Honda showed off a Prelude concept car at the Japan Mobility Show last year. It looked almost ready for production, but Honda didn't share many details about what was under the hood.
Now, Japanese media sources think the new Prelude will have a six-speed manual transmission paired with a hybrid powertrain. If true, this would be a unique feature in today's car market.
The new Prelude will be the sixth generation of the model. It will likely share some parts with the Honda Civic and come as a two-door coupe.
In Japan, the Civic RS trim already has a six-speed manual gearbox. It also has a turbocharged 1.5-liter engine (without hybrid power), a rev-matching function, and sportier suspension.
The Japanese car magazine Best Car thinks the Prelude might offer two transmission choices: a regular CVT and a manual gearbox with a hybrid system. If Honda goes with the manual hybrid option, it would be their first car since the CR-Z to mix a manual transmission with a self-charging hybrid setup.
Best Car guesses the Prelude's hybrid system might use a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and two electric motors. This setup would be similar to what's in the Civic and Accord e:HEV models. It could give the Prelude good performance and better fuel efficiency than non-hybrid competitors.
Honda plans to release the production version of the Prelude in the second half of 2025. They've confirmed it will be sold in Japan and Europe. The U.S. might get it too, since Honda showed the concept at the 2023 Los Angeles Auto Show.
Source: Best Car