2024 Honda Prologue

The Prologue is the first all-electric SUV to come from Honda, spearheading the company’s intention to offer 30 electric vehicles by 2030. Now that Honda has hopped on board, we can all safely assume that electric vehicles are going to proliferate. This is a spacious and well-equipped SUV, full of great tech and desirable safety features. A maximum range of 296 miles also adds to the new Prologue’s attractions. That’s almost Tesla-like.

We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this collection of midsize all-electric SUVs.

The Prologue is all-new for 2024. It’s based on a dedicated EV platform which it shares with the Chevrolet Blazer EV. This is the Honda side of a since defunct joint project with General Motors, and it’s going to be built in the United States, increasing its chances of eligibility for any federal tax credits that might be offered.

The number of rivals should grow as more manufacturers expand their EV portfolios. Right now, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 begins at almost $42K, while Ford Mustang Mach-E and Tesla Model Y start in the mid-40s. The new-for-2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV (based on the same platform as the Prologue) starts at $56K. If any buyers decide that an all-electric 3-row midsize SUV would be better, the Kia EV9 starts at $55K.

Before buying a new Prologue electric SUV, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should be paying. Regarding resale values, Honda usually tops the tables or comes close. We don’t anticipate anything different with the Prologue.

Three Charging Packages

Honda is offering Prologue buyers a choice of charging packages as part of their vehicle purchase. The first is a home charging station with an 11.5-kilowatt (kW) capacity, plus a $500 installation incentive and $100 of public charging credit. The second is a portable charging kit working at 7.6 kW, a $250 installation incentive and a $300 public charging credit. The third is a $750 credit for public charging.

The standard single-motor powertrain in the Honda Prologue produces 212 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque. The more powerful but less efficient dual-motor version of the Prologue has all-wheel drive plus 288 horsepower and 333 lb-ft of torque. This setup is standard in the top Elite trim. It’s not particularly impressive, however. For example, the dual-motor Hyundai Ioniq 5 has 320 horsepower and 446 lb-ft of torque. But it should be sufficient muscle for everyday duties. We’re also expecting the ride quality to be family-friendly.

One thing we really like about the Prologue’s cabin is that this is an electric vehicle made to be used by families, not some minimalist-loving business executive. So there are buttons and switches — no need to go deep-diving through infotainment menus. By placing the gear shifter on the steering column, there’s plenty of storage space in the centre console, including two beverage holders that can each take a 32-ounce bottle. Yet there’s still an uncluttered feel to the interior. Honda has yet to supply any information on rear legroom, but let’s assume a midsize SUV with just two rows of seating is going to be commodious. The rear seats recline, or can fold down to produce a maximum cargo area of 57.7 cubic feet. When those seats are in place, there’s 25.2 cubic feet of luggage area behind them. That’s about comparable with a Ford Mustang Mach-E.

Designed at Honda’s Los Angeles studio, we think the Prologue has a certain handsomeness to it. The lines are clean and there’s the hint of a rakish roof. Notice also that instead of the now-common tendency to emblazon the company name in upper-case letters across the tail end, Honda uses a capital H and expresses the rest in lowercase. Dimensions-wise, the Prologue is about three inches longer than the midsize Honda Passport, and its wheelbase is a massive 10 inches longer. That’s the distance between the front and rear axles, which can translate to a roomier passenger cabin. The Prologue’s roof is about 7.5 inches lower than the Passport’s, helping with aerodynamics and bringing a sleeker look.

Infotainment system
The Prologue comes with a Google-based infotainment system offering access to apps like Google Maps, along with a voice-activated Google Assistant, and over-the-air updates. Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto phone integration is also standard.

Dual screens
Every new Prologue electric SUV comes with an 11-inch digital driver information display, as well as an 11.3-inch infotainment touchscreen. The top Elite trim also has a head-up display.

Charging network
Honda has teamed up with several other manufacturers to establish a network of high-speed and brand-neutral charging stations across North America, with the first locations expected to come on-stream summer 2024.

The single-motor versions of the Honda Prologue get up to 296 miles of range, and the dual-motor setup gets 273 or 281 miles of range, depending on the trim. That’s about as good as most electric vehicles in this class can offer at the moment. To compare, the cheapest Tesla Model Y has a 330-mile range, the Ioniq 5’s best is 303 miles, and the Mustang Mach-E’s top rating is 310 miles.

Using a DC fast charger, Honda says the Prologue can take on 65 miles’-worth of electrons in about 10 minutes. This might sound impressive, and it kind of is, but 65 miles is about 22 percent, and something like the Ioniq 5 can take on 70 percent in 18 minutes. In the real world, the Prologue can receive a meaningful top-up while its owner is in the supermarket doing the week’s shopping.

The Prologue’s lithium-ion battery has a capacity of 85 kilowatt-hours (kWh). This number is an indication of how much energy the battery can store. Some EVs have 100-kWh batteries, while others go with 74-kWh examples. This is about average, then.

3-Year/36,000-Mile Warranty

Honda’s usual new-vehicle warranty is for three years or 36,000 miles, whichever happens first. Roadside assistance is also provided over that time. Powertrains are covered for five years or 60,000 miles. This is all typical for the class, although not the best. Honda also adds two years or 24,000 miles of free scheduled servicing. The Prologue’s battery will probably have its own warranty of eight years or 100,000 miles.

Safety Ratings

Honda is aiming for a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) and a maximum 5-Star overall score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). All this is perfectly feasible since most of Honda’s current output has exactly these accolades. The Prologue’s standard safety features include rear cross-traffic braking, blind-spot monitoring with steering assistance, and rear pedestrian alert.