First look: Meet the Prologue, Honda’s first electric SUV

Honda has shown off the exterior and interior of the Prologue electric SUV, the first EV that will spring from its joint venture with General Motors.

And it’s quite a big sucker, with a wheelbase beyond three metres and an overall length of nearly 4.9 metres. That comfortably puts Australia’s best-selling electric SUV, the Tesla Model Y, in the shade.

Based on GM’s Ultium tech, the Prologue will launch in 2024 to sit above the CR-V and alongside the North America-only Passport ICE SUVs in the line-up.

Sadly, there seems little chance of Prologue coming to Australia in the foreseeable future, with Honda’s local arm focussed on hybrids.

Honda already has the funky e on sale in Europe and Japan and the e:NP1 and e:NS1 in China, but the Prologue will be the first EV it will sell in North America.

In this latest of what will surely be  a long series of drip-feed media drops leading up to the launch of the Prologue, its ‘neo-rugged’ exterior and interior styling developed at Honda’s LA design studio were unveiled.

Honda has also explained how it plans to flow ICE buyers into its EVs going forward – something shaping up to be a challenge and opportunity for all car makers.

But little of the tech story was revealed. Riding on the Ultium architecture, powertrain and battery system used by GM models such as the Chevrolet Blazer means the Prologue should be capable of offering more than 500km of range.

Honda has confirmed the Prologue will be available with all-wheel drive. But Ultium also offers front- and rear-wheel drive capability.

It rides on a long 3094mm wheelbase (exactly the same as the Blazer) and is 4877mm long, 1989mm wide and 1644mm high. Honda says interior space is “generous” and “ample” without providing specifics. Given the key measures it should be. Honda did not say if the Prologue would be offered with a third row of seats.

Prologue exterior design features include a panoramic sunroof, 21-inch wheels and nod to the Honda e in the bluff front fascia. On the rear the Honda ‘H’ logo is replaced by the full name.

Inside the Prologue has a fully digital driver display and 11.3-inch infotainment screen. Judging by the photos, some of the controls and componentry appear to be from the GM parts bin.

Honda says it will entice customers from the latest CR-V Hybrid – due on sale in Australia in 2023 – into the Prologue by offering a shorter two-year lease that will enable an easier transition to full BEV power in 2024.

“We are not going to wait until 2024 to attract EV buyers, because we see a natural progression for a CR-V customer to Prologue with its slightly larger size, larger interior and capable handling,” said Gary Robinson, vice president, automobile planning and strategy at American Honda.

“We will support that transition now by putting smart strategies in place with the CR-V hybrid, that will enable our customers to transition to an EV.”

Honda has committed to a global carbon neutrality goal by 2050 and is planning the introduction of 30 new EVs by 2030.

The Prologue will be twinned in North America with a model from its Acura prestige brand called the ZDX that also launches in 2024.

In 2026 they will be followed by EVs based on Honda’s own e:Architecture. The following year a new series of affordable EVs co-developed with GM will be rolled out.