You don’t need to shift gears in the 2026 Honda Prelude.
But if you like the idea of a manual transmission, the hybrid Prelude has something called the S+ Shift System that can deliver a sense of that experience.
Press a button and you can use paddle shifters to cycle through eight virtual gears as you drive, complete with engine rev.
I drove a blue 2026 Prelude ($43,650 price tag, including destination charge) around Detroit recently and tried it out.
The main experiential difference after pushing the button is the sound that comes through as you swap the virtual gears. This is otherwise a fairly quiet ride, so the revving as you shift does feel like you're taking a more active role in the drive than you are.
Honda says the Prelude isn’t a sports
car but a balanced sporty coupe.
You don’t need the S+ Shift System to enjoy the ride, but it doesn’t hurt to have a feature that tries to recreate a more connected driving experience.
The Prelude is planned as a low-volume offering of 4,000 cars per year, and Honda says it's on pace to meet its sales objectives.
Eric D. Lawrence is the senior car culture reporter at the Detroit Free Press, and he also writes about recreational vehicles, boats and bikes. Send your tips and suggestions to elawrence@freepress.com. Become a subscriber. Submit a letter to the editor at freep.com/letters.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Honda Prelude hybrid delivers engine rev, virtual gears
