Honda Prologue vs Chevrolet Bolt

The 2024 Honda Prologue presented a design that was refreshingly close to a conventional vehicle, making it blend seamlessly into everyday traffic. Available in a variety of colours, the Prologue's exterior was understated, with a smooth black panel at the front featuring the iconic Honda "H" logo. This design choice highlighted the absence of traditional air cooling needs. Personalization options like skid plates and side cladding allowed owners to add a rugged touch. The Prologue's elongated body, longer than the Honda Passport but lower in height, gave it a unique silhouette, accentuated by large wheels and a new font for the Honda name on the rear. Inside, the Touring trim offered a sophisticated yet familiar interior, with a layout reminiscent of other Honda models. The use of piano black plastic and upholstery material across the dash provided a touch of elegance, while the interior colour options were limited to black on black in Canada.

In contrast, the 2027 Chevrolet Bolt maintained a familiar appearance with minimal styling changes, resembling a traditional gas-powered vehicle more than an EV. The front end featured a thin slot behind the Chevy Bowtie logo, and the grille was integrated into the bumper. The Bolt's tall and narrow stance prioritized utility and interior space, with the RS model adding subtle gloss black trim for a hint of flair. Inside, the Bolt underwent a more significant transformation, boasting a larger digital instrument panel and infotainment touchscreen. The push-button gear selector was relocated to the steering column, freeing up space in the centre console. Despite the dominance of hard plastic surfaces, the Bolt's interior offered practical storage solutions and comfortable seating, with the RS trim featuring Evotex synthetic leather and red stitching for a sportier feel.

The 2024 Honda Prologue, available exclusively with all-wheel drive in Canada, delivered a robust performance with its dual-motor setup producing 288 horsepower and 333 lb-ft of torque. The Touring trim, equipped with 21-inch wheels, offered a range of 439 kilometres, while the EX and EX-L trims with 19-inch wheels extended the range to 452 kilometres. Honda emphasized maintaining its signature driving dynamics, and the Prologue did not disappoint. It offered a familiar driving experience with various regenerative braking settings, including a one-pedal drive mode for a more traditional EV feel. The Prologue's long wheelbase contributed to a comfortable ride, although road and wind noise were noticeable at highway speeds. Sport mode enhanced throttle, brake, and steering response, making the Prologue surprisingly agile on winding roads.

The 2027 Chevrolet Bolt featured a new 65-kilowatt-hour lithium-iron phosphate battery, reducing costs and reliance on rare earth minerals. Its motor, borrowed from the Chevy Equinox EV, delivered 210 horsepower and 169 lb-ft of torque to the front wheels, achieving a 0-100 km/h time in the low seven-second range. While not the fastest by EV standards, the Bolt's acceleration was impressive compared to gas-powered subcompact SUVs. One-pedal driving was available, with medium and high brake regeneration settings. The Bolt's ride was firm but not overly harsh, and its low centre of gravity contributed to agility on curvy roads. With a range of up to 422 kilometres on a full charge, the Bolt offered improved efficiency over previous models. The standard Tesla-derived NACS charge port and increased charging speed to 150 kW allowed for quick recharging.

The 2024 Honda Prologue featured traditional door handles, easing the transition for new EV owners. Inside, it offered up to 3,163 litres of passenger volume, providing ample legroom, especially in the second row. Headroom was less generous, but reclinable rear seats and a panoramic moonroof added comfort. Standard features included heated front seats and dual-zone climate control, with higher trims offering additional amenities like front seat ventilation and a hands-free power liftgate. The cargo area accommodated between 671 and 714 litres, with a flat load floor for easy loading. While lacking a frunk, the Prologue had a deep compartment beneath the load floor for extra storage.

The 2027 Chevrolet Bolt provided an upright driving position with ample space for larger occupants. The rear seats offered good headroom and thigh support, with a flat floor reducing discomfort for centre-seat passengers. The Bolt's cargo capacity was 459 litres behind the rear seats, with a large bin underneath the floor for additional storage. The rear seatbacks folded flat with the cargo floor, enhancing versatility. While lacking a frunk, the Bolt offered practical storage solutions, including a large bin with dividers, a floor tray, and a deep centre armrest bin.

The 2024 Honda Prologue came equipped with keyless access, remote start, and a wireless charger. It featured an 11.3-inch infotainment screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, alongside an 11-inch digital driver-information display. Google Built-In provided native Google Maps and route-planning features. Higher trims boasted a 12-speaker Bose premium audio system with Active Sound Control, enhancing the driving experience with artificial sounds.

The 2027 Chevrolet Bolt featured an 11-inch digital instrument panel and an 11.3-inch centre touchscreen, running on a Google-based operating system. While lacking Apple CarPlay, the system offered Bluetooth connectivity for music streaming. The optional Technology package added a surround-view camera system, digital rear-view mirror, and wireless charging pad. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with logical menus and quick responses. The Bolt's navigation system assisted in finding charging stations and preconditioning the battery for optimal charging rates. Vehicle-to-load charging capability allowed the Bolt to serve as a backup power source for a home.

The 2024 Honda Prologue included the Honda Sensing suite of advanced driver-assistance technologies as standard, with new features like rear cross-traffic braking and blind-zone steering assist. Higher trims offered additional features such as front-park assist, a surround-vision system, and rear pedestrian alert. While not yet rated by safety organizations, Honda aimed for top safety ratings.

The 2027 Chevrolet Bolt shared its platform with the 2023 Bolt EUV, suggesting similar high safety scores. Standard safety features included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and blind-spot monitors. The optional Technology package added a surround-view camera system, digital rear-view mirror, and traffic-sign recognition. GM's Super Cruise hands-free driving system was available for an additional cost.