Want a little more vintage Honda feel in the Civic hybrid before you’re convinced about the new system? Honda is looking to bring some of the joy of driving that built its reputation and it will start at the Tokyo Auto Salon next week. The Civic RS Prototype will add the Prelude’s S+ Shift Control to try and give the hybrid sedan a little bit of character.
Base Trim Engine
2L I4 ICE
Base Trim Transmission
CVT
Base Trim Drivetrain
Front-Wheel Drive
Base Trim Horsepower
150 HP @6400 RPM
Base Trim Torque
133 lb.-ft. @ 4000 RPM
Base Trim Fuel Economy (city/highway/combined)
32/41/36 MPG
Base Trim Battery Type
Lead acid battery
Infotainment & Features
9 /10
Fake Shifts Are The New Active Exhaust
2026 Honda Prelude interiorHonda
S+ Shift Control is Honda’s effort to make an electrified car feel more like a gas one. The system launched with the new Prelude coupe, and since it’s largely just a Civic coupe, it’s not a surprise the tech will make the jump.
The system is a bit like Hyundai’s N e-Shift system; It simulates gears by altering torque output and maximum speeds in every “gear” you select. Though just like the electric Hyundais, the Honda hybrid system doesn’t actually have a transmission at all. So the system works only on the electric motors, though it can at least use the gas engine for sound, along with some fake sounds.
2026 Honda Prelude static at Tochigi Proving GroundRoger Biermann/CarBuzz/Valnet
Honda says that adding the system to the Civic will “further enhance the Civic’s fun-to-drive and exhilarating driving experience.” Expect it to show up on every new Honda Hybrid model, as the company said in 2024 that was its plan.
The car it will launch on is a grade not familiar to American customers, but well-known in Asia. RS stands for Road Sailing, and it showed up on the Civic in Japan way back in the 1970s.
Related
The 2026 Honda Prelude Is Here: Hybrid Power, Type R Suspension, And No Transmission
The Prelude back, but is the the car you remember?
In the modern Honda era, the badge goes on a car that sort of sits between standard and Type R. Yes, that sounds a lot like the Civic Si, and basically it is. But Honda doesn’t sell the Civic Si in Japan.
Will The US Si Go Hybrid?
Honda Civic RSHonda
This will be the first RS to get Honda’s hybrid system, along with the S+ system, so does that mean an S+ hybrid is replacing the Si over here? Probably not, or at least not right away. The vehicles do carry the same mission, but the gas RS uses the lower-power turbo 1.5, not the more powerful version in the US Civic Si.
We’re also not convinced that the typical Civic Si buyer here is ready to switch from a six-speed manual with a limited-slip differential to a transmission-less hybrid system. That’s a very different crowd.
Honda Civic RSHonda
Honda could definitely add the RS to the US lineup. Or add the S+ system to current hybrid Civic models, including the Sport Touring hybrid models. That could help make them a little more enjoyable when it comes to acceleration.
The Civic e:HEV RS Prototype will make its debut at the Salon on January 9. It will share the Honda booth with some other interesting new models, including several of the brand’s race cars, and versions of the Civic Type R and Prelude fitted with Honda’s HRC performance parts.
Related
Here’s Why The New Honda Prelude Doesn’t Have A Manual
In fact, the Prelude doesn’t have a transmission at all.
While the Japan Mobility Show, held every other year, is Japan’s mainstream auto show, the Tokyo Auto Salon is the annual show for fast cars. It blends performance parts and fast models with a wide range of aftermarket accessory companies and vehicle tuners.
AloJapan.com