Honda's first North American EV is ready

Honda knows what U.S. buyers like: crossovers. So it makes perfect sense that the company chose a crossover SUV configuration for its first “mainstream” U.S.-market EV, the 2024 Prologue. The company's not postulating about how many Prologues it might sell annually once its new EV, co-developed with GM, goes on sale in early 2024. But Honda sold more than 350,000 CR-V crossovers in 2022, which left little doubt Honda wasn't going to take any chances regarding the bodystyle for its first North American mass-market EV.

The Prologue's smooth and rounded sheetmetal is pleasant but cautious (Honda calls it “neo-rugged”) - and like many current EVs from volume automakers such as Hyundai (Ioniq 5) and Volkswagen (ID.4), it's lowish-roof profile stretches the definition of “SUV,” or even crossover. At an overall height of 64.7 in. (1643 mm), the 2024 Prologue seems noticeably lower, for example, than an all-wheel-drive CR-V's height of 66.5 in. (1689 mm).