Honda Prelude Hybrid To Go On Sale In US In 2025 With Simulated Gear Shifts

Honda has finally confirmed that the new Prelude—yes, that Prelude—will hit US shores next year. Before you grab your snapback and yell “VTEC just kicked in, yo!” like it’s 2002 again, calm yourself. This isn’t the screamer from your Fast & Furious-adjacent dreams. Instead, it’s Honda’s polite nod to sporty coupes, dressed up in a hybrid-electric powertrain, possibly packed with enough simulated driving gimmicks to make even a cynical enthusiast go, huh, okay then.

The two-door sports coupe will debut a new Honda S+ Shift drive mode, a system that promises “sharper simulated shifts” for its hybrid-electric setup by controlling the combustion engine’s RPM based on driving conditions.

Hybrid Powertrain With Sporty Aspirations

Under the skin, the new Prelude is expected to ride on the same architecture as the Civic, CR-V, and ZR-V—Honda’s go-to platform for its family haulers—but with what’s likely a sharper chassis setup to justify its sportier silhouette. Powering the Prelude will be Honda’s familiar two-motor hybrid system, already found in the Civic, Accord, HR-V and CR-V hybrids.

More: Honda’s Future EVs Will Let You Pretend You’re Driving An NSX Or S2000 With Simulated Sounds And Shifts

The e:HEV self-charging hybrid setup combines a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with dual electric motors, one of which directly drives the front wheels in most scenarios. And while Honda uses the term “eCVT,” there’s no traditional transmission here, just a clutch that connects or disconnects the engine as needed.

What Exactly Is S+ Shift?

Now here’s where things get interesting, or at least mildly entertaining. We asked Honda, and it told us that its Linear Shift Control, a feature already found in newer hybrids, “creates the feel of a conventional drivetrain shifting gears at wide open throttle for a more exhilarating driving experience.” The Prelude, however, introduces a new S+ Shift drive mode, taking the simulated gearshifts a step further with a dedicated button on the center console.

We asked Honda for more details on the new S+ Shift drive mode and received the following response from a spokesperson:

“The Honda S+ Shift maximizes the efficiency of a high-performance engine and high-output motor, finely controlling engine RPM across all acceleration and deceleration ranges based on driving conditions. This enables more direct drive response and sharper simulated shifts compared to previous models (with Linear Shift Control), coordinated with active sound control for powerful auditory feedback, and responsive meters that engage the senses. Together, these elements deliver a driving experience that stimulates the body and mind, synchronizing driver and vehicle and offering a sensory-rich experience of driving at will.”

Translation? It’s not a manual, so don’t get your hopes up. Instead, you’ll get simulated gear changes, a healthy dose of noise piped through the speakers, and possibly some fancy digital gauges to trick your brain into thinking you’re having a blast. This likely explains the earlier rumors about a simulated manual gearbox, which won’t be the case in the Prelude. Instead, it sounds more like a simulated automatic, which may or may not be paired with paddles behind the steering wheel to give the driver a greater sense of control – Honda declined to comment on whether paddles will be included.

The Prelude has a long and storied history. It first rolled off production lines in November 1978 and managed to stick around for five generations before Honda quietly pulled the plug in 2001. The sixth generation of the sports coupe hopes to continue the legacy of its predecessors, positioned as a two-door alternative to the Civic. Recent spy shots of camouflaged prototypes suggest that the production version of the Prelude will look nearly identical to the 2023 concept.

So, where does that leave us with the Prelude? It’s not an NSX, and it sure as hell isn’t an S2000, but in a world dominated by crossovers and sterile EVs, a two-door anything feels like a breath of fresh air—even if the “excitement” is a bit synthetic. For Honda fans, this is a small but meaningful win. For everyone else? It’s a reminder that sometimes, even the simulacrum of fun is better than nothing at all.

Honda Hybrids and BEVs

This month, Honda is also celebrating 25 years of hybrid sales in America since the launch of the original Insight back in December 1999. Hybrids currently account for more than a quarter of Honda sales in the region, including more than half of the Accord and CR-V sales mix.

As for BEVs, the GM-derived Honda Prologue crossover will be joined by the production version of the Honda 0 Series Saloon in 2026, that will be manufactured in Ohio. A total of seven Honda 0 Series models are set to debut globally by 2030, covering a wide range of segments. The automaker has confirmed that a new Honda 0 Series concept will be introduced at CES 2025 next month.

Honda wants all of its vehicle sales to be BEV and FCEV by 2040, on the road of achieving carbon neutrality across its products and corporate activities by 2050.