Here's Why Honda Prelude's E-Axle Is Brilliant

The Honda Prelude is a well-known name amidst Japanese car enthusiasts. With that said, electrification is not something most car enthusiasts want to hear when talking about a popular Japanese sports car. Unfortunately for them, the new Prelude will be a hybrid, but here's why it might be good.  

A recent video from a Japanese YouTube channel (see at the end), the name of which I cannot pronounce, showed footage of the upcoming Honda Prelude being driven. The focus in the video is on the new S+ Sport shift logic, which employs a shifting strategy from the Honda NSX transmission.  

It, reportedly, makes the CVT feel like a traditional automatic and a very quick one by the looks of it. I, however, am more focused on another aspect of the Honda Prelude. The 2026 Honda Prelude is still being tested but we already know most details about the powertrain.

The Honda Prelude Concept made its global debut at the 2023 Japan Motor Show, as a front-wheel-drive hybrid coupe. It turns out the 2026 Honda Prelude will be all-wheel drive or at the very least, some versions of it. I took a look at Honda Prelude's all-wheel-drive system and here's why it might be much better than enthusiasts give it credit for. 

Instant torque to the rear wheels while the engine powers the front axle 

Honda's new hybrid setup will turn the next-generation Honda Prelude into the most exciting one yet thanks to all-wheel drive. The Concept debuted with a 2.0-liter engine in the front, but the one mentioned here features a 1.5-liter unit.

My guess is the North American versions could get the 2.0-liter unit while other markets will get the smaller engine. So far, we only have a figure of 204 horsepower quoted by Honda. No turbo variant is being mentioned yet, although I believe not producing a Prelude Type-S would be a missed opportunity. 

Having an electric motor at the rear means instant torque and better off-the-line acceleration. The Honda Civic e:HEV proved just how efficient the brand's hybrid system can be. It matches the Toyota Corolla hybrid in terms of fuel economy while packing a lot more performance.

The current Civic hybrid sprints to 60 mph in around 6.4 seconds. The 2026 Honda Prelude is based on the Civic. A similar platform featuring the rear e-axle will likely allow the Prelude to dip into the high-five-second range.  

The 2026 Honda Prelude will feature minimal drivetrain loss 

Mechanical loss, also known as drivetrain loss, is an inherent trait of any vehicle featuring an internal combustion engine. Moving parts like CV shafts, differentials, the transmission output and input shafts, and other parts, rob power as it is being transferred to the wheels. Rear-wheel-drive vehicles typically have between 12 or 15 percent while all-wheel-drive cars can have 20 to 25 percent.  

A front-wheel-drive vehicle with a transversely mounted engine at the front has the least amount of powertrain loss because it features fewer moving parts and because the engine and axles face the same direction. Typically, around 10 to 15 percent. These are not fixed values as the weight of the individual drivetrain components also affects the amount of mechanical loss. 

Like the Civic, the Prelude features a transversely mounted engine at the front, which powers the front wheels. Honda prides itself on making engines with some of the highest thermal efficiency – over 40 percent, but an electric motor does not experience powertrain loss in the same way. Almost all the power produced by an e-motor goes to the wheels unless coupled to a transmission or differential (which is rare).  

Peak power only tells half the story 

The quoted 204-horsepower figure for the 2026 Honda Prelude may not seem impressive, but it hardly tells the whole story. The e-motor powering the rear axle produces 181 horsepower and 232 pound-feet, which is more than the inline-four engine's 141 horsepower and 134 pound-feet. The two units don't develop peak power simultaneously, hence the relatively low peak horsepower. In theory, the new Honda Prelude should be a lot quicker for its horsepower rating, especially with the S+ shift logic, Honda recently unveiled on the Prelude.  

About the author

Dimitar Angelov's automotive interests made him an expert in a wide variety of vehicles. Japanese brands like Toyota are closest to his heart, although performance cars in general are his favorite segment, which is why he is constantly on the lookout for the best deals on the market. Dimitar Angelov's car passion and knack for the written word led him to complete a Master of Arts in Media and Communications, and classic car restoration. Dim is happy to get behind the wheel of any car and share his impressions. You can follow Dimitar on X, Linked-in, Instagram, and Facebook.

image sources: Honda Prelude