Because it did in earlier a long time, Honda has used one other maker’s automobile to enter a brand new US phase.
Honda is usually generally known as the world’s largest maker of inner combustion engines—greater than 14 million of them a yr. It sells these engines in a wide range of containers, from residence mills and garden mowers to ATVs and cars. Through the years, the corporate has pioneered a variety of superior powertrain applied sciences, together with each pure fuel and hydrogen gasoline cell automobiles.
None of these had been battery-electric automobiles, nonetheless.
That left Honda severely behind within the international race towards long-range electrical automobiles that Tesla kicked off in 2012 with its Mannequin S. Since then, in North America, Honda has bought two pure EVs in tiny numbers: the 2013-2014 Honda Match EV (82 miles of EPA vary) and the 2017-2019 Honda Readability Electrical midsize sedan (89 miles of vary). Each had been purely compliance automobiles.
Now, lastly, Japan’s third-largest automaker (and maybe that nation’s most Americanized automobile model) is promoting an actual EV. It’s the 2024 Honda Prologue, a midsize crossover utility with roughly the footprint of Honda’s midsize two-row, gasoline-powered Passport. A spacious five-seat utility automobile, it’s EPA-rated at 273 to 296 miles of vary.
Information since gross sales began in March means that the Prologue has achieved nicely for Honda—greater than 5,400 had been bought in August 2024 (the newest month earlier than this text closed). A Honda exec instructed Charged in February he was assured they’d obtain 40,000 Prologues from the manufacturing unit in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico, throughout calendar 2024.
It’s price noting that the Prologue presently carries heavy incentives, from the federal $7,500 point-of-purchase rebate to Honda’s personal inner spiffs. As Electrek lately stated, “With as much as $14,250 in incentives, the Honda Prologue could be even cheaper to lease than a Civic, regardless of costing almost double.”
Honda did a take care of GM to develop its personal electrical SUV, the Prologue, on Blazer EV underpinnings.
Is it actually a Honda?
The key to this exceptional debut lies in a deal introduced again in 2020 between Honda and Normal Motors. GM deliberate to roll out a wide range of automobiles based mostly on its Ultium structure, from the luxurious Cadillac Lyriq by way of the rock-climbing GMC Hummer EV to the mass-market compact Chevrolet Equinox EV. A core automobile inside these plans was the midsize Chevy Blazer EV—which shares structural dimensions and physique arduous factors with the extra upmarket Lyriq.
Honda did a take care of GM to develop its personal electrical SUV, the Prologue, on Blazer EV underpinnings. GM would construct the automobile for Honda alongside the Chevy in its Ramos Arizpe plant. Honda would additionally develop an upmarket Acura ZDX crossover on the identical platform—that one can be constructed by GM on the Lyriq meeting plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee.
Whereas the battery sizes, physique arduous factors, and different core traits stay frequent between the Blazer EV and the Prologue, Honda made a number of revisions to offer the Prologue extra of a Honda really feel. For one factor, it declined a rear-wheel-drive model, providing the Prologue solely with front- or all-wheel drive, to protect the anticipated on-road habits from a model that has by no means bought a four-seat, rear-wheel-drive automobile within the US.
Whereas the battery sizes, physique arduous factors, and different core traits stay frequent between the Blazer EV and Prologue, Honda made a number of revisions to offer the Prologue extra of a Honda really feel.
One other tweak was a number of refinements to the multi-link suspension, entrance and rear, to offer the Prologue extra of a sporty really feel on the highway. Lastly, the Prologue provides each Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as normal. That compares to GM’s new EV lineup, which incorporates 8 years of free Google Maps navigation, however doesn’t mirror telephones utilizing both working system. As a substitute, GM-branded Ultium EVs give patrons 3 years of App Entry free—after which that functionality alone prices them $14.99 per 30 days, for the power to do what they used to do free of charge on their telephones. How that can play out stays to be seen; clearly Honda didn’t need to run that threat.
Behind the wheel
In each a January media drive by way of California’s Napa Valley and an August week in upstate New York with a Prologue check automobile, we got here away with the identical impressions: Honda is promoting a pleasing, massive, spacious midsize EV crossover.
Powertrain specs for the Prologue are much like these of its GM counterparts. All variations are powered by an 85 kWh battery pack underneath the cabin flooring. Within the all-wheel-drive model with two motors, Honda quotes energy of as much as 212 kW (288 hp) and 333 lb-ft of torque. The bottom front-wheel-drive mannequin is rated at 155 kW (212 hp) and 236 lb-ft.
That gives sufficient acceleration and cruising to maintain up with virtually any type of visitors a household is more likely to encounter. Steering is considerably imprecise, and the Prologue is a happier automobile on huge, flat suburban arteries than being tossed by way of curving, irregular canyon roads. Its one-pedal driving is exceptionally well-executed, with normal and robust ranges accessible (additionally none in any respect). Drivers of different EV manufacturers will discover that the Prologue accelerates extra intentionally than the hair-trigger thrust of another makes.
Honda stated it tuned accelerator response and different traits to make the Prologue really feel “extra like a Honda,” however you received’t discover many similarities to the sunshine, tossable Civic compact sedan on this SUV of 5,000 kilos or extra. Right here, the objective was inside area, consolation and battery vary greater than efficiency.
A number of peculiar facets possible mirror the mix of fastened GM structure beneath with Honda’s strategy to controls and data format. As an example, there’s no entrance trunk.
A number of peculiar facets possible mirror the mix of fastened GM structure beneath with Honda’s strategy to controls and data format. As an example, there’s no entrance trunk, which looks like a serious misplaced alternative in a lowish SUV with an extended hood designed to imitate the proportions of an SUV with a giant engine up entrance.
Trims and specs: all beneath $60k
Honda laudably saved arduous controls—knobs and buttons—for a majority of the automobile capabilities. Its middle console has massive cupholders for large bottles or smaller espresso cups, decrease storage, an higher tray, and area on your telephone. However in comparison with the crisply executed cabin of a Civic, the supplies—Honda floor styling over GM underpinnings—can appear a bit chaotic or unfinished.
Three trim ranges are provided: a base EX, a midlevel Touring, and a top-of-the-line Elite. All share similar propulsion methods, whether or not front- or all-wheel drive (a $3,000 choice on EX and Touring, normal on Elite). They’re differentiated largely by trim and look objects and know-how options.
Pricing begins at $48,795 for the EX in FWD type; the AWD EX at $51,795 could also be the very best worth for a lot of patrons. A top-trim Prologue Elite—which provides niceties like perforated leather-based upholstery, heated and cooled entrance seats and heated wheel, 21-inch wheels, a head-up show, and even an AC outlet for rear passengers—is available in at just under the essential $60,000 mark: $59,295. All costs embrace Honda’s obligatory $1,395 supply payment.
We count on the Prologue to search out takers pretty simply amongst its clients who’re EV-curious however would by no means take into account a home model—and should have been underwhelmed by the Toyota bZ4X.
We count on the Prologue to search out takers pretty simply amongst its clients who’re EV-curious however would by no means take into account a home model—and should have been underwhelmed by the Toyota bZ4X.
Cheaper joint EV program: cancelled
So how’s the Honda-GM partnership figuring out? The Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX are presentable, competent and aggressive. However that will not have been sufficient. After 12 to 18 months of GM delay in getting its Ultium automobiles into collection manufacturing—by way of an lack of ability to scale up the automated meeting of battery modules utilizing new gear—in October 2023 Honda canceled plans for a previously-announced second GM partnership to develop more cost effective, extra reasonably priced EVs utilizing next-gen know-how.
In October 2023 Honda canceled plans for a beforehand introduced second GM partnership to develop more cost effective, extra reasonably priced EVs utilizing next-gen know-how.
Simply three months later, Honda introduced that its first automobiles on an internally developed Honda 0 Collection platform will hit the market in 2026, sooner than beforehand anticipated. Prototypes proven embrace a modern Saloon (aka sedan) and a extra boxy Area-Hub van/SUV. The collection was developed utilizing three precepts, stated Honda: skinny, gentle and clever. In Asia and Europe, the corporate has had its subcompoact Honda e three-door hatchback on sale for a couple of years. However with possible US vary underneath 200 miles and a smaller dimension than most Individuals would take into account, that automobile was by no means supposed for North America.
In the meantime, the Prologue and ZDX will symbolize Honda within the mainstream sector for EVs in north America. They’ll possible run no less than by way of 2028—with GM underpinnings, constructed by GM in its personal factories.
Honda’s deal to leap into a brand new phase utilizing one other automaker’s merchandise shouldn’t be all that stunning. College students of auto trade historical past will recall that Honda rebadged an Isuzu Trooper because the Acura SLX, whereas Honda in flip supplied Isuzu with an early era of the Odyssey minivan—which Isuzu relabeled an Oasis and bought for the 1996 by way of 1999 mannequin years. The minivan didn’t assist the smaller Japanese firm, which exited passenger automobiles in 1993 and the US market altogether in January 2009.
It appears protected to recommend GM in all probability received’t undergo that destiny.
This text first appeared in Problem 69: July-September 2024 – Subscribe now.
Honda supplied airfare, lodging and meals to allow Charged to convey you this first-person report.
