but maybe the Prelude’s production specs might entice the company to consider.
For starters, the 2026 Honda Prelude is designed to honor its well-established legacy that dates back to the late 1970s, but with a modern twist. This 2+2-seater two-door sports coupe boasts clean lines and a purposeful stance.
Beneath the shell is a setup that borrows from the Honda Civic Hybrid, most especially the 2.0-liter engine with two electric motors and a lithium-ion battery. Combined, this powerplant produces 200 hp and 314 Nm of torque, sent to the front wheels.
The 2026 Honda Prelude isn’t offered with a manual gearbox. Instead, it comes with an e-CVT, which may put off some purists. However, the e-CVT, which Honda developed, is not your typical CVT setup. It’s got two electric motors – one drives the front wheels, while the other functions as an electric power generator. At certain speeds, the gasoline engine takes over direct drive from the first motor.
Additionally, the e-CVT comes with Honda’s new S+Shift system. What this does is to simulate gear shifts like a manual or dual-clutch transmission. To enhance the experience, the e-CVT with S+Shift features paddle shifters positioned behind the steering wheel. It even does rev-matching and throttle blips for a more immersive driving experience.
The chassis has also received special attention. In this department, Honda gave the Prelude a Civic Type R essence. This comes in the form of Type R-derived goodies such as dual-axis strut front suspension, wider tracks, and Brembo brakes.
Honda didn’t stop there. To further elevate the driving experience, the Prelude offers four driving modes – Comfort, GT, Sport, and Individual. Each setting adjusts throttle response, steering, and suspension tuning.
Inside, the Prelude takes on the Civic’s clean and functional design, but with a more premium look and feel. It features leather sports seats, a flat-bottom steering wheel, and a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system. For connectivity, the Honda Prelude comes with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, as well as WiFi hotspot capability and wireless charging. The driver gets vehicle information updates from a 10.2-inch gauge cluster, while the 8-speaker Bose sound system adds a touch of luxury to the cabin.
Safety-wise, the Honda Prelude is among the brand’s models to include its Honda Sensing safety suite. This includes adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, collision mitigation braking with pedestrian detection, blind spot monitoring, traffic sign recognition, among others.
With all these features and technologies mentioned, it won’t be a surprise if Honda prices the 2026 Prelude way up in the premium category. In Japan, it’s reported that the Prelude will come with a sticker price of ¥6,179,800, or approximately P2,418,349, in today’s exchange rate.
Should the 2026 Honda Prelude ever be introduced in the Philippines, its price is likely to increase further due to tax or dealer markups. Hopefully, the 50% excise tax exemption on hybrid vehicles, as stated in the EVIDA Law, can help lower the price to a more attainable level.
