Honda Prologue Quietly Wins Over New Patrons

Join day by day information updates from CleanTechnica on electronic mail. Or comply with us on Google Information!

Honda has delivered about 13,000 of its Prologue electrical SUVs in America since September 30. That’s not sufficient to fret Tesla, nevertheless it is sufficient to make the Prologue the fifth finest promoting electrical automobile within the US — a formidable efficiency for a automobile that’s new to the market. What are the explanations for its success? Bloomberg suggests it’s partly as a result of two thirds of Honda SUV drivers within the US commerce of their automobile for one more Honda. “It’s an iPhone-like degree of loyalty seldom seen within the brutal enterprise of creating and promoting automobiles — and it’s enabled the automaker’s first electrical automobile to rapidly reduce into Tesla’s supremacy by interesting to loyal Honda clients who’ve been ready for an reasonably priced different to the Tesla Mannequin Y from their favourite automobile model,” Bloomberg says.

At Paragon Honda in Queens, New York, the gasoline-powered CR-V is usually the highest vendor within the Honda lineup, in line with finance supervisor Larry Abreu. In September, the dealership moved one Prologue for each three CR-Vs, partially as a result of a stack of incentives made them nearly the identical value. “There’s simply a lot worth, it’s exhausting to move up,” Abreu defined.

A lot of the Prologue’s draw lies in simply how unremarkable it’s. Its beginning value earlier than incentives or fancier choices like all-wheel drive is $47,400 — $400 lower than the typical market worth of all US automobiles in September, in line with Bloomberg Intelligence. In contrast to many EVs, the Prologue’s efficiency will set nobody’s hair on hearth, nevertheless it does characteristic considerate and elevated particulars of the type Honda clients have come to like. There’s an enormous storage bin underneath the middle console, a large sunroof, a supersized smartphone charging pad and a rash of buttons and knobs as an alternative of the touchscreen hunt and peck that’s typical of the Tesla driving expertise.

In contrast to most Hondas, nevertheless, the Prologue will skip the fuel station and, for essentially the most half, the mechanic. EVs, which don’t want oil modifications or air filters, require nearly $1,000 much less to keep up yearly than related gasoline-powered fashions, in line with AAA. Honda is already probably the most dependable auto manufacturers, and including a brand new automobile to the lineup that’s much more dependable is a nifty engineering trick. When requested why they selected a Prologue, Honda patrons cited belief within the model adopted by worth, in line with firm spokeswoman Natalie Kumaratne. In actual fact, nearly two thirds of Prologue patrons have owned a Honda earlier than and almost 80% have by no means owned an EV. Model loyalty is robust amongst Honda house owners.

Mike Eppink traded in his 2022 Honda Pilot — a full-size SUV — for the Prologue, partially to save cash on fuel. His 14-year-old son performs baseball, and shuttling to and from practices and video games was costing $250 a month. “I like the place the electrical automobiles are going they usually’re actually not that costly as soon as you actually look into the numbers,” Eppink instructed Bloomberg. “Our month-to-month fee went up a bit, however with the fuel financial savings, mentally, we nonetheless really feel like we’re saving.”

Reviewing The Honda Prologue

Autoblog contributor Nathan Adlennov take a look at drove a Honda Prologue just lately. He writes that it’s designed for each street journeys and day by day driving, but feels surprisingly acquainted. “I have to say that the Honda Prologue is one among my favorites among the many Ultium household. Sure, even among the many sportier ZDX, Lyriq, Blazer, and so forth, I really feel just like the Honda is a stable participant. A part of that has to do with the aesthetics, which I like, however the remaining relies on its total efficiency.” The twin-motor Prologue has an EPA vary of 273 miles whereas the single-motor model is rated at 296 miles. Each are outfitted with an 85 kW battery. The Prologue will likely be outfitted with a NACS charging port starting subsequent 12 months. Till then, house owners can use Tesla Superchargers with an adapter.

The Prologue relies on the GM Ultium platform and assembled on the Spring Hill manufacturing facility in Tennessee alongside the Cadillac Lyriq. It’s mechanically a digital twin to the Chevy Blazer EV, which is in-built Mexico. In his assessment, Adlennov was impressed by the looks of the Prologue. “It’s glossy, and uncomplicated, but fashionable and stylish. I do know the appears are subjective, however I additionally know many journalists who agree with me,” he wrote. “Talking of the trip high quality, it’s, in my estimation, the perfect trade-off of any of its platform mates. It’s no Acura NSX, nevertheless it has good grip. It’s very effectively suited to a peaceful commute and comfy trip.” Isn’t that what most individuals need?

Honda designed a majority of this automobile to feel and look distinctive, he stated. “The general inside design is usually Honda so whenever you sit down behind the steering wheel, it positive doesn’t really feel like a Blazer EV. Inside supplies, using comfortable, injected molded rubbers, leather-based, and high quality plastics look nice. The driving force’s 11 inch gauge cluster appears considerably distinctive too because it’s separated from the opposite display. GM connects their screens in a single bezel. The 11.3 inch infotainment display measurement is exclusive to the Prologue, as is their Apple CarPlay system. That is one thing GM EVs don’t provide, which I discover odd.” One-pedal driving is included within the Prologue, a characteristic that appeals to most drivers as soon as they expertise it for themselves. He ends his assessment this fashion. “This can be a stable, comfy, and straightforward to reside with EV. To say it’s a reliable day by day driver that has good street manners could be spot on. [Honda] really dialed within the suspension tuning for folk who drive lots.”

The Takeaway

What stands out from the Autoblog assessment is how completely regular the Honda Prologue is. When Tesla debuted its first automobile, the Mannequin S, it didn’t simply current a battery-powered automobile, it launched the “pc on wheels” idea that did away with most of the conventional controls individuals had been used to of their vehicles. Right here had been automobiles that would play movies or placed on mild reveals at Christmas or the Fourth of July. Instantly all of the controls had been present in menus on a touchscreen. That thrilled some however flummoxed others.

We suspect one of many issues in regards to the Prologue that appeals to Honda loyalists is that they really feel comfy driving it instantly. They don’t want video tutorials to know the right way to function it. There’s a consolation issue that comes from familiarity. The Prologue appears regular, in and out, and that may be a good factor for a lot of drivers. Suffice to say the brand new electrical SUV from Honda is evolutionary slightly than revolutionary. That as a lot as the rest could also be a big think about its early gross sales success.

Honda has been constructing automobiles in America for a really very long time and has discovered lots about what American tastes. Relatively than a pointy break with the previous, Honda has poured all that previous expertise into the Prologue and created a automobile that appeals to its buyer base. The truth that it’s powered by a battery as an alternative of a gasoline engine is secondary. Maybe that’s the way it must be. And but, Honda has stepped away from its partnership with GM and plans to construct its future EVs itself. Might Prologue be greater than only a nice identify for a brand new mannequin from Honda? Might it even be a marker laid down by the corporate that implies the trail it intends to comply with on the best way to the electrical automobile future? “We’ll see,” stated the Zen grasp.