Honda Prelude News

Believe it or don’t we’re almost halfway through the year and that calls for a round up of the cars that have stood out to us in 2026.So, we’ve asked our fellow test pilots around the CarsGuide office which new car has impressed them the most so far. Here’s our half-year top 5, in no particular order.Honda PreludeHonda’s reborn Prelude sports car is a reminder of the magic this iconic Japanese company can perform at a time when new Chinese brands are drawing our eyes away.A rival to the Toyota GR 86, Nissan Z and Mazda MX-5 the Prelude arrived in May with a hybrid powertrain and a drive-away price of $65,000.Based on the Honda Civic, the Prelude has a 2.0-litre four cylinder engine and an electric motor. Combined output is 149kW.CarsGuide contributor Byron Mathioudakis attended the Australian launch.“Firstly, the performance on offer goes far beyond the sum of its published numbers," he said."Secondly, the fluency of the chassis to communicate with the road and driver makes this a true enthusiast’s car. And thirdly, this leaves us wanting more."Long after the sensual lines are out of sight, your mind’s eye keeps looking back, yearning to return to the driver’s seat. All for $65K drive-away, folks."BMW M2 CSBMW’s new M2 CS arrived in May this year loudly announcing that angry performance petrol cars were still well and truly a thing - and a beautiful thing, too.The Competition Sport version of the mighty little M2 takes that little beast's straight-six turbo and squeezes out more grunt - 390kW and 650Nm.The M2 CS has been one of Senior Journalist Chris Thompson’s favourite finds of 2026 so far.“Small enough to still feel like a nimble sports car but it won't bite your hand too hard," Thompson said."Plenty of power and a healthy torque band, but enough compliance in the chassis/suspension that it doesn't feel entirely like driving a race car. Looks fully siq in Velvet Blue Metallic with Gold Bronze wheels."Denza B5BYD’s luxury brand Denza brought its Toyota Prado rival to Australia this year starting at a list price of just less than $75K.Production Editor Jack Quick drove this large super hybrid SUV at its Aussie launch and had this to say:“It rights the BYD Shark 6’s wrongs in terms of off-road capability and has undeniable value with the amount of high-end touches it has. Plus it’s ridiculously fast. However, it’s not perfect as it’s very heavy and has a busy ride.” Kia EV4 GT-LineKia’s fully electric EV4 sedan arrived in Australia in January looking slipperier than an eel.There’s a single motor making 150kW and 283Nm driving the front wheels and you can have it in three grades with the starting list price being $49,990.Deputy Editor James Cleary drove the EV4 and nominated it as one of the cars that impressed him this year."Polarising contemporary Kia exterior design... but I like it,” he said.  “Snappy, user-friendly interior. Strong performance and useful range. A $65K price tag for this flagship is in line with BYD Seal but $10K steeper than comparable Mazda 6e.” BYD Shark 6The BYD Shark 6 was awarded CarsGuide's Best Ute of 2026 and now it has returned with a more powerful engine (a 2.0-litre turbo petrol four cylinder) in the Performance grade.The new and improved plug-in hybrid ute addressed what was lacking in an otherwise outstanding vehicle - towing ability. Braked towing capacity has increased from 2500kg to 3500kg in the Performance.Dual motors (one at the front and one at the rear) combined with the petrol e engine make an impressive 350kW and 700Nm. Carsguide contributor Stephen Ottley was at the launch and said:“For grey nomads and others who have previously ruled it out, the BYD Shark 6 might suddenly be back on more shortlists.”

The Japanese sports car revival is almost complete.Honda has confirmed the price of its new Prelude ahead of its arrival in Australia in the coming months where it will take on the Toyota GR86, Subaru BRZ, Nissan Z and Mazda MX-5 in a suddenly jam-packed affordable sports car category.Available in a single grade, the Prelude is priced at $65,000, drive-away, which is cheaper than Nissan’s twin-turbo V6 Z but more expensive than the other trio.The Prelude is based on the current Honda Civic and gets the same hybrid set-up as its more family-friendly sibling.Honda Australia boss Robert Thorp said the Prelude stays true to the original.“The 2026 Prelude is a bold reinterpretation of an iconic driver’s car for the hybrid era, developed from the same dreams with the same spirit and ambition as the first Prelude back in 1978,” said Thorp.The Prelude is powered by a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine that makes 104kW/182Nm, paired with an electric motor that is good for 135kW and 315N and helps drive the front wheels. Combined power is a claimed 149kW, which is more grunt than the Civic’s identical set-up pumps out.One of the new Prelude's headline features is the 'S+ Shift', which simulates the sound and feel of an eight speed transmission via a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).Honda claims the tech delivers the power kick during real gear changes and can mimic engine braking.There are also features borrowed from the red hot Civic Type R such as dual-axis strut front suspension, and it has Brembo brakes and a wider track for increased stability.Honda backs its vehicles with a five year/unlimited km warranty and five years' roadside assistance. A capped price servicing plan costs just $199 per visit for the first five intervals.Full Australian details will be revealed soon.

Australians are still buying cars at a rapid rate but should we be more patient?Some of the most exciting new models are still months away from hitting showrooms. In this article we’ll reveal the five newcomers that should have you staying calm and holding steady for a few more months.Toyota RAV4 PHEVThe new RAV4 is headed into showrooms very shortly, but the brand is saving the most important new variant until later in the year. That would be the new, long-awaited RAV4 plug-in hybrid (PHEV), which will come in the final months of the year to push back against the rising tide of PHEV rivals.While Toyota may be a latecomer to this PHEV party, the specifications sound promising. The RAV4 PHEV will offer a 227kW, all-wheel drive variant with up to 150km of electric-only driving range for the flagship GR Sport model. There will also be a 200kW, front-wheel drive XSE variant.Toyota Australia has already revealed pricing for the pair, with the XSE starting at $58,840 and the GR Sport from $66,340. So if that sounds appealing, all you have to do now is wait…Mazda CX-5Sure, it won’t have a hybrid option initially, but the arrival of a new CX-5 is still something worth waiting for. The brand has taken an evolutionary approach to this new model, which is a good thing considering its long-running popularity.While the turbocharged engine has been dropped and the hybrid won’t arrive until 2027, the new CX-5 will have a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, stylish looks and a roomy cabin. But will that be enough to ward off the challenges from the RAV4, BYD Sealion 6 and 7, Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage? That remains to be seen, but if you’re in the market for a mid-size SUV in ‘26 you will want to wait and see what the CX-5 offers before you make your decision.Chery UtePlug-in hybrid utes are all the rage at this moment in time and you could choose to jump into a Ford Ranger PHEV, BYD Shark 6 or GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV right now. Or you could wait until the end of the year when Chinese brand Chery launches the first turbo diesel PHEV ute.Previewed as the KP31 concept already, the new ute should look the part and by combining the preferred diesel power with the new PHEV technology it could be a gamechanger for the ute market.Obviously a lot of its success will be dependent on its price, but Chery has already earned a reputation for being one of the most aggressive brands when it comes to pricing. Which means this could be worth the wait for anyone looking for both a fuel efficient and affordable new ute.Honda PreludeIf you’re looking for a new sports car, like a Ford Mustang EcoBoost, Nissan Z or even a Honda Civic Type R, you may not want to rush in. That’s because Honda is due to reintroduce the famous Prelude nameplate to Australia by the end of the year.Making its return after more than 25 years in the wilderness, the Prelude picks up where it left off. The new version remains a stylish coupe based on a front-wheel drive platform, in this case the same underpinnings as the Honda Civic.While not based on the red hot Civic Type R, the Prelude is expected to have a version of the hybrid powertrain from the Civic e:HEV - a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine paired to an electric motor for 149kW of power.While it may not be as potent as the Type R, the Prelude will turn heads with its sleek looks. Which is why it could be worth waiting for if you want to stand out from the pack.BMW iX3Finally, for anyone considering a premium electric vehicle in 2026, the BMW iX3 is probably worthy of consideration - even if it’s not due here until later in the year.While EVs are in a precarious position at the moment, the German brand has poured all of its latest and greatest technology into the new model to give it its best chance of success. This is the first model of the so-called Neue Klasse platform of vehicles, which will spawn the next-generation 3 Series too.It also features the next revolution of BMW design, with a bold new look that will undoubtedly polarise opinions when it arrives.More importantly, BMW claims this electric SUV will have up to 805km of range and will arrive with the punchy 345kW/645Nm iX3 50 xDrive variant that can sprint 0-100km/h in just 4.9 seconds.

Honda has finally confirmed details of its much anticipated next-gen Prelude, which is already confirmed for an Australian launch next year.

Honda has finally outed the full production-ready version of its reborn Prelude sports car and the good news is, it’s locked in for Australia.

The interior of the eagerly awaited next-gen Honda Prelude has been revealed thanks to a Japanese YouTuber who has given us a glimpse into the cabin.When the Prelude concept made its debut in 2023 at the Tokyo mobility show it had blacked-out windows so the interior remained a mystery. It’s also highly unlikely it even had a finished interior at that point.Now thanks to Japanese YouTuber Unadon we’ve been given a guided tour inside the two-door 2+2 seater sports car and it's not quite as groundbreaking as we hoped.If anything the cabin, dashboard, controls and instruments are much the same as the cockpit in the current Honda Civic.Sure the new Prelude’s cabin is sporty and the two-tone sports seats with embossed Prelude headrests look modern and luxurious, but the climate control dials, honeycomb mesh air vents and steering wheel will all be familiar to anybody who has bought a Honda in the past few years.The rear seat is more or less a hard grey-coloured featureless bench without any form of obvious lateral support or even moulding for rear passengers.It’s unlikely the back seats will ever house the two people they’re designed to accommodate given the lack of space back there with the heavily sloped roofline and limited legroom. Unadon discovered how cramped it is when we ventured back there. There are also two ISOFIX points if child seats need to be installed.Unadon also gives us a look at the boot under the Prelude's liftback tailgate, revealing a small but deep area behind the rear seats that appears to be about 200 litres in capacity. He also folds the rear seats down to open up even more load carrying space.The Prelude, which is expected to make its European launch by the middle of 2025, will be hybrid only and use a petrol-electric system similar to the unit in the Civic. A manual transmission won't be available either.It's still not been confirmed for Australia, but our fingers are crossed.

Honda has confirmed the new Honda Prelude will go on sale from late 2025 to early 2026, with hybrid power and a design very faithful to the prototype.

There’s good news and bad news if you were interested in the idea of the Honda Prelude sports car revival.

Japan is on a roll. Not since the heyday of the ’80s and early ‘90s has its car industry been so confident and progressive, taking wild chances when – in the past – things would have been played way too safe.

The Honda Prelude name has been absent from the market for more than two decades, but it looks set for a comeback in the next two years. Ahead of an appearance at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, Honda has shown off the (very close to production-looking) concept in a new red paint hue. Additionally, the British arm of the marque confirmed to publication Autocar that the hybrid sports coupe it will launch in the United Kingdom in the middle of this decade. Previous intelligence suggests the Prelude will begin production in 2026 and will be a step in lowering Honda’s emissions while creating desirable, enthusiast-focused cars. Beyond it being a hybrid, nothing else is known of the Prelude’s powertrain. There are musings it could use a version of the existing Civic’s e:HEV petrol-electric set-up, potentially making more than the Civic's 135kW and 315Nm for a sportier feel. Honda has not commented, but a manual transmission is not off the cards – remember the three-pedal hybrid CR-Z?Visually, the low and wide Prelude concept has a distinct coupe aesthetics, and rides on attractive 20-inch alloy wheels. It channels classy vibes – more Volkswagen Scirocco than boy racer Hyundai i30 N or Civic Type R.“Ensuring this model maintains its ‘sporty’ DNA by perfectly blending the efficiency and environmental advantages of electrified driving with an exhilarating experience behind the wheel – liberating users from their daily lives with increased driving pleasure,” said Chief Engineer and Large Project Leader Tomoyuki Yamagami.How exactly Honda will achieve a pleasurable drive is unclear but the Prelude is likely to draw on the brand’s high-revving roots potentially with sound augmentation – or even natural noise. Tactility will matter hugely so expect Honda’s engineers to outfit the Prelude’s cabin with traditional physical knobs and buttons for high-traffic touchpoints, rather than trendy screen-heavy interaction. Honda’s new coupe model will most likely adopt the Civic’s chassis. It features aluminium components in the sub frames and independent multi-link suspension all around. The Prelude won't be Japan's only new sports car, with Toyota in particular reviving historic names including MR2 and Celica along with big updates for GR 86 and Supra.Details for the Prelude's Australia release remain a mystery. Expect more noise about the coupe in the coming months and years.