The Honda Prelude Could Return as an EV in 2028

Chris Teague
by Chris Teague

Honda hasn’t sold the Prelude in more than 20 years, but a crop of new rumors have us hoping to see an electrified version of the iconic Japanese coupe. Australia’s Drive uncovered a story from Japan’s Best Car publication that says Honda will bring the Prelude name back in 2028 on a new EV. 


Drive notes that the rumored Prelude successor would compete against the Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86 and says that Honda is also planning an electric replacement for the NSX. It’s unclear if the automaker will use the Prelude and NSX nameplates for these cars, but the timeline quoted in the report lines up with Honda’s stated electrification goals.


Honda is working with General Motors on a series of new EVs, including SUVs, that will begin rolling out in 2024. We’ve already seen the new Prologue EV and know that Acura has a version coming soon, but the partnership doesn’t end there. The two automakers will pair up again on a series of affordable electric vehicles that will start arriving in 2027. 


The market for small coupes and sports cars is considerably softer than when the Prelude last roamed the streets, but the market is seeing a resurgence. Honda still makes the Civic Si and Type R, which frequently sell out and change hands for well above MSRP, and the Toyota GR86-Subaru BRZ twins have picked up solid reviews since their full redesign for 2022. 

[Image: Honda]

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Chris Teague
Chris Teague

Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.

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  • Heavymetal_Hippie Heavymetal_Hippie on Nov 04, 2022

    I am very excited to be extremely disappointed by the next Prelude when it arrives on dealer lots in 2030 with a $9,999 added dealer markup!!!

  • John John on Nov 05, 2022

    Thats a bummer.

  • Kendahl Kendahl on Nov 06, 2022

    Statikboy: You're probably right. That would be a great disappointment.


    One of our cars is a last generation Ford Focus SE with the 5-speed manual. It's a very good car. If Ford would build a version with a more powerful engine (e.g. 270 hp from the ST), all wheel drive and an upgraded interior, I'd buy it as a replacement for our current Focus and my 15-year-old Infiniti G37S. I'd have been interested in a BEV Mustang (not the Mach-E). However, to my disgust, Ford now only wants to build trucks and SUVs. No more Fords for me.

  • Wolfwagen Wolfwagen on Nov 07, 2022

    I'd kill to have a last-generation Prelude. The one in the picture with a stick please.

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