The 2026 Honda Prelude is slated to make its debut later this year and is supposed to bring fun back to Honda’s hybrid vehicle lineup. While it won’t have a formal Type R badge, the hybrid is still expected to bring fun to drivers.

That includes the infuson of some Type R parts into the mixture with Honda confirming the Prelude will be coming with some of that model’s technical magic when it makes its way to dealerships.

New suspension adds magic to Prelude’s handling

The company revealed that the Prelude will be the first non-Type R variant to get thecompany’s dual-axis front suspension technology. The novel suspension seperates the kunckle from the damper and Honda says that this setup allowed engineers to reduce torque steer while also increasing the steering axis flexibility too.

The Type R’s front brakes are also being added and the hybrid benefits from a wider front and rear track to further boost its dance credentials. Honda has said in the past the Prelude will “deliver high levels of driver exhilaration and engagement,” while also admitting the Prelude’s 2,0-liter hybrid-infused four-cylinder will not be the zippiest engine around.

Is more power coming to the Prelude?

While the Prelude is focued primarily on providing maximum fuel economy, a recent swath of rumors has suggestsed the model might make more power which could put the Prelude into some interesting company when it comes to potential rivals including the Nissan Z as well as the soon to be retired Toyota Supra.

However, we don’t expect Honda to embark on this parituclar trajectrory since the Prelude occupies a clear slice of the hybrid market and the last thing Honda needs is to potentially take attention away from the Prelude’s hybrid technology which would be a core selling point of the model. Honda also has some other things to reveal about the car too including pricing with the hybrid possibly being in the same $30,000 range as the $30,100 Civic Hybrid.