If you are aiming to create the perfect fun, sporty coupe, you would likely avoid designing it with a tiny hybrid engine. Hybrids are a marvel of modern technology, ensuring their engines always run at optimal speed for maximum output and efficiency. Unfortunately, they often rely on a drivetrain powered by an engine that runs at a constant speed, producing a steady droning sound.
No matter how good the exhaust system is, it does not take long before it starts to crack your nerves when you are trying to have fun behind the wheel. Honda's new S+ Shift technology, debuting in the 2026 Prelude, addresses this in several ways. It creates a driving experience that is, on one hand, mostly simulated, but still feels significantly more engaging than the same powertrain in the Civic Hybrid.
For more background and details, check out our full explainer of Honda S+ Shift.
Photo: Tim Stevens
Honda's S+ Shift allows you to shift through eight gears using the shift paddles mounted behind the steering wheel. However, there is no actual transmission; no shifting occurs at all since the Prelude is mainly powered by the larger of its two electric motors.
The "shifting" here, then, is essentially about adjusting the engine's revs higher or lower while also changing the throttle sensitivity and electric motor regeneration to simulate a gear ratio shift. The Prelude goes a step further by adding a few extra features.
One is a much louder exhaust. The Prelude is not as wild as the Civic Type R, Honda's performance sedan that shares its chassis and suspension, but from the inside, it has a very satisfying sound. And since you get those simulated shifts, the Prelude sounds like a true racer.
The experience is further enhanced by the Prelude's virtual rev-matching and quick-shifting, especially when you switch to Sport mode. The car kicks and bucks as you would expect from a performance-oriented dual-clutch automatic transmission in a true performance car.
It may all be pretend, much like in the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, but it still makes this car feel much more engaging than it would otherwise.
Photo: Tim Stevens
Inside the 2026 Honda Prelude is a 2.0-liter inline-four-cylinder engine augmented by two electric motors and a roughly one-kilowatt-hour high-voltage battery located beneath the rear seats. This setup is similar to the Civic Hybrid's, delivering a combined system output of 200 horsepower and 232 pound-feet of torque.
That is not much, and honestly, from behind the wheel at full throttle, the Prelude seems to run out of steam quickly. However, the electric torque from those motors, combined with the eager simulated ratios provided by S+ Shift, which change the throttle response, creates a coupe that feels sporty, even if not exactly fast.
Photo: Tim Stevens
I got an early preview of the 2026 Prelude at Honda's testing grounds in Tochigi, Japan. It was only a few laps, but it was enough to test the car's different drive modes and to use those new shift paddles frequently.
The S+ Shift system truly provides a much more engaging driving experience than the same basic powertrain in the Civic Hybrid. The noise and the simulated shifts not only make you feel more in control, but they also help reduce that laggy, rubber band feeling that hybrids are often known for.
Despite sharing many parts with different members of the Civic family, I was very impressed after driving the 2026 Honda Prelude. It is not as wild as the Civic Type R, but it is still fun, comfortable, and quite practical with that hatchback.
And a big part of that fun comes from the new S+ Shift technology. It just shows how clever programming can create a driving experience worth getting excited about.
Tim Stevens is a veteran automotive and technology journalist with over 25 years of experience covering a wide range of topics, from smartphones to supercars. In addition to JDPower.com, his expert perspectives have appeared in numerous national and international outlets, including print, online, and broadcast television.
Arriving in late 2026, the new 2027 Subaru Getaway three-row SUV will be the largest of the brand’s now-trio of electric offerings, co-developed with Toyota. It has impressive specs that should make ...See More
Read the Full Article
Bringing the ZR1's style to a more attainable model, the 2027 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport features all the best C8 go-fast bits, including an all-new 6.7-liter V8 engine.
Read the Full Article
The new 2027 Subaru Forester Wilderness Hybrid brings together two branches of the existing Forester family tree: the fuel-efficient Forester Hybrid model and the off-road-oriented Wilderness trim ...See More
Read the Full Article
The 2027 Ford Bronco Filson falls on the fancier (and handsomer) end of the classic off-roader's lineup, with added comfort and convenience backed by confident power and trail capability.
Read the Full Article