The Honda Prologue Forgets Hondas Should Be Fun To Drive

The 2024 Honda Prologue is an all-new, two-row SUV. It’s also an electric vehicle, which is something Honda has done before, but without great success. There was the Clarity sedan, which was discontinued in 2019, and the Honda Fit EV, which disappeared in 2014. That last one made some Honda loyalists upset because removing the gas engine from the zippy little Fit made it far less fun. This time around, Honda went with something entirely new rather than messing with a fan favorite.

The Prologue is a roomy SUV that’s great for family life. A bit larger than the CR-V and more in line size-wise with the Passport, it’s an electric option for those ready to kick combustion engines to the curb. It’s still a bit of a tough sell, however, for a couple of reasons. There’s the usual nervousness many have about switching to an electric vehicle with concerns over driving range and charging speeds, but where the Prologue faces a unique challenge is in the simple fact that it’s a Honda.

What Makes A Honda A Honda?

Honda has a reputation for building a certain kind of vehicle. They aren’t the most affordable options out there, but the slightly higher price point comes with some perks. The interior quality and reliability of a Honda are two of those perks but, especially for smaller vehicles like the Civic, Hondas tend to be fun to drive.

We’re not talking about the Odyssey minivan, which isn’t exactly something you’re going to sling through the corners like you’re an F1 driver, although we’d be game for giving that a try. Still, it’s a fantastic minivan. It’s not winning races, but it is engaging and not a boring vehicle to drive. What we are talking about stuff like the Civic, even in its most base, tamest, least performance-focused form.

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The Joy Of A Souped Up Civic

There’s a reason a souped up Civic is a thing. They’re fun to drive right off the lot, but enthusiasts simply love to have at it with all sorts of modifications to make their Civic look cool, drive better, and drive faster. There’s also Honda’s racing heritage, which currently includes IndyCar, IMSA, SRO, and various off-road races. At its heart, Honda is a performance brand.

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In the move toward electrification, the Prologue is a preview of what’s to come from Honda. It’s nicely designed with an attractive interior that fits in with the rest of the lineup. It has a wide range of features and the right stuff for an EV with a range of up to 296 miles and the ability to DC fast charge from 10 to 80 percent in 35 minutes. Where it falls short is in the fun to drive department.

EVs Can Still Be Fun

Now, to be clear, it’s not horrible to drive. In fact, it was quite nice with a remarkably quiet cabin that kept road and wind noise to a minimum and comfortable seats. There was strong, though not aggressive, acceleration from the 288-horsepower dual-motor Elite trim we drove, and the handling was good. It just wasn’t exactly fun. It’s important to note that the Prologue was produced through a partnership with GM and shares its Ultium platform with the Chevy Blazer EV. It’s not purely a Honda, and we think it shows.

The fact that it’s an EV isn’t the reason why the fun was missing. There are plenty of engaging EVs out there, from high-end models like the Lucid Air to more mainstream options like the Kia EV6 GT. These EVs lose the pesky gas engine, but still have engaging handling and aggressive acceleration that will set your heart racing. They’re fun, and they let you truly enjoy the drive.

The Honda Prologue, as much as we liked it, wasn’t fun. It did the job of getting us from point A to point B comfortably and efficiently. It had an attractive though not remarkable interior. There was plenty of room for cargo with creative storage spots in the center console. It did its job, but nothing more.

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The Path To Electrification

Honda has a goal of being carbon-neutral by 2050 with 100 percent zero emissions for its vehicles globally by 2040. In support of those goals, it has invested $4 billion in its EV hub in Ohio and entered into a joint venture with the Ionna charging network. The path to full electrification includes a mix of powertrains for now, with hybrids coming in strong. In fact, over half of all Accord and CR-Vs it sells are currently hybrid powertrains. Still, electrification is its goal.

The Prologue is an early step on that path, and it’s a good one, but it’s not great. Here’s hoping that Honda doesn’t lose sight of its fun to drive history as it embarks on its electrification journey.