by Rich Taber
It would be easy to jump to the conclusion that the all-new 2024 Honda Prologue and its platform mate, the 2024 Acura ZDX are essentially variations of the same mid size SUV. Both are all-electric vehicles co-developed with General Motors utilizing the automaker’s Ultium battery platform and BEV3 architecture, and they do share many features.
Take a step back, though. While the Prologue and the ZDX do tend to look somewhat similar – especially if you squint – there are enough differences to accept their individualities. That’s particularly true if you compare their top-end trims – the Prologue Elite and the ZDX Type S.
Prologue Elite (bottom)
The Road Ahead
RPM News Weekly recently had the opportunity to test drive both models during a Honda sponsored road trip that took us to upstate New York to a hamlet appropriately named Accord (local pronunciation is apparently a bit different than the pronunciation of the well-known Honda vehicle). I drove there on a Monday in the Prologue Elite, some 250 miles or so. (More on that in a bit.)
Then, after a nights rest, I gathered with a group of journalists and fashionistas on Tuesday to bop around the mountain roads in variants of both the Prologue Elite and ZDX Type S, as well as a new 2025 Civic Hybrid. In between drives there was a unique Motocompacto motorbike from Honda to try out around the parking area, too.
On Wednesday after breakfast, I loaded myself and travel bag into a cosmic black ZDX Type S fitted with summer performance tires and headed home on an alternative route that included a lengthy stretch of rigorous driving along mountainous backroads west of the Hudson River.
One thing that became clearly evident to me after those three days is that either one of these vehicles makes long distance travel in an EV not only practical, but enjoyable, too. Just saying that seems totally corny to me at this stage of EV development. I’m certainly not the first one to take an EV on a long road trip, nor was this my first such adventure. It’s just that it still seems that the idea has to be constantly reinforced that a long trip in an EV actually can be accomplished. There is so much range anxiety still at large in the public mind.
Anyway, Honda/Acura have certainly made long road trips easier with these two models. The Prologue Elite AWD has an EPA estimated range of 273 miles, while the ZDX Type S is rated at 278 miles.
On The Road
When I started out Monday afternoon on the above described road trip, the charge in the scarlett red metallic Prologue Elite that I would drive had been almost fully topped off, so the 238 mile route I had mapped out to Accord, NY would leave me with 35 miles (estimated) available at the end if I didn’t charge up somewhere on the way. My contact at Honda suggested charging up in Kingston, NY just before I got to Accord, so that the vehicle would be ready to go in the morning for test drives in the mountains.
I could have driven to Kingston, NY to charge up as planned, but I encountered rain in the Berkshires and thought it was prudent to charge up sooner since rain always eats up fuel more quickly no matter if it’s gasoline or electric. So, I diverted to Albany which added some miles (as well as time) to the trip, but kept me in my comfort zone for making the journey without unnecessary stress because of the weather.
The onboard Google Assistant technology, a first for Honda, made the whole process of redirecting to Albany and finding a charger very easy, and it even preconditioned the battery so that charging went a bit faster. In the end I arrived in Accord with 141 miles remaining on the charge.
The next day, once everyone began driving loops in the nearby countryside, I first took a turn as passenger in a grey Prologue Elite. My driver was a journalist from WAPA, (Washington, D.C. Area Press Association). Having the passenger perspective gave me a better chance to evaluate some of the onboard features and discover what I missed in the details while focused on driving the day before.
Two important things came from that: 1) the faint whoop, whoop I had been hearing at below 24 mph on my drive the day before was not isolated to the vehicle I had been driving. It’s a sound the vehicle automatically generates to alert pedestrians of the oncoming EV since it makes very little noise while in motion; 2) the reason I couldn’t find a physical switch to control the exterior lights is because the control is on the center touchscreen display at the top.
Also, it turns out that Prologue’s 11.3-inch center display and basically the entire center console climate and accessories controls are virtually identical to that in the ZDX (minus some minor stylistic changes).
The ride, however, even though smooth and comfortable as I had learned the day before, was clearly not as luxurious as what I would find in the ZDX Type S. Not anything to complain about for sure, and definitely competitive with its peers in the segment at its price point, but as I soon discovered in the ZDX Type S, it’s a whole different world.
Not only is the drive quieter in the ZDX (unless you’ve turned on the artificial performance noise), the whole experience is managed better whether it’s the suspension, steering or braking. Here’s why according to Acura.
“ZDX Type S is the best-performing Acura SUV ever, with a dual-motor all-wheel drive system delivering nearly 500 horsepower, 6-piston Brembo front brakes, air suspension and adaptive dampers.” ~ Acura Media
Make that 499 horsepower and 544 lb.-ft. of torque to be exact. Even the entry-level ZDX A-Spec RWD trim kicks, offering up 358 horsepower and 324 lb.-ft. of torque.
Meanwhile, output in the Prologue Elite checks in at a respectable 288 horsepower with its dual motor AWD system. EX and Touring trims come standard with a FWD setup that provides 212 hp and 236 lb.-ft. of torque. Good but definitely not in ZDX territory.
A couple more things that pop out if you go side by side down their respective Monroney stickers. With the ZDX Type S, Acura introduces hands-free driver assistance technology to its lineup. Called AcuraWatch 360+, it comes standard on the ZDX Type S and includes 36 months of free service but will ultimately require an OnStar subscription. Also, the ZDX’s 18 speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system delivers a sound experience that the Prologue’s 12-speaker Bose system can’t match.
My drive back home in the ZDX Type S with performance tires only solidified my earlier observations. Driving along steep mountain roads for the first twenty miles or so offered an exciting range of handling challenges including switchbacks, blind turns, quick speed variations, a one lane bridge overpass and a few speed-tempting open stretches. The ZDX Type S proved to be a good friend throughout.
Having started out from Accord with a nearly full charge and taking a very non-direct route that wound through Poughkeepsie, down the Taconic Parkway, across Connecticut to Hartford then northeast to the Mass Turnpike, I managed to get to within 60 miles of home when I figured it was advisable to charge up. No fuss – Google Assistant found me a fast charger on the way, I just plugged in, charged up, and drove away twenty minutes later.
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