Bring Them Back: The Return of the Honda Prelude and Toyota Celica Sparks a Wave of Nostalgia-Fuelled Hope

2026 Honda Prelude

Let’s start with the Prelude, because—let’s face it—we didn’t think Honda had it in them. A sleek, two-door coupe. Front-wheel-drive. Hybrid power. And more heritage than your uncle’s vinyl collection. The concept car previewed at the Japan Mobility Show in 2023 looked suspiciously production-ready, and now we know why. Honda has confirmed it will hit the streets in 2026, most likely with the Civic e:HEV’s 2.0-litre hybrid system pushing power through a direct-drive transmission. That likely means around 150kW and a focus on balance rather than brute force—more grace than guts, and all the better for it.



But it’s not just the drivetrain that’s raising eyebrows. The new Prelude’s proportions are clean, classic coupe. Low-slung nose, proper roofline, short rear deck—none of the crossover-in-drag nonsense we’ve grown used to. If you squint, there are echoes of the old BB4-generation in the taillights and body crease. A nice nod to the past, without being trapped by it.

2026 Toyota Celica

But it’s not just about these two legends. Their comeback has cracked open the vault of automotive nostalgia. The forums are buzzing, YouTube’s on fire, and the question being whispered in garages across the country is this: what else could make a comeback?

Mazda fans are already polishing their “BRAP BRAP” memes at the mere hint of an RX-7 revival. The brand’s rotary range-extender tech is back in the spotlight, and with the MX-5 getting sharper every year, a flagship RX wouldn’t be out of place. It’s a long shot, but then so was the Prelude.

Nissan’s Silvia is another one that refuses to stay buried. There’s talk of a smaller electric coupe to sit under the Z—potentially a modern-day S-chassis with all the drift charm of the originals. Think affordable, light, and chuckable. A spiritual successor to the 180SX with torque-vectoring and launch control? Shut up and take our money.

Even the Mitsubishi Eclipse has seen a little love lately, although the badge is currently slumming it on a crossover that looks like it drinks instant coffee and listens to Coldplay. Still, if anyone at Mitsubishi has a heart, they’ll bin the SUV and give us a turbocharged, AWD coupe worthy of the name. Stranger things have happened.

Ultimately, it feels like carmakers are finally listening. Not to focus groups or investors—but to us. The die-hards. The ones who remember what it felt like to shift into third at 6,500rpm. The ones who still talk about lift-off oversteer like it’s a love language. The ones who kept the dream alive while everyone else was buying beige SUVs with lane-keep assist.

The Prelude and Celica aren't just new models. They're time machines. And they prove that maybe—just maybe—automakers still remember how to build cars for people who love driving.

So go ahead, Honda. Toyota. Make your move. And to Mazda, Nissan, Mitsubishi: you’re on notice. Bring them back.