The Honda Prelude returns as a sporty hybrid with a new drive mode

Out to prove that the sports coupe is far from dead, Honda announced the return of the Prelude with an all-new hybrid-electric powertrain.

It’s been over two decades since Honda last released a new Prelude, but the company began laying the groundwork for its return with the release of a concept version last year. Now, a hybrid Prelude is scheduled to arrive in the US in 2025.

It will also mark the debut of Honda S+ Shift, a new drive mode that the company says “further advances Linear Shift Control to deliver maximum levels of driver engagement.”

The company is describing the Prelude as having “two motors,” but that doesn’t make it dual-motor or AWD. Honda’s hybrid powertrain has had two motors for several generations, both of which sit adjacent to the internal combustion engine.

“One electric motor acts as a generator, creating electricity for the battery and propulsion,” Honda spokesperson Chris Naughton said, “and the other is a traction motor that propels the vehicle — and captures regen when slowing.”

There’s not much else to note about the Prelude’s return; Honda is probably waiting until closer to the production to release key specs.

I’m sure there will be some bemoaning the fact that Honda had an opportunity to release a fully electric Prelude that would have been rad as hell. To be sure, the company says it’s still committed to achieving carbon neutrality for all of its “products and corporate activity” by 2050 — and that includes 100 percent of EV sales by 2040.

But Honda also has a pretty good track record for hybrid vehicles, which it considers an important bridge to full EVs. And clearly, the US is heading toward a dark period for EV sales with the incoming Trump administration expected to roll back a lot of the incentives and regulations aimed at growing EV adoption.

Hybrid-electric trims currently make up more than 50 percent of Accord and CR-V sales, Honda says, and the newly introduced Civic hybrid is expected to ultimately represent about 40 percent of Civic sales. Cumulative sales of Honda electrified vehicles top 1 million.

Meanwhile, the fully electric Honda Prologue (based on GM’s Chevy Equinox EV) is already enjoying brisk sales since its US launch earlier this year. And the company plans to unveil a production-ready Honda Zero model at CES next year.

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