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Honda’s EV efforts, including the Clarity sedan and Fit compact, never gained much traction, but the company aims to get back on track with the Prologue SUV (starting at $47,400). The company is in the process of building in-house EVs, but this vehicle relies on General Motors’ Ultium platform, which also powers the electric Chevrolet Blazer and Cadillac Lyriq, as a stopgap, taking a few interior design cues from those models in the process. Overall, we’re fans of its smooth handling, streamlined exterior, and generous tech amenities, though we wish the fast charging speed wasn’t limited and that the battery range was slightly better. The Tesla Model Y ($44,990) remains our Editors’ Choice winner for midrange electric SUVs thanks to its longer driving range and slightly lower starting price.Price and Options: Competitive Trims and FeaturesThe 2024 Honda Prologue is available in three trims: EX ($47,400), Touring ($51,700), and Elite ($57,900). Its pricing is right in line with the Tesla Model Y, Chevrolet Blazer EV (starting at $50,195), and Cadillac Lyriq (starting at $58,590). All of these models are eligible for the full $7,500 federal EV tax credit.
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Standard exterior features on the base EX trim include 19-inch alloy wheels, heated side mirrors, and LED headlights with auto high beams. On the interior, you get a 10-way powered driver’s seat, 60/40-split rear seats, cloth-upholstered and heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, and a push-button start. Tech highlights include an 11-inch digital instrument cluster, an 11.3-inch infotainment touch screen, Bluetooth, front- and second-row USB ports, Google Built-In apps, a six-speaker audio system, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a wireless phone charger, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. As for safety features, the vehicle offers blindspot and lane-keep assist, forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection and automatic emergency braking, and rear cross-traffic braking.The Touring trim adds a 12-speaker Bose audio system, driver seat memory, a hands-free power tailgate, a leather-trimmed steering wheel and seat material, roof rails, LED fog lights, and a panoramic moonroof. The Elite model I evaluated adds 21-inch alloy wheels with self-sealing tires, a 110V power outlet, a heads-up display, a rear-pedestrian alert system, a Sport driving mode, a surround-view camera, and ventilated front seats. With additional options like Snowfall Pearl paint ($455) and a destination and handling charge ($1,395), the final sticker of my test vehicle comes to $59,750.
Design: More Polestar Than PassportThe Prologue is about as long and wide as Honda’s boxy, gas-only Passport SUV and has the same ground clearance for minor offroading. However, the Prologue is a bit less tall and doesn’t need a traditional front grille, so it appears sleeker. A thin trim piece on the front that starts where the hood ends incorporates the headlights on either end, while the rear has a matching aesthetic. A Honda logo with a futuristic font on the back completes the look. Overall, the Prologue more closely resembles something from Polestar than any other Honda.
(Credit: Doug Newcomb)
Although it’s roughly the same size as the Passport, the Prologue’s lower roofline and big battery underneath the seats result in a lot less headroom and a bit less passenger space. The vehicle doesn’t have a frunk since mechanical parts occupy the space under the hood. The Prologue totals 57.7 cubic feet of cargo space. For comparison, the Tesla Model Y offers up to 72.1 cubic feet of space and includes a 4.1 cubic-foot frunk.Many interior elements, including the steering wheel, window switches, door handles, climate controls, and wireless phone charger, are identical to the ones in the Chevrolet Blazer EV. But the Prologue has a more modern, simplified dashboard than other Honda models and feels more upscale. Overall, we prefer the Prologue’s exterior and interior style to that of the Tesla Model Y; the latter’s plain looks are starting to feel outdated.
(Credit: Doug Newcomb)
Performance: Refined On-Road FeelThe EX and Touring trims are available in single-motor, front-wheel-drive (FWD) or dual-motor, all-wheel-drive (AWD) configurations, though the Elite trim is AWD-only. As for power, the FWD models produce 212 horsepower (hp) and 236lb-ft of torque, while the AWD trims pump out 288hp and 333lb-ft of torque.
(Credit: Doug Newcomb)
Although the Prologue shares a platform with the Blazer EV, Honda tunes the performance for a more refined, less sporty ride. I found the SUV’s acceleration, handling, and ride comfort remarkably competent during my test drives on Northern California roads, ranging from freeways to winding two-lane highways (including lots of rain). It doesn’t have the lighting-fast acceleration of some EVs, but the Prologue is still quicker from a standstill than similar gas-powered alternatives. I didn’t get to drive the FWD version with 212hp, but I can speculate that it feels appreciably slower.The Elite variant is the only Prologue model with a dedicated Sport mode. With it active, you get a quicker throttle response, firmer steering, and improved braking performance at the press of a button. The steering is responsive, the brake feel is superb, and the ride is smooth. Handling felt above average for the vehicle’s segment and size, and the SUV remained poised on rough sections of the road. The interior is quiet, too. My road companion and I were able to speak at normal volumes, even at high speed on the freeway and in occasional downpours.
(Credit: Doug Newcomb)
Battery: Average Range, Capped ChargingAll versions of the Honda Prologue use an 85kWh battery. The FWD EX and Touring variants get an EPA-estimated 296 miles of range and a combined MPGe rating of 99, while the AWD versions can take you 281 miles and have a combined MPGe rating of 95. The Elite trim gets a range of 273 miles and a combined MPGe rating of 92. These numbers are competitive, though not outstanding. The rear-wheel-drive (RWD) Tesla Model Y gets a range of up to 320 miles, while the RWD Chevy Blazer EV RS offers 324 miles per charge and a combined MPGe of 92.The Prologue has a Combined Charging System (CCS) port that supports both Level 2 and Level 3 charging, but Honda plans to switch to Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) port in 2025.A Level 3 DC fast charger operating at 150kW can take the battery from 20% to 80% in 35 minutes, while Honda puts the Level 2 AC charging rate at 34.1 miles per hour of charge. Since I drove the Prologue at a media event, I wasn’t able to test these claims.One oddity is that Honda reduces the peak charging speed to a maximum of 150kW compared with 190kW for the Chevrolet and Cadillac models on the same platform. Consequently, the AWD Prologue trims get 62 miles per 10 minutes of charging at a DC fast charger, compared with 68 miles for the Chevy Blazer EV. Honda says this change ensures a longer battery lifespan, though that claim is questionable given competitors’ capabilities. Meanwhile, the RWD Tesla Model Y can recharge from 20% to 80% in around 20 minutes at a Level 3 DC fast charger working at 150kW.Honda provides several Charging Packages at no extra cost, including a Level 1 AC 110V charging cable, a $250 credit for a home charger, and Electrify America and EVGo charging credits. Infotainment: All the Connectivity Features You Could WantThe Prologue’s infotainment system borrows heavily from General Motors vehicles, with the same UI and fonts. Fortunately, it doesn’t use the same underlying software (General Motors has had well-publicized problems with the Blazer EV). The Honda gets Google Built-In apps such as Google Assistant, Google Maps, and the Google Play Store, along with Amazon Alexa. And unlike recent models from General Motors, the Prologue supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. In testing, CarPlay worked flawlessly with my iPhone.
(Credit: Doug Newcomb)
The infotainment system is easy to operate, with a single power/volume knob to the left of the screen, conveniently large tiles for features on several pages (you can rearrange these to preference), and smaller audio, navigation, and home icons on the left rail. I found the interface on my preproduction test vehicle a bit laggy, however. The HondaLink system (a reskin of GM’s OnStar) provides features such as automatic emergency crash notifications, a Wi-Fi hotspot, remote door locking/unlocking, and remote charging monitoring. This suite of features eventually requires a subscription.
(Credit: Doug Newcomb)
Safety and Extras: Some Minor HiccupsThe HondaSensing suite that’s standard on all trims provides basic driver assists as mentioned, along with some more advanced abilities. In testing, however, I noticed that the lane-centering feature sometimes had more trouble keeping the vehicle in the middle of the road than other systems I’ve tried. Keep in mind, too, that the Prologue doesn’t offer GM’s Super Cruise feature for hands-free highway driving. That system is available on the Acura ZDX, the luxury version of the Prologue that starts at $64,500, as well as many affordable Chevrolet vehicles.Verdict: A Stylish SUV With a Few Too Many LimitationsThe Honda Prologue succeeds in several key areas—we like its unique styling, stable performance, and intuitive infotainment system. But its limited driving range and reduced charging speeds keep it firmly in the middle of the pack. The more affordable Tesla Model Y remains our Editors’ Choice winner thanks to its greater amount of cargo space and class-leading driving range, though you might simply prefer the distinctive style of the Prologue over the minimalist leanings of the Tesla.
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