- New test shows the Prelude needs 6.5 seconds to reach 60 mph.
- C&D clocked the quarter-mile run in 15.3 seconds at 90 mph.
- Prelude’s S+ Shift adds drama but slightly slows acceleration.
The new Honda Prelude is finally reaching US customers, albeit in small numbers, which means we can now see how it performs outside a spec sheet. Early tests already hinted it would not be especially quick, and Car and Driver has now confirmed as much. In their testing, the revived coupe runs almost neck-and-neck with the Civic Si and Civic Hybrid model, both of which deliver the same output at 200 hp.
While getting its first proper workout, C&D put the new Prelude through the usual battery of performance tests. The coupe managed 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) in 6.5 seconds. That is comfortably quicker than some early estimates floating around in the 8-second range, though the figure includes a one-foot rollout. Remove that little head start and the number drifts closer to 6.8 seconds.
Even so, the result leaves the Prelude three tenths behind the Civic Hybrid. That is slightly awkward, considering both cars share the same 200-hp powertrain, while the Civic manages the sprint in 6.2 seconds.
Watch: Honda’s Too-Slow 2026 Prelude Could Be Much Faster Than You Think
The quarter-mile tells a similar story. The Prelude covered it in 15.3 seconds at 90 mph (145 km/h). Curiously, that puts it almost right alongside a 5-speed manual 1997 Honda Prelude SH that Car&Driver tested decades ago. That older coupe reached 60 mph (96 km/h) in 6.9 seconds with its five-speed manual and ran the quarter-mile in 15.4 seconds, also crossing the line at 90 mph (145 km/h).
For comparison, the related Civic Hybrid completes the quarter-mile in 14.9 seconds at 92 mph (148 km/h), giving it a small advantage over the coupe.
Perhaps the most curious result from the test appeared when the car’s S+ Shift mode was switched on. This setting holds the revs and brings the steering-wheel paddles into play, attempting to mimic the feel of a traditional transmission. Slight complication. The Prelude still runs a single-speed eCVT.
S+ Shift is meant to make the coupe feel more engaging, but it comes with a trade-off. The system simulates gear changes by briefly interrupting torque, which creates the sensation of shifting but also slows the car down a little.
With the mode enabled, the magazine recorded a 0–60 mph time of 7.3 seconds, including a one-foot rollout. The added delay comes from the simulated shifts, where the system briefly cuts torque to mimic the feel of changing gears.
PERFORMANCE
Figures C&D
While the straight-line acceleration is nothing to write home about, the hybrid Prelude is said to offer “outstanding” bite when entering a corner, thanks to chassis components borrowed from the Civic Type R. It pulled a consistent 0.97 g during skidpad testing and can stop from 70 mph in 152 feet.
Those numbers give it a slight edge over the Civic Si. The sport sedan recorded 0.94 g on the skidpad and needed 154 feet to come to a halt from the same speed.
1997 Honda Prelude
