One of the original Honda nameplates is making its return in 2025. The automaker is reviving the Prelude.
Honda made the announcement on Tuesday and answered a question that has lingered since 2023. The automaker confirmed the Prelude will return and will feature a two-motor electric hybrid system.
This system, which Honda uses in multiple other vehicles, includes five core components. The electric generator motor supplies power to the hybrid battery. The electric propulsion motor drives the wheels. The Atkinson-cycle gasoline engine connects to the generator and starter motor.
The other two components are the Intelligent Power Unit (IPU) and the Power Control Unit (PCU). The IPU houses the battery and its controlling hardware while the PCU controls the hybrid functions.
The new Prelude will debut the “Honda S+ Shift” feature as it simulates gear changes. The automaker says this is an “innovative new drive mode that further advances Linear Shift Control.”
“The return of the Honda Prelude as a hybrid-electric sports model demonstrates our continued commitment to offer a variety of exhilarating products to meet the needs of our customers,” said Jessika Laudermilk, assistant vice president of Honda Auto Sales, in a statement.
“The first three products in the Honda lineup in the 1970s were Civic, Accord, and Prelude, and soon all three will be back together again in our passenger car lineup as hybrids.”
Honda did not provide many details about the new Prelude. This information will likely be available early next year.
The Honda Prelude enters its sixth generation in 2025
The Honda Prelude launched with the 1978 model as a boxy little coupe highlighted by side mirrors mounted on the hood. This first generation only had 72 horsepower and 94 lb-ft of torque.
The second generation of the Prelude began in 1983 and continued through 1987. This model introduced a double wishbone suspension and featured two different powertrains. The more powerful 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine boasted 110 horsepower.
The Prelude became decidedly less boxy as the generations continued, and it featured even more powerful engines. The fourth generation, the first with a rear spoiler, had an engine capable of 187 horsepower and 153 lb-ft of torque.
The fifth generation of the Honda Prelude began in 1997 and it continued until 2001. This generation had a mix of sharp angles and softer curves that blended the previous designs.
This final generation was also the most powerful with an engine capable of delivering 195 horsepower and 156 lb-ft of torque.