Honda has revived the Prelude as a new hybrid sports coupe, returning after 25 years since the last generation. From its hybrid powertrain to the advanced S+ Shift system, the new car is far more high-tech than the car it replaces.
Under the bonnet is a 2.0-litre petrol engine paired with two electric motors to deliver 184PS. It also comes with a “unique array” of driving modes to choose from, ‘Comfort’, ‘GT’, ‘Sport’, and ‘Individual’ each of which, Honda says, “fine-tunes the characteristics of the hybrid powertrain, suspension and steering response to suit the driver’s needs.”
The new Prelude comes with Honda S+ Shift, “simulating the sound, feel, and driver engagement of quick automatic gear changes,” according to Honda, to help the car “deliver a new dimension in exhilarating driving pleasure.” This means a virtual eight-speed transmission that “generates an even stronger connection between the car and driver,” though purists may not feel the same way.
To help make it engaging to drive, the Prelude gets suspension technology from the Civic Type R, allowing for a “balance of agile handling and comfort,” as well as a multi-link suspension set-up with adaptive dampers.
At a time when coupes and sports cars in general seem to be declining, Honda has taken a big gamble with the new Prelude, especially when some of the top-selling cars in the segment are rear-wheel-drive and come with manual gearboxes. Time will tell if another-generation car, possible an EV, will be made.
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