2024 HONDA PROLOGUE AWD ELITE - A BEAUTIFUL SUV BUT MAYBE THE WRONG POWERPLANT

 

If you read my stuff you know I am not all-in for EVs. It's not that I have anything against the concept, or the promise of the technology. In fact my feeling about EVs is more about the supportive infrastructure, or the lack thereof. I probably would have felt the same way at the dawn of the internal combustion engine. 

Don't get me wrong, the Honda Prologue was/is a perfectly good mid-size SUV. It is ironic, at least to me, that Honda introduced the Prologue at a time when EV sales are slowing, and other car companies are reducing production. 

Range anxiety is a real thing. Honda says the Prologue has a range of up to 296 miles according to the EPA (the Elite AWD is rated at 273 miles). Out here in the real world it is less, sometimes much less. As with any vehicle, range depends on many factors. Go faster and you use more fuel whether it is gas, diesel, or electricity. The difference is the availability of the fuel. I don't have to search for a gas station, they are like Starbucks - everywhere!

My time with the Prologue included a trip to Pebble Beach for the Concours d'Elegance, a one-way distance of about 135 miles. I wasn't the fastest car on the road but I did exceed the posted limits, and that used up even more electricity. I left home with over an 80% charge, and there was around 35% charge remaining when I parked the Prologue. Simple math says I would need to charge up the Prologue if I wanted to get home. 

Charging an EV can take hours. It all depends on the charger. Thankfully I found an Electrify America (https://www.electrifyamerica.com/) charging station that was fast. I grabbed lunch and let it charge for about a half hour, giving me an 88% charge, enough to get home with some left. 

According to an article on The Drive (thedrive.com) Honda executives recently "explained that while EV adoption is “steadily increasing,” the downturn of the EV market is tied to a weak EV infrastructure."

Enough about that, let's look at the Prologue as a SUV.

It is a pretty good-looking vehicle. All SUVs have the same basic shape - one big box for the passenger/cargo area, and a smaller one for the powertrain. The difference is in the details. Sweat the small stuff you're going to have a winner. 

Style-wise I think Honda has a winner with the Prologue. It looks great. I'm not sure about the font used for the Honda name on the rear hatch though. I guess it's supposed to add some whimsey?

I would like to know who sent out the memo that white was the color for interiors? I bet it was a coalition of detailers. Thankfully white is not the predominant color of the seats, and a two-tone gray and black combo is available. 

The front seats were fine; supportive, comfortable, heated and cooled. The rear seat, at least the two outer ones had more than enough room for adults. That middle seat, well just leave the armrest/cupholder down and ignore it as a seat.

I know I am old, and my smart phone isn't the latest and greatest but it's what I have. Honda provides wireless charging, thank you. But if you have more than one phone, or multiple devices to plug in you better be using a power cord with a mini-USB plug. I had to use a power plug adapter. Note to all automakers - NOT EVERYONE UPDATES THEIR DEVICES EVERY OTHER DAY. 

Two mini-USB ports? Behind that square door (upper right) is where I used my adapter so I could charge my auxiliary battery.

Let's talk about power. The Prologue Elite AWD as tested has 288 hp, and 333 lb-ft of torgue. That makes for quick acceleration, around 6 seconds from 0-60 mph. 

You can tow up to 1,500 lbs., which isn't that much. I imagine towing will use up electricity darn fast. There is up to 54.5 cu. ft. of storage if you fold the rear seats down, and 23.7 behind the rear seat.

If you are in the market for an electrified SUV you might consider the Honda Prologue. It is good-looking, well put together, and roomy. It isn't too big (only 16' in length), and it's easy to drive. 

The biggest problem with the Prologue, with any electric SUV, is range. Very few people buy a SUV just for around town driving. SUVs are for taking the family on trips, whether day trips or extended vacations. If you have to plan your trip around where charging stations are, well you are limiting your travels. 

A base Honda Prologue EX starts at $47,400, a Touring at $51,700, and an Elite at $57,900. You can check out the Prologue and other Honda models at honda.com.