Honda Prologue first drive: an excellent begin

Right here we’re in 2024, and Honda is slightly late to the electrical automobile sport.

Whereas some opponents are pushing electrified choices into the market at a lickety-split price – I'm taking a look at you Kia and Hyundai – Honda has relied on hybrid powertrains within the Accord, CR-V, and shortly to reach. The repositioned Civic discovered itself in bother when it got here to bringing a completely electrical automobile to market. Certain, the corporate produced the Readability EV from 2017 to 2020, nevertheless it's not just like the sub-90 mile vary set the world on hearth.

Enter Normal Motors and the Chevrolet Blazer EV. By teaming up with the American automaker and agreeing to make use of its Ultium platform for a pair of EVs, one from Honda and the opposite from Acura, the Japanese firm was in a position to carry to market a lot quicker one with a spread of almost 300 miles. Was in a position to get electrical automobiles.

The Honda Prologue, the corporate's first long-range EV for North America, will start arriving at dealerships this spring. And when it arrives, the midsize SUV (roughly the identical dimension because the Honda Passport) will compete with the Tesla Mannequin Y, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, Ford Mustang Mach-E, and sure, even the Chevy Blazer EV – with which the Prologue shares a powertrain.

“However Emme,” I hear you asking, “didn’t GM simply cease gross sales on the Chevy Blazer EV as a result of the automobiles themselves have been bricking?”

Sure it did. Nevertheless, Honda assures us that whereas the brand new Prologue makes use of GM's Ultium battery platform and {hardware}, the software program is all Honda's. The individuals I spoke to at Prologue's launch in Healdsburg, CA final month weren't in any respect apprehensive about GM stopping gross sales.

Whether or not it was genuine or not, I can't know, however I didn't sense something amiss throughout my time with the automobile. The truth is, my drive within the Prologue was fairly fulfilling – nothing interrupted the celebration.

The Prologue will likely be accessible in EX, Touring and Elite trims. The decrease two trims have the choice of front- or all-wheel drive, whereas the Elite trim places energy solely to all 4 wheels. The front-wheel drive mannequin has a motor rated for 212 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. With the 85kWh battery, you'll get 296 miles of vary.

My time is in Elite trim. It provides a rear-mounted motor and goes as much as 288 ponies and 333 pound-feet of torque. The battery capability is similar, however the dual-motor arrange doesn't take fairly as a lot punishment, producing a spread of 273 miles. If you wish to have slightly extra enjoyable, go for the mid-trim Touring all-wheel drive that may go as much as 281 miles on a single cost.

The unusual factor right here is that the Prologue can solely settle for 155kW DC quick cost. Nothing to jot down dwelling about today, because the Kia EV6 goes massive at 235kW, whereas the Hyundai Ioniq 5 obliterates all the things at 350kW. When charging at dwelling, the 11.5-kilowatt onboard charger is quick sufficient so as to add 34 miles of juice an hour, assuming you’ve gotten a 48-amp wall unit.

The Prologue comes with a CCS charging port, however finally you'll have the ability to use the Tesla Supercharging community with the equipped NACS adapter. Honda has additionally partnered with eVigo and Electrify America, and house owners will have the ability to entry all three charging networks throughout the HondaLink app. This may make issues quite a bit simpler for house owners who gained't should cope with a number of apps and fee patterns whereas on the highway. Honda has additionally partnered with six North American producers to construct out charging infrastructure, which is scheduled to launch this summer time.

Consumers additionally get their alternative of three charging packages that prioritize dwelling charging or charging at high-speed public stations. For instance, consumers can get a Stage 2 dwelling charging station with a small credit score at public charging stations and a $500 set up credit score, or select a conveyable charging equipment and a bigger credit score at public stations. Individuals who should park on the road or don't have a approach to cost at dwelling can get $750 to cost an EVgo. Moreover, each Prologue comes with 60kWh of free charging from Electrify America, regardless of which charging package deal you select.

Driving the brand new Prologue is a nice expertise, because of the well-tuned chassis and immediate electrical torque. Off-the-line acceleration is a variety of enjoyable and freeway merging could be very clean. Punching the throttle even at excessive speeds supplies a burst of velocity to simply go that gradual Prius within the left lane.

When the highway will get winding, the Prologue might be adequately tailor-made for individuals trying to purchase a mid-size SUV, nevertheless it's not what I'd name smile-inducing. Energy supply is clean, after all, however the 21-inch wheels on my Elite tester are wrapped in Bridgestone Elenza all-season tires. These don't provide essentially the most grip, and the small profile means bumps within the highway are simply transferred into the cabin. The smaller 19-inch wheels present extra sidewall cushion, which equates to much less overhang. In Regular mode the steering is mild and direct, and there's a clear ambient noise that matches the automobile's acceleration and deceleration.

My Elite tester additionally will get a sport mode, however there aren’t any adaptive dampers on the Prologue, so dealing with doesn't change in any respect. The steering turns into faster and slightly heavier, two traits I like quite a bit, and the throttle turns into slightly extra responsive, however that's about it. And also you additionally get crimson ambient lighting. I do know, very fancy.

The location of the game button on the decrease left facet of the sprint means it’s troublesome to seek out. The cluster contains buttons for lane holding help, auto maintain, sprint lights and digital parking brake. Drivers will probably get used to the position inside a couple of weeks, however I felt like I needed to take my eyes off the highway for too lengthy to determine it out throughout a drive.

Honda didn't do something to make up for GM's glorious regenerative braking system. At most regeneration, the Prologue brings itself to a whole cease with out the motive force needing to the touch the friction brakes. Even when not on the highest degree, there's regen-on-demand steering wheel paddles for a fast shot of max regen. It's nice, and I like getting free power.

The Honda Sensing suite of driver assists is commonplace throughout the board and contains ahead collision warning and emergency braking, adaptive cruise management, blind spot monitoring, lane holding help and so forth. All of them work as marketed however don't anticipate any superior hands-free know-how right here. We'll most likely have to attend a couple of years to see Honda step it up a notch.

The design technique of Prologue started in the course of the COVID pandemic with all of the journey restrictions in place. Honda says it relied on VR and AR to share concepts between the American and Japanese groups and the result’s a really spectacular automobile.

The midsize SUV has the identical size and width because the gas-powered Passport, however is decrease to the bottom for a extra streamlined look. A pair of slim daytime operating lights are mounted above the inlaid headlamps for a clear aesthetic. Honda calls it “neo-rugged” – no matter meaning. All I'll say is that it strikes a terrific stability between conventional Honda design and a extra sculpted aerodynamic EV aesthetic.

There are some extraordinary individuals right here. The brand new badging is nice, with the model title written on the rear hatch in a futuristic font in lieu of the usual Honda “H.” There are some glorious colours on provide too, together with “North Shore Pearl”, impressed by the waters of California's Lake Tahoe.

Inside, each Prologue will get heated entrance seats, a 10-way energy adjustable driver's seat with lumbar help and a dual-zone HVAC system with bodily controls. It additionally has push-button begin, wi-fi charging, and a complete of 4 3.0-Amp USB-C 45-watt charging ports. I dig the two-tier heart console with a storage cubby forward of the large cupholders. The middle armrest storage can be spacious.

Your want for a display screen is met by an 11-inch digital gauge cluster and a barely bigger infotainment touchscreen with wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto commonplace. Google can be built-in, so drivers get entry to Google Assistant and options on Google Play.

Sort a vacation spot into Google Maps, and the system won’t solely provide you with charging stations alongside the way in which however will inform you how lengthy you'll have to cost to succeed in the tip of your journey. The system may preset the battery for DC charging to cut back your ready time. These are welcome options that take a few of the thriller out of journey planning as extra individuals swap to EVs.

You gained't discover Frank within the prologue, which is disappointing. Nevertheless, there may be 25 cubic ft of area behind the rear seats, which will increase to roughly 58 cubic ft with these seats eliminated. Nevertheless, needless to say these numbers solely apply to the EX trim. The Touring and Elite trims include barely much less area. That's greater than what's discovered within the Kia EV6, although the Prologue falls in need of what's supplied within the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Hyundai Ioniq 5.

In case you carry extra individuals than issues, you’ll be very happy with the rear seats and their two reclining angles. It has 4 inches extra legroom within the rear than two different potential opponents, the Subaru Soltera and Toyota bZ4X. Heck, it's even an inch higher than the again seat legroom of a Mustang Mach-E. Nevertheless, issues develop into slightly extra related when evaluating the Ioniq 5 and the EV6.

Whereas Honda says it should carry an EV constructed on its structure to the North American market in 2025, consumers should purchase the Prologue in March this yr. Pricing for the 2024 Honda Prologue begins at $48,795, together with $1,395 for vacation spot for the front-wheel drive EX, whereas the highest all-wheel drive Elite trim is priced at $59,295.

In case you're questioning concerning the $7,500 EV federal tax credit score, the Prologue will not be eligible on the time of this writing. Nevertheless, this will likely change sooner or later if it meets IRS mineral and battery sourcing necessities.

Nonetheless, the Prologue is a superb begin for Honda on its objective to introduce 30 new EVs globally by 2030. We hope future fashions will cost slightly quicker and include some type of hands-free driving functionality, however consumers gained't be upset by this primary stab at an electrical providing.

Pictures by Emme Corridor/The Verge