Honda received some flak for basically shoehorning the Civic e:HEV’s powertrain into their re-born Prelude lock, stock, and barrel. If anything, the sporty coupe only had the Civic Type R suspension bits and the Honda S+ Shift control going for it. Check out the Philippine specs of the Prelude.
Well, less than a year after the Prelude’s global reveal, those lines are just going to get a bit more blurred as Honda has announced that the Honda S+ Shift control system may be heading as an update to the Civic e:HEV, at least for the Japanese market.
Announced as one of their highlights at the upcoming 2026 Tokyo Auto Salon, Honda is bringing the Civic e:HEV RS grade—yes, the “Road Sailing” variant—for the first time in Japan. And while markets such as the Philippines have been enjoying the Civic e:HEV RS for about a year now (read our review), its delayed home market debut brings one key mechanical change not found in overseas models: the Honda S+ Shift control.
A key differentiator found only in the Prelude (for now), the Honda S+ Shift is a new power unit control tech.
The Honda S+ Shift creates a virtual stepped transmission (an 8-speed in the case of the Prelude) within the e:HEV two-motor hybrid system. When engaged, it emulates stepped gears not just during acceleration, but also during deceleration as well.
During an upshift, the generator motor is put in regeneration mode to increase friction against the engine, facilitating rapid decrease in engine speed. At the same time, the drive motor’s output is temporarily reduced. Together, these effects reproduce the distinct feel of an upshift in a stepped transmission, providing clear feedback to the driver’s acceleration input.
Meanwhile, when shifting to a lower gear, the generator motor’s electric power generation is temporarily adjusted to sharply raise engine speed, simulating engine blipping. In certain driving situations, the drive motor’s output is briefly reduced, reproducing the downshift feel of a stepped transmission.
The system also considers not just driver input, but longitudinal/lateral G forces and road gradient to determine optimum gear selection. It enables earlier downshifts and gear holds as required, allowing the engine to maintain higher rpm during cornering and ensuring strong acceleration response when exiting a curve.
Together with Honda S+ Shift, the Active Sound Control pumps synchronized engine sounds through the speakers, emphasizing the presence of the combustion engine. It even replicates rev matching during downshifts with a sharp, curtailed blipping sound.
lmao so now the Preloon is worthless
ReplyDeleteLess door, more pay. Give me your money! 🤑
ReplyDeleteOf course it just should just with any halo cars. Look at the LFA'S sporty gauge for example. It was brought down to majority of Lexus F-Sport models.
ReplyDelete