Honda has confirmed that the Prelude will be launched in the North American markets in 2025. Some more details of the vehicle have emerged as some Japanese journalists got their hands behind the wheel.
Honda will be launching its Prelude in the American market and the sporty coupe will make a comeback as a hybrid. While purists will be saddened by this news, it is how it is in this modern world. The Prelude will borrow the same drivetrain that we have seen in the Civic hybrid which means that it is going to be a brilliant daily driver. For the enthusiasts, Honda has put a few tricks in the Prelude which should get the juices flowing.
The two door coupe body is a fresh design, but it is underpinned by the same platform that is found under the CR-V and the ZR-V. It will carry forward the two motor hybrid system with a 2.0L four-cylinder engine which will power the front wheels through an e-CVT. The e-CVT in the Honda Hybrids is basically a clutch which disconnects or connects the internal combustion engine to the wheels at a certain speed. All the other times, the electric motor is taking care of spinning the wheels in the right direction.
The S+ Shift Drive Mode
Honda has added a S+ Shift drive mode with a switch right in the middle of the centre console. What this does is simulate gearshifts for a more conventional car driving experience. This is already present in Honda’s hybrid lineup and is known as Linear Shift Control but the S+ Shift drive mode is a more aggressive version of the same. There will also be pumped in audio from the speakers which will further add to the illusion of driving a performance car. We will have to see if this is just a gimmick and how it translates in the real world to our driving experience.
Where Does The Prelude Stand
The Honda Prelude is not going to be an out and out performance car like the Civic Type R. What it is going to do best is offer a brilliant daily driving experience to those who need a cool looking coupe instead of buying another sedan or SUV. We love how Honda is still experimenting with this body style and there is no doubt that this is going to be a brilliant daily driver for someone who is looking for an efficient vehicle to commute and look cool as well but we do hope that Honda does something more with this body style as well. An R version maybe would get things stirring for the enthusiast and even make the base hybrid Prelude seem like a cool car for someone to start with initially.
