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By Jonathan Crouch

Honda revives its Prelude coupe as a Hybrid. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 31

The Prelude restores our faith in Honda as a maker of genuinely interesting, appealing little driver-focused cars. This pretty two-door Hybrid coupe is only mildly sporting, but involving and desirable nonetheless.

Backgroundword count: 131

I last wrote about a Honda prelude over a quarter of a century ago. I never thought I would again. This was the Japanese maker's classy mid-sized two-door coupe from the era of the Toyota Celica, the Nissan 200SX and the Vauxhall Calibra - names long forgotten by today's car-buying public. And a genre long forgotten with them. So why is Honda now reviving it? Interesting question. Partly because it can. All the engineering here was already on the shelf from various Civic models. Partly because with the demise of the Civic Type R, the brand can't quite bring itself to be without a properly sporting model. And partly because thankfully, refreshingly, Honda has always wanted to be different. And 'different' here means re-inventing the coupe genre for the Hybrid era.

Driving Experienceword count: 339

There's lots that you wouldn't expect here. Quite a lot of it's good. Let's start with the engine. Instead of the de-tuned Civic Type R unit you might expect, it's a full-Hybrid - specifically the 2.0-litre Atkinson Cycle four cylinder Hybrid from the Civic e:HEV. Which is right up there as one of the least sporty powertrains Honda has yet made. And here, it doesn't produce any more horsepower - so just 181bhp. But don't stop reading just yet, because quite a lot's been done here to make this unit more exciting. Primarily in the addition of eight simulated gears, courtesy of the brand's clever 'S+Shift' system. They have to be simulated because, as in the Civic e:HEV, the engine is one of those that doesn't actually drive the wheels (except under really heavy loads or a constant cruise). Instead, it drives a generator to feed electricity to the big drive motor (one of two) or the battery. The eight virtual gears are overlaid on top of the Hybrid's single-speed transmission, complete with rev-matched downshifts and engine note tuning through active sound control. No ordinary Hybrid then. You get four drive modes - 'Comfort', 'GT', 'Sport' and 'Individual' - which also control adaptive dampers, which are part of a package of handling items borrowed from the Civic Type R. Also carried over from that hot hatch are dual-axis front struts and multi-link rear suspension, though with softer springs and roll rates. The Civic's 'Honda Architecture' platform has been trimmed to allow for a shorter wheelbase and a lighter body, so aiding cornering reflexes. And even though performance is hardly shattering (0-62mph takes 8.2s en route to a modest 117mph), there are properly powerful Brembo brake discs. Don't be put off by that sprint figure. This isn't supposed to be a sports car. But it is supposed to involve its driver, hence all the effort that's gone into creating superbly feelsome steering and a ride that flows and breathes with the road, accompanying an engine note that does the same.

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