This New Honda Is Set To Be The Most cost-effective Hybrid Coupe You Can Purchase

Fanatics usually lament the decline in recognition of varied area of interest physique types and powertrain choices because the overwhelming majority of customers gravitate in the direction of issues like crossovers and extra of them start switching to EVs. One of many hardest hit car classes has been the standard two-door coupe. Particularly for those who deal with extra inexpensive fashions than issues just like the Aston Martin DB12, there aren’t very many coupes left on sale. And if you need a coupe that is really environment friendly there are even fewer, as most are performance-oriented fashions.

There’s one thrilling new coupe that not too long ago bought unveiled: the 2026 Honda Prelude. This Civic-based coupe joins a tiny checklist of hybrid two-doors that you could purchase within the U.S., all of that are rather more costly and never practically as fuel-efficient. Now, this checklist of hybrid coupes would not embody 48-volt mild-hybrids, like what the BMW 4 Collection and Mercedes-Benz CLE use — we’re targeted on sequence hybrids and plug-in hybrids, as these mild-hybrid programs are primarily for smoother begin/cease operation. Additionally, for this train I do not rely the C8 Corvette E-Ray as a “coupe,” nor do I believe that phrase actually applies to supercars just like the Ferrari 296 and McLaren Artura. This checklist can also be one automobile shorter than it will’ve been a couple of months in the past, as Lexus not too long ago discontinued the hybrid model of the LC, which did get a really respectable 29 mpg mixed.

As a substitute of alphabetically, we’ll order this checklist from most to least fuel-efficient, beginning with the brand new Prelude and dealing our approach down. Let’s dive in.

The front-wheel-drive Prelude shares its two-motor hybrid system with the Civic, making 200 horsepower and 232 pound-feet of torque. Whereas its gasoline financial system numbers are barely decrease than the Civic’s, the Prelude isn’t essentially the most environment friendly hybrid coupe, however essentially the most environment friendly coupe on sale full cease, and doubtless essentially the most environment friendly “sporty” automobile too. The EPA has but to price the Prelude, however Honda is estimating it would get 44 mpg mixed, 46 mpg metropolis and 41 mpg freeway. A nonhybrid Ford Mustang EcoBoost, as an illustration, solely manages 26 mpg mixed, whereas an automated Toyota GR86 will get 24 mpg.

And that is in a bundle combining a spacious liftback physique with a extra premium inside, a brand new simulated shifting system, and brakes and suspension taken from the Civic Sort R. An official 0-to-60-mph time has but to be introduced, however given the Civic Hybrid does the deed in about 6.2 seconds, it must be fairly fast for such an environment friendly car. Honda says the Prelude will attain sellers within the U.S. later this fall, and whereas we do not know pricing but, it ought to are available at round $40,000.

Subsequent up we have the 992.2 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS, the primary automobile to make use of Porsche’s new T-Hybrid system. As a substitute of a twin-turbo 3.0-liter flat-6 like in regular Carreras, the GTS T-Hybrid has a single-turbo 3.6-liter engine with an electrical motor built-in into the transmission and a small 1.9-kWh 400-volt battery pack. It’s extremely fast, hitting 60 mph in simply 2.9 seconds, and it is also extraordinarily good to drive, with a definite character in comparison with different 911s.

Because the 911 GTS’ hybrid powertrain is admittedly all about efficiency, there is not a lot of an effectivity enhance right here. Its EPA rankings of 20 mpg mixed, 17 mpg metropolis and 24 mpg are the identical as a Carrera S and every 1 mpg shy of a base Carrera, however the mixed and freeway numbers are 1 mpg higher than the outgoing nonhybrid GTS. The hybrid system additionally makes day by day driving and freeway lots smoother, and I would not be stunned if there are extra noticeable effectivity boosts in the true world. As with all new Porsches, although, it is costly. The bottom Carrera GTS coupe begins at $178,250, over $24k costlier than a Carrera S.

The opposite two hybrid coupes on sale are each plug-in hybrids with worse gas-only mpg rankings which can be offset by usable electric-only ranges. The extra environment friendly of the 2 is the facelifted Bentley Continental GT, which has a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8, a 187-hp electrical motor within the transmission, and a 25.9-kWh battery pack. In base trim this powertrain makes 671 horsepower and 685 pound-feet of torque, however the Velocity and Mulliner fashions get 771 hp and 738 lb-ft despatched to all 4 wheels.

simply the V8’s effectivity the EPA charges the Continental GT PHEVs at 19 mpg, however they’ve an MPGe ranking of 46 when the entire hybrid system is taken into consideration. With a full cost the EPA says the Bentleys can drive 33 miles on simply electrical energy (extra in the true world), and you’ll drive in EV mode at as much as 87 mph. However it’s important to pay dearly for the privilege — the usual Conti PHEV prices $284,750 earlier than choices, whereas the Velocity begins at over $300,000.

Lastly we have the longly named Mercedes-AMG GT63 S E Efficiency, which additionally has a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 with a hybrid system and all-wheel drive. The GT’s electrical motor mounted to the rear axle is much more highly effective than the Bentley’s, making 201 hp and 236 lb-ft, and it has its personal two-speed transmission and limited-slip differential. Its 400-volt battery pack solely has a usable capability of 4.8 kWh, and the EPA says there may be simply 11 miles of EV-only vary, however because of the powertrain’s tuning that battery is consistently being juiced again up, particularly when driving onerous. The GT63 S E Efficiency’s gas-only EPA ranking is nineteen mpg mixed, 5 mpg higher than a nonhybrid GT63’s mixed cycle determine, and its 28 MPGe ranking is not horrible. It’s cheaper than the Bentley, although at $197,050 I can not precisely name it “low-cost.”

And that is it. Supercars and mild-hybrids apart, if you need a two-door coupe with a hybrid powertrain, these are your decisions. Hopefully extra automakers begin introducing hybrid coupes, and attention-grabbing enthusiast-oriented ones at that.