2025 Honda Prologue AWD Elite - Review by David Colman

David Colman

Photos and Story by David Colman
Special Correspondent
THE AUTO CHANNEL

Almost every weekend from April through September, Honda and Chevrolet battle each other for Indycar supremacy at race circuits across the United States. By mid-season this year Honda had claimed every victory to date, including the most prestigious trophy of all, the 2025 Indy 500. Yet behind the scenes, these race track 'frenemies' have joined forces to market electric vehicles that all share the same basic platform. Designed by GM, the Ultium platform, serves as the foundation for a wide variety of GM EVs, including GMC's Hummer EV, Cadillac's Lyriq, and Chevy's Blazer, Equinox and Silverado. The Ultium also underpins Honda's Prologue as well as Acura's ZDX. Over the past year, we've had the opportunity to test the 2024 and 2025 Honda Prologue SUVs. If you're interested in owning a family oriented EV, the 2025 Prologue is well worth a look.

We recently test drove the top model in the 2025 Prologue line, the All Wheel Drive Elite. which retails for $57,900, a price that has not increased since last year. The difference is that for 2025, the dual motored Prologue Elite enjoys a significant power and range upgrade. Thanks to an uprated front electric motor, the 300hp Elite makes 12hp more than last year's 288hp version. The upgrade also increases torque output to 355 lb.-ft., a useful 25lb.-ft. boost over the '24 package. Even more importantly, motor upgrades have resulted in a 10 mile EPA range increase for the Elite, to 283 miles. Honda suggests that all versions of the Prologue currently qualify for the U.S. $7,500 EV Federal Tax Credit, which reduces your buy-in cost for the Elite to $50,400. But the Federal Rebate will expire on September 30, 2025.

Honda also offers a $500 "Installation Credit" for a Level 2 Home Charging Center Station. This benefit would drop home installation to about $1,000, depending on site requirements. As a final incentive, Honda offers a $100 EVgo Charging Credit to new Prologue buyers.

While Chevy offers comparable versions of their Blazer EV for slightly less money than Honda's Prologue, Blazers are not available with wireless Apple CarPlay or AndroidAuto compatibility, conveniences which are standard on all grades of Prologue. Honda's remodel of the Blazer is particularly adept at making gas and hybrid-oriented drivers feel at home when operating this EV. Its external appearance is bereft of those annoying stylistic oddities so common to EV design. So you won't see this Honda branded with LEGO-like flat-faced wheels, or light bars encircling the beltline of the vehicle. Rather, the Elite is a conservatively packaged, buttoned-down SUV. It's firmly planted on a ubiquitous looking set of piano black 21-inch alloy rims, which mount 275/45R21 Bridgestone Alenza A/S 02 Enliten radials. These tires grip the pavement with authority.

The interior of the Elite matches the inconspicuous exterior with handsome leather-trimmed front seats that look good and proved quite comfortable thanks to 10-way power adjustments for the driver, and 6-way power tuning for the passenger. Both front seats are also heated and ventilated. A high G-load freeway off-ramp proved, however, that could do with a bit more lateral support. When you opt for the Elite trim level, Honda provides a head-up display for the driver, a Rear Pedestrian Alert and a Surround Vision System using a 360-degree camera. Bose provides the Elite with a 12-speaker Premium Audio System, which provides an optimal way to experience the 3-month free trial subscription to SiriusXM satellite radio. Compared to Honda's landmark SUV, the CR-V, the Prologue's is much more spacious: 8 inch longer wheelbase, 5 inch width increase. This upsizing makes the Prologue cabin feel luxuriously spacious and livable. The storage area behind the second row measures 24 cubic feet. With the rear seats collapsed storage area increases to 55 cubic feet. The resultant flat floor, combined with extra wide (44 inch) space between the rear wheel wells, afforded me plenty of room insert and remove my mountain bike.

As far as EVs go, the Prologue AWD Elite is a model citizen. It offers good looks inside and out, and plenty of power and torque (0-60mp in 5.9 seconds; S.S. 1/4 mile in 14.8 seconds at 93mph). Best of all, it provides a decent SUV experience, with all of the niceties you'd expect from a gasoline-fueled car and none of the stylistic excesses that plague current EV designs. Now, if only the EV recharging infrastructure could catch up with the demand for these vehicles, the Prologue would have a sure path to success. Right now, that path is often blocked by intolerably long recharging lines. Unfortunately, the end to that roadblock is not currently in sight.

2025 HONDA PROLOGUE AWD ELITE
• Motors: Front and rear permanent magnet synchronous AC
• Combined Power: 288hp
• Combined Torque: 333lb.-ft.
• Fuel Economy: 99 MPGe City/84 Highway
• Range: 283 Miles
• PRICE AS TESTED: $59,750

HYPES: Uprated Power and Range

GRIPES: Vestigial GM design shortcomings inside Cabin

EV STAR RATING: 9 Stars out of 10

©2025 David E Colman