The Honda Prelude's Hybrid Engine Means It'll Never Have A Manual Transmission

The Honda Prelude might have the look of a sporty coupe, but its transmission will only reflect that in part. Due to its hybrid engine, Honda says it isn't able to fit a manual transmission to the model. Instead, buyers will be left with the car's standard automatic option. According to Honda Large Product Lead Horita Hidetomo, the Prelude's hybrid-heavy powertrain simply won't accommodate a leg-powered clutch pedal.

Old Honda Hybrids Had Manuals, But No More

Honda's lead spoke to Drive at the Tokyo Motor Show, explaining, "The engine [in Insight and CR-Z] was the main one [reason why the manual was available], the hybrid assist function was there." The Honda CR-Z was a hybrid coupe, not unlike the Prelude, in production from 2010 to 2016. It offered a manual, but the formula as a whole wasn't particularly well-received by buyers, leading to the car's demise.

With today's more hybridized Civic-derived powertrain, adding a manual isn't an option: "Now the electricity and the engine is nearly half and half today, that’s the new technology we offer right now. But we also understand that with that feature [an automatic transmission], the driving itself is not very enjoyable."

Honda Hopes Its Automatic Cuts It With Enthusiasts

Honda's solution? S+ Shift. "So, S+ Shift is a new feature for the Prelude, and that way we can offer very exciting driving," Hidetomo-san said. S+ Shift mode is designed to simulate shifting gears in a traditional transmission, featuring paddle shifters, fake rev-matching, and imitation engine sounds. If that sounds familiar, it's because Hyundai did it first.

The Ioniq N hatchback doesn't even have an engine, and it'll do all of those things too. The folks who have tried it seem to love it, but it'll be a tough thing for Honda to get right. We're very aware of how cars "should" feel, and without that, it'll be tough to fake it. However, if Honda can make the Prelude fun enough, it may just have the next hot hybrid on its hands. After all, the stylish coupe has already managed to sell out in Japan.