2026 Honda Prelude’s Greatest Rivals And What Every One Is Good At

The 2026 Honda Prelude is among the most anticipated vehicles of this decade, however some individuals who have been ready practically twenty years for a brand new mannequin could also be dissatisfied. Over the previous few months, we have discovered some attention-grabbing issues concerning the upcoming coupe. We now know that it is going to be a hybrid, and it is doubtless that no guide transmission can be provided. It additionally will not be a pure sports activities automobile in the identical vein as a Mazda Miata.

It’s important to ponder whether Honda received this one proper, as a result of it appears like a repeat efficiency of the CR-Z. The CR-Z seemed wonderful, nevertheless it was let down by a deeply unsatisfying powertrain that not even its customary six-speed guide might save. It was outfitted with a 1.5-liter naturally aspirated engine with an electrical motor mounted between the engine and the gearbox. As of late, that ought to internet you no less than 200 horses, however the CR-Z solely ever had 130 hp to play with. That is the sort of energy output you anticipate from an electrical toothbrush.

The excellent news is that Honda’s newest hybrid setup for the Civic produces 200 horsepower and 232 lb-ft of torque, so these are the estimated figures we’ll work with. With that in thoughts, how does the Prelude stack up in opposition to its predominant rivals, and what have they received to supply that it would not?

7 Toyota GR86 / Subaru BRZ

The Sensible Rivals

The Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ are the closest rivals the Prelude can have when it is launched. All three are two-door coupes with 4 seats offered by established Japanese automakers. However that is sort of the place the similarities finish. The ToyoBaru twins have three distinct benefits over the Prelude, they usually’re all issues that matter to individuals who store round on this explicit phase.

First, we have now the naturally aspirated flat-four engine. Honda’s hybrid setup will doubtless get the Prelude off the road faster because of immediate torque supply, however on the planet of sports activities vehicles, a rev-happy engine with a great deal of character is preferable. The rev-happy nature brings us to our second benefit, which is the guide gearbox. Positive, an computerized is out there for many who are unable to function a clutch, however a guide gearbox will all the time be the popular technique of swapping cogs on this phase.

However the greatest distinction is ToyBaru’s customary rear-wheel drive in comparison with the Prelude’s front-wheel drive setup, and never simply because we need to drift by way of a roundabout at 20 mph. A RWD setup permits the entrance wheels to focus solely on steering, which is how the gods of motoring supposed. Having mentioned that, Honda has a historical past of working magic with FWD setups.

6 Mazda Miata RF

The Light-weight Rival

We selected the Miata RF as a result of it has a tin high, which aligns nearer with the Prelude’s design, however the usual rag high will do the job simply as effectively. Just like the Toyota and Subaru talked about above, the Miata can be out there with a guide gearbox, and the ability is distributed to the right facet of the automobile, however this little automobile has one other huge profit.

As you may see from the desk above, the Miata’s engine isn’t that highly effective, but it has all the time been close to the highest of any sports activities automobile consumers’ procuring listing. The explanation for that’s weight, or quite a scarcity of it. For the reason that first Miata was launched greater than 30 years in the past, the recipe has all the time been the identical. The RF weighs 2,452 kilos, which is lower than one fats passenger greater than the unique NA. As everyone knows, weight impacts all the pieces, which is why the Miata is such an icon. We all know the Prelude can be a hybrid, and that can add weight to the automobile. How a lot that impacts the driving expertise stays to be seen.

Within the curiosity of equity, we have now to say that the Miata is the one two-seater on this listing, making it much less sensible than the Prelude.

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Put together the pitchforks and torches as a result of not everybody can be pleased with our selections.

5 BMW 230i

The Luxurious Rival

The BMW 2 Sequence Coupe will doubtless be costlier than the Prelude, however you’re going to get premium German construct high quality and extra prestigious badges pasted to the entrance and rear of the automobile. As soon as once more, this automobile is out there with RWD, whereas BMW’s well-known xDrive all-wheel drive system is out there for an additional price, which makes this the go-to choice should you stay in a chilly climate state.

Apart from that, the 230i would not actually supply something particular in comparison with the opposite vehicles on this listing. The truth is, the one cause to purchase a 220i is probably going as a result of you may’t afford the M240i, which is the one you really need. However the B58 inline-six takes the MSRP effectively past $50k, and that is a complete different phase.

4 Mustang EcoBoost

The Worth-For-Cash Rival

The bottom Mustang with the four-cylinder EcoBoost engine is usually neglected as a result of it would not have a V8 engine. And but it is essentially the most highly effective automobile on this listing, and there are a great deal of aftermarket assist for the automobile and its engine. Sadly, you may solely have the S650 EcoBoost with an computerized transmission, however RWD is customary. One other bonus is worth for cash. All of the vehicles on this listing (apart from the Bimmer and a number of the scorching hatches under) price roughly the identical, and the ‘Stang comes with essentially the most energy and essentially the most customary options.

3 A Choice Of Scorching Hatches And Sedans

If you wish to be extra sensible, there are a couple of scorching hatches and sedans that can be simpler to stay with than the Prelude. The Volkswagen Golf GTI is an distinctive do-anything sort of automobile, however they’re sadly now not out there with guide transmissions. If a guide is a should, you may go for the GR Corolla or Hyundai Elantra N.

As for the place the ability is distributed, you’ve two choices. The GTI and the N ship their energy to the entrance wheels, whereas the Corolla comes customary with all-wheel drive. That is not likely the benefit these vehicles have over the Prelude. The Prelude can be compromised due to its two-door design, whereas all of those vehicles supply a greater every day expertise just by being extra sensible.

2 Honda Civic Si

Competitors From Inside Honda’s Personal Ranks

The Honda Civic Kind R is a bit just like the M240i we talked about earlier; it is a bit on the costly facet. However Honda has one other lukewarm hatch within the type of the Civic Si. Really, it is a bit unfair to name it lukewarm as a result of 200 horsepower and 192 lb-ft of torque is greater than ample. The facelifted and up to date Si additionally begins at $29,950, and it comes with a limited-slip differential on the entrance axle and a six-speed guide transmission as customary. The facility is distributed to the entrance wheels, however as we alluded to earlier, Honda is aware of find out how to deal with this explicit setup correctly.

In our opinion, the Civic Si is the largest menace to the Prelude as a result of it’s going to doubtless supply comparable ranges of efficiency in a extra sensible physique. Positive, the Prelude appears cooler, however how many individuals are going to stroll away from a $30k scorching sedan with Bilstein dampers and a guide gearbox with rev-matching?

1 Conclusion: Is There Room For The Prelude?

It is a robust query to reply as a result of we simply do not know but. For all we all know, the Prelude will be the best-handling front-wheel drive automobile of all time. However primarily based on what we all know, the one factor the Prelude appears to have going for it’s the engaging physique you see above. It is the Prelude Idea proven on the Goodwood Competition of Pace, which we have been reliably knowledgeable is actually the completed product. The home windows have been blacked out so we could not see inside, however it’s going to doubtless be a Civic inside, and that is not a foul factor.

Is a horny exterior a adequate cause to purchase a automobile? We’ll have to attend till 2026 to see.