As a seasoned auto repair expert and content creator for obd2global.com, I’ve had my fair share of experiences with vehicles across the spectrum. The 2024 Honda Prologue, Honda’s highly anticipated entry into the electric SUV market, has been generating significant buzz. However, after a thorough evaluation, it pains me to report that the Prologue, particularly in its top-tier Elite trim, falls considerably short of expectations. This isn’t just a minor misstep; it’s a glaring disappointment that raises serious questions about Honda’s EV strategy and execution.
My initial assessment of the Honda Prologue revealed alarming concerns regarding its build quality – ranking it among the poorest in new vehicles I’ve recently tested. This is not a matter of minor imperfections; we’re talking about fundamental issues surfacing in a car with barely any miles on the odometer. Such early onset problems do not inspire confidence in the vehicle’s long-term durability and environmental sustainability, hinting at a potentially short lifespan before becoming, as I’d put it, a “lithium paperweight.”
Image alt text: Front three quarter view of a North Shore Pearl 2024 Honda Prologue AWD Elite showcasing its exterior design.
The core issue isn’t the electric powertrain itself, but rather the Prologue’s overall mediocrity, especially considering its premium price tag. It’s crucial to remember that this vehicle is not entirely Honda’s creation. Built upon a Chevrolet platform and utilizing a GM propulsion system, the Prologue’s DNA is shared with General Motors. Honda vehicles are typically synonymous with reliability and robust construction. Therefore, the blame for this underwhelming product may very well lie with General Motors and their Chevrolet platform, which forms the foundation of this questionable attempt at an electric vehicle. If you think my critique is overly critical, the following detailed observations will likely change your perspective.
Interior Quality and Design Flaws: A Closer Look
When you’re considering spending around $60,000 on a new car, certain standards are not just expected, they are demanded. The Honda Prologue’s interior, unfortunately, fails to meet even basic expectations for this price range. The sheer cheapness of materials and questionable build quality are immediately apparent. Instead of simply listing complaints, I’ve compiled a video walkthrough highlighting the most egregious issues within the Prologue’s cabin:
Video Tour: Inside the Disappointing 2024 Honda Prologue
[Embed Video Here – Ideally, create a short video showcasing the interior flaws mentioned in the article, if possible. Since I cannot create video, I’ll continue with text descriptions.]
The plastic used throughout the center console and door panels is shockingly subpar. It’s not merely “budget-car” grade; it evokes memories of economy cars from over a decade ago – think of a 2000s-era budget compact car. This is arguably the worst plastic material I’ve encountered in any recent new vehicle, and it’s incredibly susceptible to scratches and damage. This plastic, prevalent throughout the interior, already exhibited wear and tear reminiscent of a vehicle with years of use, despite being in a virtually new test car. Adding insult to injury, the interior suffered from noticeable rattles, further undermining the perceived quality of this brand-new vehicle.
Image alt text: Close-up of the 2024 Honda Prologue interior, focusing on the low-quality plastic materials used on the center console and door panel.
Further compounding the interior woes, the steering wheel design presents significant ergonomic issues. While the metal inlays may appear upscale at first glance, their placement is poorly conceived. For drivers who prefer the 9 and 3 hand positions, these metal accents intrude into the palm area, causing discomfort. Moreover, these metal sections become excessively cold in winter and are likely to become unbearably hot during summer months. Their wide and intrusive design makes them difficult to avoid, particularly for drivers with larger hands.
And it doesn’t end there. The tailgate operation is accompanied by an unusually loud and mechanical clunk upon closing, followed by a series of unsettling noises that suggest a malfunction. This is unlike anything I’ve experienced in modern vehicles, raising concerns about the long-term durability of the tailgate mechanism.
The front seats are another point of contention. Even for my average build (5’10”, 160 lbs), they felt undersized and unsupportive, akin to a child’s car seat or something designed without adult ergonomics in mind. The bolsters are inadequate, failing to provide lateral support during even mild cornering, causing the driver to slide around. It’s a stark contrast to the typical Honda focus on driver comfort and support.
Image alt text: Interior shot highlighting the front seats of the 2024 Honda Prologue, emphasizing their shallow bolsters and lack of support.
Infotainment and Controls: Unintuitive and Frustrating
The centrally located infotainment display is reasonably straightforward in its basic functions but suffers from peculiar design choices. A particularly baffling example is the behavior of the seek button in satellite radio mode. After the first press, the button inexplicably shifts its position on the screen. This means drivers must divert their attention from the road simply to perform a channel change – a fundamental operation made unnecessarily complex. Why a seek button would dynamically relocate on the screen is beyond logical comprehension.
The steering wheel volume controls are positioned awkwardly behind the right-hand spoke, requiring a period of familiarization. On the left side, a lever provides access to increased regenerative braking. However, this lever only offers a single level of regen and doesn’t cycle through different regen settings. Adjusting regen levels requires navigating to a small icon on the central touchscreen – a completely unintuitive separation of closely related functions.
Image alt text: A detailed view of the infotainment system in the 2024 Honda Prologue, pointed out as unintuitive and frustrating to use.
Another ergonomic misstep is the placement of wiper controls on the same stalk as turn signals and high beams. Two rotary switches manage front and rear wipers. This design choice, seemingly made to accommodate the PRND stalk on the right, results in overly complex wiper operation. Simple tasks like activating windshield wipers require precise manipulation of small switches, demanding a significant learning curve. Wiper controls, traditionally user-friendly, are inexplicably complicated in the Prologue. In fact, during my initial nighttime drive in rainy conditions, the unilluminated icons on the stalk left me completely unable to locate and activate the wipers – a first-time experience in my years of driving countless vehicles.
Image alt text: The rear seating area of the 2024 Honda Prologue, illustrating the legroom and general space available for passengers.
Exterior Aesthetics: A Minor Redemption
In the Prologue’s favor, its exterior styling is reasonably appealing. It adopts a conventional SUV silhouette, avoiding the polarizing or unconventional designs seen in some EV competitors like the Toyota bZ4X. While personal preferences may vary regarding wheel designs and color choices, the Prologue presents an overall handsome and inoffensive aesthetic.
Image alt text: The front interior cabin of the 2024 Honda Prologue Elite, showing the dashboard layout and overall front passenger space.
Battery, Range, and Performance: Underwhelming Figures
Equipped with a substantial 85 kWh battery utilizing GM’s Ultium architecture and a dual-motor setup, the Prologue boasts a combined output of 288 horsepower and a claimed range of 273 miles. Initial acceleration from a standstill is brisk and responsive, particularly at lower speeds. However, above 50 mph, acceleration noticeably diminishes, making highway passing maneuvers require careful planning. The 0-60 mph time of 5.5 seconds might suggest decent performance, but in real-world driving scenarios, especially at highway speeds, the Prologue feels far from quick.
Image alt text: Side profile of the 2024 Honda Prologue in North Shore Pearl, showcasing its SUV body style and wheel design.
The EPA-estimated range of 273 miles proved to be significantly optimistic in real-world testing. In moderate November weather conditions with occasional heater use and mixed driving, the actual range plummeted to a disappointing 220 miles. The vehicle’s energy consumption averaged a mere 2.4 miles per kWh, classifying it as one of the least efficient EVs I’ve evaluated. This efficiency falls considerably short of competitors like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and VW ID.4. Furthermore, despite being a recent EV release, the Prologue lacks compatibility with ultra-fast 350 kW chargers, resulting in longer charging times compared to some rivals.
Driving Dynamics: A Bland Experience
Honda vehicles are typically known for engaging driving dynamics, offering a more connected feel than comparable models from Toyota or Hyundai. The Prologue, however, deviates from this established strength, delivering a remarkably uninspiring and detached driving experience. While the steering is direct, the vehicle feels cumbersome and unwieldy, exacerbated by thick A-pillars that impede visibility at intersections. The ride quality is acceptable, and highway noise levels are subdued, but the Prologue lacks the characteristic Honda driving enthusiasm. Ironically, a subsequent test drive of a Toyota bZ4X, another EV often criticized for its blandness, felt comparatively more engaging and responsive than the Prologue, particularly in terms of higher-speed acceleration.
Image alt text: Driver’s perspective inside the 2024 Honda Prologue Elite interior, focusing on the steering wheel and dashboard.
Conclusion: A Prologue to Disappointment
As its name implies, the Prologue is intended to be Honda’s introductory chapter in its electric vehicle narrative. However, if this were a book, I wouldn’t proceed beyond the prologue. The 2024 Honda Prologue, in my assessment, serves as the introduction, main body, and conclusion – all culminating in a resounding “do not recommend.” Its subpar build quality, underwhelming driving dynamics, and questionable value proposition make it a significant misstep for Honda.
Initially, I considered Honda’s decision to base the Prologue on a GM platform as a sign of laziness or lack of commitment to EV development. However, a different perspective emerges: perhaps Honda is strategically minimizing its investment in EVs, anticipating market challenges and potential financial losses associated with early EV adoption. By leveraging an existing platform, Honda might be hedging its bets, ensuring a presence in the EV market without substantial independent development costs. This could be a pragmatic, albeit cynical, approach. Regardless of Honda’s underlying strategy, the 2024 Prologue is a vehicle to skip. It’s a story borrowed from someone else, and unfortunately, it’s not a compelling one. To paraphrase a popular sentiment, “I think I’ve seen this film before, and I didn’t like the ending.”
2024 Honda Prologue AWD Elite Specifications:
Price as-tested: $59,750
Pros: Decent exterior styling
Cons: Abysmal build quality, overpriced
Key Specifications:
- Powertrain:
- Dual-motor all-wheel drive
- Combined Output: 288 hp, 333 lb-ft torque
- 85 kWh Ultium Lithium-ion Battery
- 150 kW Max DC Fast Charging
- Performance:
- EPA Estimated Range: 273 miles
- Max Towing Capacity: 1,500 lbs
- Dimensions:
- Wheelbase: 121.8 inches
- Length: 192.0 inches
- Width: 78.3 inches
- Height: 65.2 inches
- Ground Clearance: 8.1 inches
- Estimated Weight: 5,273 lbs
- Cargo Capacity: 23.7 cu.ft. (seats up) / 54.5 cu.ft. (seats down)
More 2024 Honda Prologue Images:
Image alt text: Front exterior view of the 2024 Honda Prologue AWD Elite, showing grille and headlight design.
Image alt text: Side exterior view of the 2024 Honda Prologue in North Shore Pearl paint color, highlighting its SUV proportions.
Image alt text: Interior of the 2024 Honda Prologue Elite, focusing on the dashboard, steering wheel, and infotainment screen.
Image alt text: Rear seats of the Honda Prologue, showcasing the legroom and seat design from a passenger perspective.
Image alt text: Front seats of the 2024 Honda Prologue Elite, seen from the driver’s viewpoint, highlighting seat material and bolsters.
Image alt text: Rear exterior of the Honda Prologue, emphasizing the taillights and model badge.
Thank you for reading this 2024 Honda Prologue Review from obd2global.com. Stay tuned for more in-depth and unbiased car reviews.
