Good news comes to those who wait, especially after a wait of over 20 years, because Honda has announced that the all-new, sixth-generation Honda Prelude will finally make its official debut in Japan in September 2025. This announcement was made in conjunction with the launch of a new teaser page on Honda’s company website, which features what appears to be the production version of the sports car.
The images show slight exterior differences from the show car we previously saw at KLIMS 2024, including a new front lower skirt, a new design for the aluminium alloy wheels, and a more prominent rear spoiler.
Owners of an 11th-generation Honda Civic will find the interior of the new Prelude very familiar – but with some key differences. The centre console now features a row of buttons for gear selection, alongside a large “S+” button accompanied by a toggle switch for drive modes.
For those expecting the all-new Honda Prelude to come with three pedals, we offer a moment of silence, as there will be no manual gearbox on offer. This is because the Honda Prelude will be powered exclusively by Honda’s next-generation e:HEV hybrid powertrain.
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The electrified powertrain utilises a direct drive setup with fixed ratios to the drivetrain, and thus a traditional gearbox is no longer necessary. But as a replacement, Honda is hoping the new ‘S+ Shift’ technology, which is activated by the big button on the centre console, is enough to keep enthusiasts happy.
The S+ Shift system is designed to simulate a quick-shifting automatic transmission, similar in concept to the N e-shift system on the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N.
In terms of potential power output, the current e:HEV powertrain in the Honda Civic manages a combined 184 hp and 315 Nm. Considering the Prelude’s key rivals such as the Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ duo put down upwards of 237 hp and 250 Nm, it’s likely the Prelude’s final output will need to be closer to those figures to be truly competitive.
It probably won’t be Honda Civic Type R-level performance, but the Prelude is confirmed to come with the hot hatch’s dual-axis front suspension and braking components. This marks the first time these have been utilised on a non-Type R model, and they will receive specific tuning for the Prelude.
We will have to wait a bit longer for Honda to release the full specifications of the Prelude at its market launch in September 2025. With Honda having previewed the Prelude in Malaysia, and more recently in Indonesia at the 2025 Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS), could we see the Prelude being sold in the region as a more affordable option to the Honda Civic Type R?
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