It’s interesting to see what’s happening in the EV marketplace.
While many manufacturers like Kia and Hyundai were quick to jump on the EV bandwagon, it seems the Japanese carmakers were late coming to the party. Yes, you’ll find plenty of hybrid and plug-in hybrid models, but full-on EV’s – not so much.
So, when Honda decided it needed an EV SUV to bring to market, they did a smart thing. Instead of paying tons of time and money to develop an in-house vehicle, they went to another carmaker and adapted something already for sale. In this case Honda went to GM, and used the Chevrolet Blazer as a starting point to create the all-new Honda Prologue EV.
So, does the Prologue have that Honda-ness we love? Or is it simply a rebadged Chevy? Let’s find out!
Fresh Looks
Well, it certainly looks like a Honda. A great start.
From the front, the look is simple and clean – and to our eyes nicer than the Blazer EV. Horizontal driving lights and projector headlights give a crisp line with a simple Honda badge in the front. Side grilles actually house additional fogs for an aggressive look, while the lower fascia looks sporty with blacked out trim, and on our Elite model, the bit of chrome trim at the bottom of the lower grille gives some added bling.
Simple and clean also describes the profile, with a small greenhouse and swept-back C-pillar give a coupe-like vibe and the high shoulder line gives some athleticism to the design. The long wheelbase makes the vehicle look spacious and reminds us of RIVIAN vehicles. The best part of the side view has to be the Elite’s handsome 21-inch, 6-spoke alloy wheels that really fill out the wheel wells and give the Prologue a capable look.
The rear echoes the front’s simple lines with Horizontal LED taillights and a trim piece spanning the width of the hatch. Another thing we love is the new H-o-n-d-a logo, instead of spelling everything out in all capital letters like just about everyone, the lower-case letters add a touch of elegance and uniqueness that just feels very Honda.
Sportiness is served up with a small spoiler above the rear window, and a blacked-out lower fascia with chrome-look lower plate that adds more bling. And put us down for just loving the Pacific Blue paint job on our tester. Bright, cheerful, and fresh, it really made our EV stand out from a sea of silver and gray SUV’s that dominate the marketplace.
Well Hello GM.
Inside feels less Honda and more GM. And while that may at first seem like a downer, we’d say it’s still pretty impressive inside.
Open the door, and that same sense of width on the outside pays off dividends with a wide sweeping horizontal dashboard. And we found the interior’s two-tone treatment on the dash, console and seats creates a bright and cheerful place to spend time.
A nice thick-rimmed steering wheel features easy to understand controls and fronts an 11-inch digital display that’s bright and clear and well laid out. Elite models also feature a large-scale head-up display that’s easy to use.
Where the Blazer has a connected info-tainment display creating a continuous display ala BMW, the Prologue’s 11.3-inch color touchscreen is more of a stand-alone tablet, but it works great – and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are along for the ride – not available on the Blazer. Our connectivity was wireless, and there’s a handy little slot for charging your iPhone wirelessly as well.
The info-tainment is a little different from other Hondas, but again we found it easy to use, and with Google Built-in on board, you can voice activate a bunch of things to make your life easier.
The climate controls below the big screen are also intuitive and easy to use. If we had any quibbles, it would be the small gear lever stalk that sprouts out of the steering column. It feels a little flimsy, and you’re not always sure you got the gear you wanted. On the bright side, moving that lever to the column opens up a huge center console area with plenty of room for Super Big Gulps, a huge storage bin, and two-tier storage with plenty of room on the lower level (Mezzanine?) for all sorts of stuff.
We found the seats super comfy, and the seating position is tall with excellent outside visibility. This is a friendly place to be. And not just for those in front, the rear seats are spacious and adult friendly, and cargo space is plentiful – even though it’s an EV the floor height is reasonable, and the rear seats fold down to create a massive cargo hold.
Honda DNA?
Driving the Prologue is interesting. Honda says a lot of effort went into making the EV drive like a Honda. That’s a tough sell, and probably a heck of an engineering challenge. We would say that regardless, the Prologue is a good drive, and it has that ease and simplicity that we associate with the brand. We’ll be interested to see what the Honda faithful will think!
Our Elite tester was the most powerful Prologue model, the dual motor, AWD version, and it pumps out a solid 288 horsepower and 333 lb.-ft of torque. It’s typical EV power, with loads of instant low-end torque that makes it feel strong off the line, and impressively silent.
Actually, our tester made a bunch of futuristic sounds while driving – entertaining for those inside and helping pedestrians outside know you’re around. It reminded us of George Jetson’s car!
We’d estimate 0-60 mph right around 6 seconds. Not fast for an EV, but certainly quick enough to get the job done, and it feels perfectly suited to the Prologue’s smooth and supple ride. This is less of a sporty vehicle, and more of a big, comfortable cruiser, and it excels at that.
Speaking of cruising, range for the Prologue goes up to 296 miles for the base 2Wd models, where our tester was the lowest, but still reasonable with a range of 273 miles.
Recharging on the go is quick and convenient, with DC fast charging at rates up to 150 kW – competitive in the segment. If you’re in a rush, you can grab a quick coffee and Prologue’s 85 kWh lithium-ion battery pack can recharge 65 miles of range in about 10 minutes.
Going EV doesn’t mean giving up on safety. You also get a nice suite of protective features with the standard Honda Sensing system, including Forward Collision Alert with Front Pedestrian Braking, Blind Zone Alert and Steering Assist, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Braking, and Adaptive Cruise Control. Our Elite tester added a couple of other goodies, including Rear Pedestrian Alert and Surround Vision System – which we really liked, since the Prologue is so broad-shouldered, it’s a great help getting in and out of tight parking spots.
Honda Value
Honda made its bones on being a smart value, with an excellent blend of quality, equipment and reasonable pricing. The Prologue stays true, starting at $47,400 for the EX single motor 2WD model. With a range of 296 miles, great style and space, we’d say yes, very Honda like. Our AWD Elite model is the top of the line, and fully loaded starts at $57,900. With no options available and a Destination charge of $1,395, we rang the bell at $59,295, still a strong value.
Case in point, we think the Kia EV9 is a strong competitor, and it also features a 3rd row seat if you need it. Starting at $69,900 it is much more expensive, though. Interestingly, a comparably equipped Chevy Blazer EV comes in at $54,595. We like the Honda’s style and vibe, but the Blazer would be worth a look. We’re guessing if you’re a Honda fan, you probably won’t be cross-shopping Chevrolet. But maybe you should. (Editor’s Note: Honda recently introduced the 2025 model Prologue, and while essentially the same, it seems to have gotten a power bump in all trims. We look forward to an update road test in the future!)
Honda style, a great drive, and strong value, the 2024 Honda Prologue is a great family EV.
Ben Lewis grew up in Chicago, and after spending his formative years driving sideways in the winter – often intentionally – moved to sunny Southern California. He now enjoys sunny weather year-round — whether it is autocross driving, aerobatics, and learning to surf.