Honda is a lot of things. Avant garde, cutting edge and revolutionary they are not, nor do they need to be. Buying a Honda is a rational decision rather an emotional one.
The Honda Prologue epitomizes these values, but with a major compromise. Unlike the Accord, Civic and Pilot, the Prologue isn't unique to Honda. Rather, it's a rebadging attempt to silence the critics who complain that the company isn't leaping into electric powertrains quickly enough.
That's not to say it's not good. It is rationally acceptable on a number of levels and it is a perfectly fine purchase for a number of reasons. But, it's not inspired, nor is it flawless.
For all intents and purposes, the Prologue is simply a reskinned and rebadged Chevrolet Blazer EV. Same powertrain, drivetrain and programming.
That could be problematic. Chevy has had loads of issues with the Blazer EV since launch as detailed by Edmunds and InsideEVs, among others. General Motors issued a stop sale on their model in January to address major software glitches. That said, Honda is already working to head off issues with the Prologue ahead of its March on-sale date.
"Our co-development with GM continues, and we're confident that some of the software issues will be addressed by then. We have our own commitment to quality for our vehicles," Mamadou Diallo, senior vice president of auto sales at American Honda Motor Co. told press during a briefing. "So, we can reassure you that the Honda and Acura customers, when when we come to market ... we'll be confident that everything will be working properly, all of those issues addressed.
The American-made SUV comes in single- and dual-motor variants. Single motor versions are front-wheel drive.
Prologue EX, Prologue Touring and Prologue Elite grades will go on sale in the U.S. at launch. Both drivetrains are available on EX and Touring, but Elite models only come equipped with all-wheel drive.
The SUV has up to 296 miles of all-electric range, putting it next to the smaller, two-row Volvo XC40 Recharge and above the 270-ish miles you'll get out of the larger, three-row Kia EV9.
Honda only offered up the all-wheel drive Prologue Elite, with its 273-mile range capability, for testing ahead of the market debut. Over a 100-mile drive day in California wine country, the car was put through its paces on rural roads and highways, climbing high, going fast, and traversing the streets in a manner like the average driver would use the car.
It was.... Fine.
Honda has tuned the Prologue differently than the Blazer EV. There's nothing extraordinary here. The Prologue is agile enough and easy to drive. It's no Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, but it doesn't need to be.
Pushing it through the winding corners of California hillsides, the Prologue stayed stable enough to not upset the tummy, which is inevitably helped by the sheer weight of the car more than its prowess. The centrally positioned Ultium battery pack and forgiving but not springy suspension helps too.
Where the Prologue, and the Blazer EV, lose is on noise. The high-pitched drone that alerts pedestrians to the car's presence when it's traveling under 25 miles per hour (mph) in busy city streets also plays out when slowing down around curves on rural roads where the victim of the earworm is the driver and passengers rather than the squirrel on the side of the road trying to decide if the risk of crossing is worth the reward. The sound is so bad, it would make me skip ownership of the vehicle altogether.
The Honda wins over the Chevy for its interior design. Prologue gets the simplistic ambiance of modern Hondas, though it does not feel decidedly special or upscale. Then again, it doesn't particularly need to. On the other hand, the Blazer EV's dashboard and center console area are busier, available in a two-tone color scheme, and have a completely different 11.3-inch infotainment touchscreen housing.
There wasn't much time to fiddle with the infotainment and safety technologies while on the drive. Honda was eager for us to put only a few miles on the Prologue as they were concerned about ensuring they were charged enough for the next group of journalists that were headed out in them later in the day.
Pricing for the Prologue starts at $47,400 and tops out at $57,900. Like Kia, Honda faces a problem with BEVs. Is a near-$60,000 car buyer going to want to spend their money at a their dealership rather than a Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, or BMW dealer?
And, with Acura ZDX pricing near the same as Honda Prologue's, is there enough of a divide to keep buyers from just saying that they'll spend the extra few thousand for the nicer SUV? Honda buyers are traditionally rational.
The Prologue is a valiant attempt to bandaid Honda's leap into the battery-electric mainstream. The result of innovation, compromise and practicality, it's sure to hush the company's detractors but won't go so far as to silence them.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Eileen Falkenberg-Hull leads the Autos team at Newsweek. She has written extensively about the auto industry for U.S. News & ... Read more
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
