2024 Honda Prologue First Drive Review: Do you care who made the volume knob?

Are you able to inform the distinction between a Honda local weather management knob and one made by Normal Motors? If that’s the case, do you care?

That’s in the end what we’re speaking about with the 2024 Honda Prologue. It seems to be like a Honda on the skin and it is going to be marketed as a Honda. Its creators say that nice pains have been taken to make sure it drives like a Honda. Beneath, nonetheless, the Prologue rides on GM’s Ultium electrical platform that features, amongst a number of automobiles, the equally sized Chevrolet Blazer EV. Furthermore, it’s constructed on the similar GM manufacturing facility in Mexico because the Blazer, albeit on a separate line set to Honda’s distinctive requirements, utilizing elements from GM’s designers and suppliers. That’s the place that query in regards to the local weather management knob is available in. To some (like automotive reviewers), it is going to be instantly apparent that the Prologue’s inside shares completely nothing with a CR-V other than the Honda badge. To others? Nicely, that’s why I requested.

You see, it’s completely believable and certainly probably, that those that can’t inform the distinction will fortunately purchase a Prologue, glad to lastly take dwelling a completely realized, broadly obtainable electrical Honda, but be completely unaware of its GM origins. Honda, the corporate, isn’t hiding that reality, nevertheless it’s additionally not precisely promoting it. Actually and figuratively. Honda sellers, then again, appear even much less more likely to acknowledge the connection, be it by ignorance or obfuscation. This units up the opportunity of consumers not actually figuring out what they’re shopping for, and after we’re speaking about fiercely loyal consumers like Honda’s, the state of affairs for these consumers to really feel a way of bait-and-switch certain appears potential.

“I’d really feel scammed if after buying the car I came upon it’s a GM product,” mentioned Gail Riswick, a four-time Honda/Acura proprietor who purchased her first one in 1990 after one too many troublesome GM vehicles. She additionally occurs to be my mom. After initially responding positively once I despatched her an exterior photograph, I requested what she would suppose if it was a GM beneath. Above was her response, which she adopted with “I hope they’re upfront about its origins.”

Are you able to inform the distinction between these? Do you care?

Not all Honda loyalists can have a unfavorable view of Normal Motors, however they’re additionally loyal for a purpose. Moreover, loyal automotive prospects of any model are inclined to get used to the best way that model’s vehicles function. Get into the rest, and it’s often not a constructive expertise. “Completely different” is interpreted as “unhealthy.” Once more, how are you feeling about these local weather controls?

Honda Prologue product planner Quincy Tam says that his group anticipates prospects most certainly coming from the CR-V Hybrid and Passport, which he says are typically bought by these with a extra open thoughts towards new automotive experiences. That can also be the kind of purchaser who they anticipate will contemplate the Prologue, each for being an EV and for its GM origins. Assuming they find out about it.

And let’s be very clear right here, the GM Ultium platform is spectacular. This isn’t rebadging an Isuzu Rodeo we’re speaking about, nor a Toyota bZ4X/Subaru Solterra state of affairs. Tam says that the Prologue is meant as a wanted first step to bridge the hole between now and when Honda’s first in-house e: Structure electrical car arrives in 2025. A prologue, if you’ll. That’s not really a lot of a spot to bridge, actually, and it’s unclear how lengthy the Prologue will stick round. Appears more likely to be shorter than the unique Honda Passport, a rebadged Isuzu Rodeo that lasted two generations serving as Honda’s entry within the rising SUV market whereas Honda developed the CR-V after which Pilot. It was fairly simple to inform the OG Passport’s inside wasn’t associated to an Accord’s, both.

The range-topping interiors of the Honda Prologue, Honda CR-V and Chevrolet Blazer EV

Since we’re with reference to the inside, it disappoints, and never essentially as a result of GM’s bits and items have been used. In line with Prologue growth chief John Hwang, designers wished to create a design in line with the horizontal scheme discovered within the Civic, Accord, HR-V and CR-V. Whereas there may be actually a resemblance as you’ll be able to see above, full with a skinny line of trim connecting air vents, it comes throughout as extremely plain and boring with out the metallic honeycomb trim discovered within the “actual” Hondas above. The local weather controls, that are completely positive items that work effectively in a Blazer, additionally don’t present the identical additional pizzazz because the three local weather knobs within the CR-V et al. that pleasingly click on like an Audi’s. The plastic on the middle console, in the meantime, seems to be and feels low cost, with a broad expanse of a tablet-size “bin” that doesn’t assist issues.

With out the Elite trim stage’s obtainable orange trim pictured above, it’s a extremely dreary place that doesn’t appear like it belongs in the identical dialog as a Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, Nissan Ariya or, crucially, a Chevy Blazer EV. Though it shares the identical switchgear, the Chevy has a dynamic, characterful cabin with higher-quality supplies. And for the document, Tam says that Honda thought of utilizing its personal elements for the inside, however was informed by engineers that it might value far an excessive amount of, diminishing economies of scale.

By way of area, the Prologue’s again seat affords huge legroom because of the form of ample wheelbase we’ve come to anticipate from devoted EV platforms. Rear headroom is cramped with the Touring and Elite’s panoramic sunroof, one thing that’s lengthy plagued GM SUVs. All that wheelbase and again seat legroom additionally comes on the expense of cargo area: regardless of having midsize passenger room, the cargo space’s 25.2 cubic ft is indicative of an even bigger subcompact. A CR-V hybrid has 36.3. To be truthful, that determine is just not a lot lower than the Ioniq 5, EV6, and many others.

So, Honda couldn’t pull off a Honda inside utilizing GM elements. May it obtain a Honda driving expertise utilizing GM elements? That is a lot more durable to reply since electrical automobiles are so intrinsically completely different than an inner combustion one. Even when the Prologue have been 100% Honda, it wouldn’t drive like a CR-V, even a hybrid one which principally depends on its electrical motor. That mentioned, Honda’s engineers appear to have struggled to make use of the GM {hardware} they got, particularly regarding the steering. It lacks a crispness when handing over; there’s vagueness on-center, after which a delicate little bit of resistance at occasions simply after turn-in or mid-sweeper that nearly looks like a lane-keeping help is intervening. It was undoubtedly off. The steering doesn’t really feel like a Honda and it doesn’t really feel like a Blazer’s, both.

Acceleration is clearly an space the place an EV goes to be completely different than any model’s inner combustion norm, and it clearly is on this case, so let’s forego placing the Prologue up in opposition to the Better of VTEC record. As beforehand said, the Prologue makes use of GM’s Ultium electrical platform that features numerous motor management items and a few variety of frequent battery packs (a Hummer EV has extra, a Prologue has much less). Very similar to a typical Honda SUV, front-wheel drive is normal, whereas all-wheel drive is non-compulsory on all however the range-topping, AWD-only Elite. Just like the Blazer EV, all-wheel drive is achieved with a smaller traction motor that principally reacts to slippage from the wheels up entrance (very similar to a typical all-wheel-drive system), and as such, the added efficiency is far lower than “dual-motor” variations of assorted opponents. There’s nothing improper with that – consumers who want or want all-weather traction don’t must pay for extra efficiency. The upcharge is $3,000 – greater than the ICE norm of $1,500-$2,000 however lower than the $3,500 or extra of assorted EV opponents. It additionally have to be famous that Honda is providing all trim ranges and front-wheel drive from the get-go, whereas GM is trickling out Blazer trim ranges with pricier ones arriving first.

The only-motor, front-drive Prologue produces 212 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque, which is significantly lower than a Blazer and never that a lot completely different than a CR-V Hybrid (204 hp, 247 lb-ft) that assuredly weighs far much less (Honda didn’t present the Prologue’s curb weight). We solely bought an opportunity to drive the all-wheel-drive model, which does get a big bump to 288 hp and 333 lb-ft even when not attaining Ioniq/EV6/Ariya ranges of dual-motor spunk. The everyday on the spot torque of an EV is clearly current, however passing energy is underwhelming. If I have been writing a few gas-powered automotive, I’d say there’s “nothing up excessive” within the rev band. There’s a transparent distinction between this and people numerous dual-motor opponents, and it doesn’t portend effectively for the front-driver packing solely 212 horses.

Huge-time efficiency has hardly ever been the forte of consumer-oriented Hondas, although. Effectivity has, and on this space, the Prologue doesn’t disappoint. Vary with front-wheel drive is 296 miles, with all-wheel drive dropping to 281. The Elite, which has larger wheels, drops to a nonetheless better-than-average 273 miles. It appears logical that almost all of shoppers will care extra about vary and all-weather traction than efficiency, so in that means the Prologue succeeds. Max DC quick charging velocity is simply OK at 155 kilowatts. 

Pricing begins at $48,795 for the front-drive EX, together with the $1,395 vacation spot cost. Honda additionally expects the Prologue will probably be eligible for the $7,500 federal tax credit score, thereby offering an enormous benefit over Hyundai Group’s Korean-made contenders which can be in any other case equally priced. Pricing goes as much as $59,295 for the loaded Elites we sampled and already declared to have an inside not consistent with equally priced electrical automobiles. As such, cheaper Prologues are extra interesting.

With the EX you continue to get the complete array of driver help tech, together with adaptive cruise management, plus the 11.3-inch touchscreen that runs a Honda reskin of GM’s Android Automotive-based interface. Which means Google Maps is your native navigation system, and crucially, it’s going to plan highway journeys together with charging stops, and robotically pre-condition the battery for fast-charging ought to your vacation spot be an EV charger. Honda’s tech interface is ok, however that is one space the place the Prologue undoubtedly comes out on high because of the GM elements bin. Ditto the usual diagonal wi-fi charging bin that’s far superior to Honda’s regular flat one (or non-existent one in lots of trim ranges). The EX additionally will get an 11-inch digital instrument panel (with distinctive graphics), heated entrance seats, an influence driver seat and a six-speaker stereo, however you’ll be doing with out leather-based seats and wheel, an influence passenger seat, the panoramic sunroof, roof rails and Bose audio that present up on the Touring ($53,095 FWD, $56,095 AWD).

I very a lot tried to offer the Prologue the advantage of the doubt, accepting the idea that collaborating with GM and so extensively utilizing its parts was essential to get an EV extra rapidly to market and to attain practical economies of scale. I additionally settle for product planner Tam’s admission that Honda hasn’t skilled the intense points which have stalled the Blazer EV’s launch. That every one mentioned, the Prologue underwhelms, as each a Honda and an EV. The GM bits and items will virtually actually be an issue for Honda’s trustworthy (in the event that they’re conscious of them), however they aren’t THE drawback. It’s how these bits and items are utilized. Maybe it’s not shocking that the Honda-GM collaboration is already useless.