The New Honda Prelude has the Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86 in its sights
The Honda Prelude is one of those nameplates that conjures images of diverse styling over its decades. Some car fans remember the pop-up headlights and arguably lackluster lines of the second and third-generation models. Others regale the unique looks and dynamics of the fourth and fifth-gen Preludes. However, the Honda Prelude faithful can rejoice in its return for 2026, this time with dimensions to pose a new challenge to the Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ.
A 2026 Honda Prelude on a hybrid platform might be a challenger for the nippy little sports coupes from Subaru and Toyota
For years now, the Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86 have acted alone in the American sports car market. Sure, you could shoehorn a comparison with the Mazda MX-5 into the conversation. But they’re just different animals. The MX-5 is a joyous little roadster with different approaches to drop-top fun. The BRZ and GR86, on the other hand, are taut, aggressive little H-4 hoodlums with no convertible top in sight. They’re true hardtop driver’s cars.
That said, the BRZ and GR86 won’t likely live alone in that category for long. The 2026 Honda Prelude will nearly match the mechanical siblings’ dimensions. And with the familiar sports car formula of two-doors and aggressive styling, the BRZ and GR86 may have a foe in the new Prelude.
However, don’t think grumbly four-cylinder Boxer like the BRZ and the GR86. No, no. The new Prelude will ride on a hybridized platform. It’ll almost certainly be some derivation of the dual-motor, hybrid four-cylinder setup in the current Accord Hybrid.
A 2025 Honda Accord Hybrid Sport produces 204 horsepower and 134 lb-ft of torque from its hybrid 2.0L inline-four-cylinder application. We’re hoping to see most sports car-esque outputs from the new Honda Prelude when it hits star-spangled streets as a 2026 model.
Consequently, the Prelude could represent an unorthodox segment competitor for the GR86 and BRZ. Despite recent rumors that the Subaru BRZ was heading to discontinuation station after the 2025 model, fans can expect at least another couple of years with Subaru’s beloved little sports coupe. Either way, we expect the new Honda Prelude to start in the low $30,000 range, on par with the 2025 Toyota GR86.
