What the Heck is a Dual Axis Suspension and Why is the Prelude is Getting it?

Honda Canada announced today that the upcoming 2026 Prelude will be the first non Type R vehicle (or Type S vehicle in Acura-speak) to get the Civic Type R’s torque-steer-taming dual axis front suspension.

First introduced in 2017 on the high-performance version of the 10^th-generation Civic, the technology adds a damper fork to the bottom of the front suspension. This allows the automaker to isolate the steering knuckle from the suspension damper, dramatically reducing torque steer.

The phenomenon of torque steer is probably most familiar to drivers as a front-wheel-drive vehicle pulling in one direction or another while they try to accelerate at full throttle. This occurs, in part, because the wheel centre (which is where the drive axle is connected to the wheel) is far from the steering axis (the complicated connection between the tie rod and where the wheel is connected to the rest of the vehicle).

Think of it like trying to open a really thin plastic water bottle while holding it from the bottom. When you try to twist the tight lid, the rest of the bottle twists and bends in the space between your hands. Honda’s damper fork is like another hand holding the bottle nearer to the lid, making the whole structure more stable.

The effect of this trick suspension unit is that torque steer is significantly reduced. Not only does that make accelerating in a straight line straighter, it helps the Civic Type R accelerate out of corners with more stability, which is part of what helped it set a front-wheel drive lap record around the Nurburgring in 2017.

Honda says that the dual axis suspension system will work with a wide front and rear track as well as Brembo brakes all borrowed from the Civic Type R to deliver a sporty driving experience for Prelude drivers. However, in the upcoming vehicle, the setup will be tuned less for blitzing German race tracks and a little more for comfortable grand touring.

It is not yet clear how much torque the suspension system will have to deal with, but Honda previously confirmed that the Prelude will be powered by the two-motor hybrid electric system that is found in the Civic Hybrid.

In that application, the powertrain makes 200 hp and 232 lb-ft of torque, more than the mildly spicy Civic Si. Both models have received rave reviews for their driving dynamics and power, though their prices have been bemoaned just as widely.

Unlike the those vehicles, the Prelude will feature S+ Shift technology. Although details remain scarce at this time, Honda has revealed that the system is a development of Linear Shift Control, which attempts to match engine rpm to a vehicle’s speed when it is being propelled by the electric motors. This isn’t simply wasting fuel, since the engine has to run to charge the batteries. Although it is potentially not the most efficient way that the engine can be used as a generator, it leads to a remarkably smooth driving experience.

We’ll find out more about the S+ Shift system, the Prelude’s powertrain, and just how fast it is when it is officially unveiled later this year.