First Full-Electric Honda SUV
Honda, one of the pioneering brands in the hybrid vehicle space, has just revealed its first full-electric SUV, the Prologue. An all-new, all-electric model, the Prologue is similar in size to the gasoline-powered Honda Passport. It will sit above the CR-V Hybrid in terms of price and size, and offers a natural upgrade path to full electrification for hybrid drivers.
A clean and modern design, Prologue will feel at home in showrooms alongside existing gasoline and hybrid Honda SUVs. The Prologue will have a wheelbase of 121.8-inches, and is thus about 8 inches longer and 5 inches wider than the recently-introduced 2023 Honda CR-V.
Thanks to being built on an all-new, dedicated electric platform in collaboration with General Motors, Prologue has a remarkably spacious interior, providing ample space for passengers and cargo.
“Neo-Rugged” Aesthetics
Honda’s U.S. design team, based in Los Angeles, led the interior and exterior styling of the new SUV. The young team of designers created a modern and fresh SUV, with clean and simple surfacing – “neo-rugged” was the name given to its design direction. The timeless shape has a strong stance thanks to its long wheelbase, wide track, and 21-inch wheels, while a large panoramic glass roof and a front fascia influenced by the Honda e city car give it a high-tech look.
The first photos show a distinctive North Shore Pearl exterior color which was inspired by the natural beauty and colors around Lake Tahoe in California. Fresh fallen snow on the mountains also inspired the exclusive charcoal and light gray interior. Up front, drivers face a fully-digital 11-inch instrument cluster as well as an 11.3-inch infotainment display.
Shared Technology with General Motors
The all-new Honda Prologue, as well as a yet-to-be named Acura SUV, will actually be built in collaboration with General Motors for sale in North America. Prologue leverages batteries from GM’s state-of-the-art Ultium project, which is also the foundation for the Cadillac Lyriq and other GM products. Partnering with GM has helped Honda reduce overall costs, allowing the Prologue and the products that follow to remain affordable and price-competitive with equivalent gasoline vehicles in their classes.
“We announced a plan two years ago to co-develop an electric vehicle with GM. What will result is not just a more efficient process, but a great looking new vehicle, the Honda Prologue,” said Mamadou Diallo, vice president of Auto Sales, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “Our dealers are excited about Prologue and the fact that it is just the first volume Honda EV, with more Honda engineered EVs we will begin building in North America coming to market in 2026.”
An Ideal Upgrade for Hybrid SUV Drivers
Well-positioned in the Honda lineup, the Prologue will offer both two- and all-wheel drive, targeting active customers who want the versatility of an SUV with the zero-emissions benefit of a battery electric vehicle. The company sees it as a natural progression from vehicles like the CR-V Hybrid, as customers grow more accustomed to electrified driving, and also start to need more space and performance.
Indeed, the company’s research shows that hybrid customers are among the first to move into full-electric products. The new 2023 CR-V is estimated to be 50% hybrid sales, and Honda will actually offer shorter-term two-year leases in U.S. states that have zero-emissions mandates. This means that customers in markets such as California can drive a hybrid now, and easily transition into the electric Prologue.
Expect the first Prologues to hit American roads in early 2024, and the company will reveal technical details and pricing closer to that on-sale date.
