Honda Prelude: Honda has publicly declared the 2026 Prelude will be available in the United States thus putting to rest ongoing rumors. The new body style is a hybrid two-door coupe that is expected to be launched at the end of 2025 and to compete in performance with its exterior look. Although the most of its underpinnings will mirror vehicles such as the Civic and the Accord, Honda has said that the Prelude will deliver on the sporty legacy attached to the moniker.
Simulated Gear Shifts for a Realistic Drive
One of the most important aspects of the Prelude’s performance character will be its unique for now Linear Shift Control, which is intended to create the feeling of a traditional mechanical drivetrain moving gears during hard acceleration. Now, insisting that this may sound silly, I would like to underline that this is a rather essential shift as for Honda’s hybrid system is concerned. Compared to the other transmissions, Honda’s system has no gearbox that can be shifted between gears.
However, the main propulsion comes in the form of an enormous electric motor – the gasoline engine on the other hand works in parallel with a motor generator. In some circumstances, it may couple directly to the drive wheels by means of a single gas direct drive for improved efficiency.
The “shifting” effect is thus mimicked just as the pseudo rev dips in the current Civic and Accord Hybrid models. Whether or not Linear Shift Control brings any new driver-controlled elements for these “shift” points is not clear, but it is definitive that any true manual or dual-clutch transmission is out of the question for the Prelude while maintaining the hybrid powertrain.
Enhanced Performance and Engagement
The Prelude will have a new Linear Shift Control and a newly added drive mode called S Plus Shift, S+ Shift. Honda asserts that this mode improves driving brilliance by harmonizing between the high performance engine and high output motor. It adjusts engine speed throughout the acceleration and deceleration zones to meet a driver’s driving scenario for an improved feel. This aggressive performance is further complemented by sound controller that proactively pours out “brash and clear” sound feedback and an instrument cluster that is also interactive to make the driver more involved.
Auditory System Previewed for Electric Models
This auditory system was only teased during the Honda 0 prototype drives in October and was promised to be implemented to all-electric vehicles by 2028. However, it seems the automaker has evolved one that can be used right away in the 2026 Prelude. Although this system brings the improvement of the hybrid coupe’s driving character, the dedicated version for the all-electric car is still reported to be introduced within the next few years.
