- UPDATE October 7, 2022: Honda Prologue revealed for US-market
- July 31, 2022: 2024 Honda Prologue previewed in new teaser video
- The story to here
- June 29, 2021: Honda reveals Prologue name as next EV model
UPDATE October 7, 2022: Honda Prologue revealed for US-market
Honda has revealed the 2024 Prologue, its first all-electric SUV. The catch is, it’s for the US-market only (at least for now) and rides on a platform co-developed with GM.
The Prologue will be Honda’s second mainstream electric vehicle after the Honda E city car, though the brand will go on to roll out 30 BEVs before the end of the decade.
On-sale in 2024, the Prologue will sit alongside Honda’s Alabama-built three-row Passport SUV that isn’t sold in Australia.
The Honda Prologue measures 4877 millimetres long, 1889mm wide and is considered a midsize SUV in America.
In Australia, the Prologue would compete with the Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorento and Mazda CX-9 that we see as large SUVs. Honda of America has not confirmed the Prologue’s seat count yet.
Honda America expects new-gen CR-V customers to also be interested in the new electric SUV, and is offering shorter lease plans for those vehicles to encourage the transition to BEVs.
Speaking of sizing, the Honda rides on an identical 3094mm wheelbase to the Chevrolet Blazer EV. It will also use GM’s Ultium battery and high-voltage electric technology.
It debuts Honda’s ‘neo-rugged’ design language. At the front, that means a bluff fascia, though around the rear a sloping roofline is reminiscent of the Range Rover Evoque. Instead of the brand’s emblem, the Prologue wears spaced-out Honda lettering at the back.
Inside there are few nods to the 11th-gen Honda Civic, with only the wheel matching. The infotainment appears to be all new, and includes an 11.3-inch touchscreen as well as a 11.0-inch tablet style digital driver’s display.
Physical climate control dials sit below the touchscreen and it appears Honda is leaning into its reinvigorated premium philosophy with two-tone white/grey upholstery and airy cabin.
Further details including power, torque range, and battery size will be revealed in the future.
July 31, 2022: 2024 Honda Prologue previewed in new teaser video
The upcoming 2024 Honda Prologue electric SUV has been teased in a new video.
Developed in partnership with General Motors, the Prologue will launch in the United States in 2024, based on the American giant’s latest Ultium battery technology.
It is currently unknown if the Honda Prologue will arrive in Australia; however, it is expected to be heavily related to the Chevrolet Blazer EV, with a focus on the North American market.
It will compete against the Tesla Model Y, Ford Mustang Mach-E and Volkswagen ID.4, with the battery technology allowing a potential driving range of up to 724 kilometres. This is, of course, dependent on the battery size and other elements, such as aerodynamics.
The designers for the Prologue, speaking in the video released by Honda, have used virtual reality technology, allowing for better collaboration between colleagues in Japan and the United States.
Technical specifications for the 2024 Honda Prologue have not been confirmed, with more details expected in the coming months.
For more information on the partnership between Honda and General Motors, check out our previous coverage below.
The story to here
June 29, 2021: Honda reveals Prologue name as next EV model
Snapshot
- Honda’s next EV to be based on a platform developed with GM
- Fully electric SUV will go on sale in America in 2023
- Unclear if the Prologue will be sold in Australia
Honda has revealed its next fully electric model will be an SUV dubbed Prologue – a handy synonym for the word ‘prelude’, an iconic but now retired badge in the Honda range.
Due to go on sale in 2023 in America, the Japanese manufacturer says its next EV is an important one, which will kick off a new series of volume BEV (battery EV) models for the brand.
The SUV will utilise General Motors’ Ultium Battery packs and sit on a bespoke EV platform jointly developed with GM as part of a strategic alliance between the two automakers, penned in April 2020.
Although still in its infancy, the clever Ultium battery technology has already been utilised in a number of recent GM products such as GMC’s Hummer EV and Cadillac’s Lyriq.
General Motors’ Ultium modular electric platform
Honda claims the Prologue will be a highly competitive product when it goes to market, offering the same level of practicality that’s become synonymous with the brand.
There are no further clues or details about the upcoming EV, although it’s thought the Prologue will most likely fit into the small to medium-size SUV market segment when it does go on sale.
That means it’ll be up against very stiff competition from the likes of Ford’s Mustang Mach-E, Volkswagen’s ID.4, Nissan’s Ariya, and Kia’s EV6.
GMC’s Hummer EV is already using GM’s Ultium battery technology
The Tokyo firm also said the Prologue signifies the brand’s desire to achieve its recently announced mission statement that by 2040, all Honda products in America will be fully electric.
“Our first volume Honda BEV will begin our transition to electrification and the name Honda Prologue signals the role it will play in leading to our zero-emission future,” Dave Gardner, executive vice president of American Honda, said.
“The Prologue will provide our customers with a battery-electric SUV with the excellent functionality and packaging they’ve come to expect from Honda.”
The Japanese firm has already started its EV manufacturing program with models like the funky Honda E
Honda’s greener pastures aren’t just reserved to the US market, though – the carmaker recently said it will target carbon-neutrality for all of its products and corporate activities by 2050.
It’s unknown at this stage if the Prologue will be coming to Australia. Wheels has reached out to Honda Australia for more information, and we’ll update this story when it becomes available.
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