Honda Prologue vs Hyundai IONIQ 9

The 2024 Honda Prologue presented a design that was refreshingly normal for an electric vehicle. Its exterior, available in a variety of colours, was understated enough to blend in seamlessly with traditional vehicles. The front end featured a smooth black panel with the iconic Honda "H" logo, emphasizing its electric nature by eliminating the need for air cooling. Accessories like skid plates and side cladding allowed for personalization, adding a rugged touch if desired. The Prologue's proportions, with its low roof and large wheels, gave it a unique stance, reminiscent of a classic gangster's car. Inside, the Touring trim offered a comfortable and familiar environment, with a layout similar to other Honda models. The interior leaned upscale with leather seating in higher trims, and the dash featured piano black plastic and upholstery material, creating a familiar yet upscale feel.

The 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9, on the other hand, showcased a distinctive design that polarized opinions. Its aerodynamic shape, inspired by smooth pebbles and midcentury modern sofas, aimed to house seven passengers comfortably. The Ioniq 9's dimensions, slightly shorter than a Honda Pilot but with a longer wheelbase than a Chevy Tahoe, provided excellent interior volume. Despite its size, it achieved a commendable drag coefficient of 0.27. The design featured a swooping roofline and a stubby rear end, with LED taillights wrapping around the tail's circumference. The Ioniq 9 was available in seven paint colours, with trim-specific options, and offered wheels ranging from 19 to 21 inches. Inside, it boasted a spacious and airy cabin, with flat floors and a sliding centre console. The interior featured high-quality plastic and a panoramic sunroof in higher trims, although the seats lacked thigh support.

The 2024 Honda Prologue in Canada came standard with all-wheel drive, featuring a dual-motor setup that delivered 288 horsepower and 333 lb-ft of torque. The Touring trim, with its 21-inch wheels, offered a range of 439 kilometres, while the EX and EX-L trims with 19-inch wheels provided 452 kilometres. Honda focused on delivering familiar driving dynamics, with regenerative braking settings that allowed for coasting or a one-pedal drive experience. 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 fun to drive on winding roads.

The 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 featured a 110.3-kWh battery pack on Hyundai's e-GMP platform. The base Essential trim offered rear-wheel drive with a 160-kW motor producing 215 horsepower, while other trims had dual-motor all-wheel drive systems. The Preferred AWD generated 303 hp, and the Preferred AWD+ delivered 422 hp. Despite its power, the Ioniq 9 demonstrated impressive energy efficiency, often exceeding its estimated 500-kilometre range. The vehicle's weight and soft suspension provided a smooth ride, although it lacked agility in corners. The Ioniq 9 was exceptionally quiet, with active noise cancellation and sound-absorbing tires. It offered towing capacities of 1,587 kg for RWD and 2,268 kg for AWD models, with charging options including Tesla-style NACS superchargers and CCS-port Level 3 chargers.

The 2024 Honda Prologue featured traditional door handles, simplifying the transition to EV ownership. It offered up to 3,163 litres of passenger volume, with impressive legroom in both rows. 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 adding driver’s seat memory, a heated steering wheel, and front seat ventilation. The cargo area provided 671 to 714 litres of space, expandable to 1,543 to 1,634 litres with the rear seats folded. While it lacked a front trunk, it had a deep compartment beneath the load floor for additional storage.

The 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 focused on family-SUV practicality, seating seven with a middle-row bench or six with captain’s chairs in the Ultimate Calligraphy Package. The sliding centre console improved access for middle-row passengers. The Ioniq 9 offered 1,086 mm of legroom in the middle row, although the third row was tighter at 813 mm. The rear doors provided easy access, and dual-zone climate control with air vents in all rows was standard. Heated front seats were standard, with heated second-row seats available in higher trims. The cargo space ranged from 620 litres behind the third row to 2,462 litres with seats folded, with a small front trunk for charging cable storage.

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

The 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 featured dual curved 12.3-inch displays, standard SiriusXM Satellite Radio, and wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. A wireless charging pad was included, although it struggled to keep up with high-demand devices. Six USB-C ports provided ample charging options. The 14-speaker Bose audio system in higher trims delivered impressive sound quality, rivaling more prestigious brands.

The 2024 Honda Prologue included the Honda Sensing suite of advanced driver-assistance technologies, with new features like rear cross-traffic braking and blind-zone steering assist. Higher trims offered 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 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 offered a comprehensive array of advanced driver assistance systems, including collision avoidance, lane-guidance, driver attention warning, and safe-exit assist. Highway Driving Assist 2 provided supervised hands-free driving. Higher trims featured a surround-view monitor and blind-spot view monitor, enhancing safety and convenience.