Driven: 2024 Honda Prologue Is The Civic’s Respectable Big Brother

The 2024 Honda Prologue is an all-new mid-size SUV. It has two rows with seating for five people and a bit more room than the popular Honda CR-V. Unlike the CR-V, which is available with a gas or hybrid engine and even a hydrogen fuel cell, the Prologue is electric only. This is Honda’s latest EV effort, following the Clarity sedan and Fit EV, neither of which ever found an audience. This time around, Honda is playing it safe by making its new EV an SUV rather than a sedan or a subcompact with limited appeal. Crossovers and SUVs are all the rage, which gives the Prologue a better chance of success. But does it work?

Picking the right segment is a good start, but it’s by no means a sure thing. Electric vehicle sales aren’t rocketing skyward despite a growing number of options. Some automakers are even pulling back on their EV plans. Not everyone is sold on the electric life for a wide range of reasons from the increased cost of buying one to the challenges of charging out on the road. Let’s see if the Prologue has what it takes to get you into an electric vehicle.

Exterior: A Different Look For Honda

The Prologue is the only EV in the Honda lineup, so it makes sense that it looks a little different. There’s no dramatic departure from the brand’s overall design, but there are a few key elements that give it added appeal and a bit more visual punch. Honda calls its design “neo-rugged” in the press release, and we’re honestly not sure what that’s supposed to mean, but it does look good. It’s got the curvy aerodynamic lines that are a hallmark of electric vehicles without coming off as unnecessarily futuristic.

This is an electric vehicle that doesn’t scream its status. We love the new badging for the Honda name on the back of the liftgate. It’s one of the more striking elements of the design and, because it’s new, it’s sure to have people wondering about what new Honda you’re driving.

Up front, it once again hides its electric pedigree a bit with a beautiful grille. Since EVs don’t need airflow to cool an engine, designers have come up with all sorts of new ideas for how the front of an EV should look. Many end up with drab slabs of metal with an emblem slapped in the middle. The Prologue could easily fool you into thinking it has a gas engine thanks to a grille that looks more traditional and gives this SUV some personality instead of looking like an afterthought.

Seating: Room For The Whole Family

This is a two-row SUV with seating for five, so it’s not going to work for large families. It is, however, great for those who are generally using that second row for just two people, whether kids or adults. Three will fit, but despite being five inches wider than the CR-V with a wheelbase that’s eight inches longer, it’s still not a place three adults will want to stay in for too long. Rear headroom is something to be aware of for tall adults as it’s a bit tight for the six-foot crowd. Note that the rear seats do have two reclining positions, which improves their comfort.

The front seats are supportive, but not plush. The Prologue is more utilitarian and doesn’t coddle passengers. Minimal bolstering on those seats makes it easy for larger adults to get comfortable, especially for longer trips.

Interior: A Little Less Honda Than Normal

Honda isn’t a luxury brand, but it does generally offer attractive interiors, especially in its top trims. Whether you’re talking the sporty Civic or family-favorite Pilot, they deliver quality with a range of materials that make the experience more premium as you move up in price.

The Prologue was developed jointly with General Motors and has a lot in common with the Chevrolet Blazer EV. Both have the same Ultium battery pack and motors and ride on the same platform, but they’re not the same vehicle. Honda gave the Prologue a different interior and though it is more premium, we expected better. It’s a bit plain, with too much hard plastic, which makes it look cheap and unappealing. The seats are a high point with the top Elite trim we drove featuring leather, heat, and ventilation, as well as 10-way power adjustability for the driver. They look great, but the abundance of plain black plastic that adorned the rest of the interior was lackluster.

Infotainment: Good Functionality Even In The Base Trim

The importance of staying connected and having information at the ready has made robust infotainment systems more common. While screen sizes may grow along with extra features as you move up the trim range, even base trims now have features once reserved for only the priciest of models.

The Honda Prologue takes that idea to heart by offering an 11.3-inch infotainment touchscreen as a standard feature, along with an 11-inch digital instrument cluster. It includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Google Built-In, pocket-style wireless phone charging, two front and two rear USB ports, and Wi-Fi hotspot capability as standard features. A head-up display is standard on the Elite and the 6-speaker audio becomes a Bose 12-speaker system on all but the base EX.

The system is intuitive with a touchscreen that’s within easy reach of both driver and passenger. Google Built-In lets the system plan your drive route around available chargers and even preconditions the battery for optimum charging when you arrive. It offers a good combination of features that help you stay connected and make road trips with an EV easier.

Cargo: Room For The Big Stuff And The Little Stuff

When people think of cargo room, it’s generally about how much big stuff you can put in a vehicle. The Prologue offers up to 25.2 cubic feet behind the second row and 57.7 cubic feet behind the front row. That’s plenty of room for everyday items or larger luggage on a getaway. It can also tow up to 1,500 pounds of additional cargo.

While being able to carry big cargo is important, so is having a place to stow the smaller stuff you carry around every day. An extra 0.5 cubic feet of space hides beneath the cargo floor, for starters. There’s also a covered center console for keeping items out of sight, with a large storage area beneath that console. Wallets, keys, even a small purse easily fit and there’s even a bit of an edge, so nothing slides out taking a corner. It’s a small detail that makes a big difference.

Performance: Adequate Power But Not Impressive

The Prologue is available with front-wheel drive and a single motor for 212 horsepower with 236 lb-ft of torque or dual-motor all-wheel drive that bumps the numbers to 288 horsepower with 333 lb-ft of torque. We spent our driving time in the Elite, which is all-wheel drive only, and found it responsive. It has strong acceleration, which is something you get in every EV, but it’s not as strong as what you’ll find in a Hyundai Ioniq 5 or a Tesla Model Y.

* Except Elite trim, which manages 273 miles

There’s adjustable regenerative braking, which is a great feature. Not everyone likes brakes that grab the minute you lift off the accelerator. Especially for passengers prone to motion sickness, being able to take this down a notch makes for a more pleasant drive for everyone.

Range And Charging: Road Trip Ready

There’s a driving range of 296 miles for the single motor Prologue. The EX and Touring with all-wheel drive have a range of 281 miles, while the top Elite, which is all-wheel drive only, gets just 273 miles. The 85-kWh battery charges from 20 to 80 percent in 35 minutes using DC fast charging, gaining 62 to 65 miles of range for every ten minutes of charging depending on the trim.

Those aren’t exceptional numbers, but they are more than adequate. If you have a Level 2 charger installed at home, plugging in overnight is easy enough to keep the battery charged for the bulk of your driving. On a road trip, things become a bit more challenging, but nothing that can’t be managed. This is where so many people get hung up on buying an EV, but consider just how often you road trip and just how much of a rush you’ll be in on that trip. You’re probably going to be just fine.

Drive impressions: A Priority On Comfort, Not Performance

The Prologue has a smooth, quiet ride, and we’re not talking about the lack of engine noise. Every EV is quieter than a gas vehicle, but there’s still plenty of opportunities for intrusive noise, some of which stand out more without the engine noise acting as cover. The Prologue, however, keeps those extra sounds to a minimum.

There’s not much in the way of road noise, even on rough pavement. Wet roads were equally quiet with the noise of a sudden thunderstorm kept largely outside the cabin. Even the sounds of passing trucks on the highway were nicely muted. The aerodynamics of the Prologue also minimized wind noise, making this EV an exceptionally quiet and relaxing option.

On the performance front, this is not a sporty Honda, so let go of any Civic notions you may have in your mind. It has enough power to easily get up to highway speeds without complaint, but it’s not especially aggressive. This EV is more about comfortable cruising than winning races, which is just fine for a family SUV. Its handling is good, but it’s not engaging. There is a Sport mode on the Elite trim, which adjusts steering and braking, but it’s not a dramatic change.

Pricing And Verdict: A Mild-Mannered EV

The Honda Prologue delivers the versatility of an SUV in EV form. It’s a great option for those who are Honda fans and want something roomier than the CR-V and are ready to make the move to electric. It doesn’t have the longest range nor does it have the fastest charging, but it’s still a solid EV.

The exterior styling is top-notch, from the sculpted body to the new Honda badging to its eye-catching wheel designs. We really like its unique sense of style. It’s still Honda, just a bit more modern. Inside, though comfortable, it lacks the appeal of other Hondas, which is a drawback, especially when you factor in pricing.

*Excluding $1,395 destination charges

The Prologue starts at $47,400 and tops out at $57,900, so it’s not exactly the cheapest option out there. The good news is that all models made after February 26, 2024, qualify for the $7,500 EV tax credit. If you’re leasing, then you get the credit no matter the build date.

Overall, we like the Prologue. It’s an attractive family vehicle with room for people and cargo and the flexibility to tow. There’s also a good infotainment system with a nice large screen across the lineup and a comfortable interior. Range and charging time, though not remarkable, are well-suited to daily use and, with a little planning, road trip adventures. Families looking for a roomy, electric, two-row SUV would do well to consider the Prologue.