Acura ZDX Vs. Honda Prologue: What's The Difference Between These SUVs?

Compared to their American and European counterparts, Japanese automakers have generally been slower and more conservative when it comes to introducing new electric vehicles and transitioning from internal combustion to battery power. Honda, in particular, has been very slow-moving on the EV front. Before the debut of the Prologue SUV for the 2024 model year, Honda's prior electric cars like the Fit EV and the Clarity had all been low-production compliance cars, offered in small numbers only in certain states.

The Prologue and its more upscale Acura-badged counterpart, the ZDX, represent Honda's most ambitious EV move yet in America, but even these SUVs are playing it safe. That's because they weren't actually designed by Honda, but instead are built on GM's Ultium EV platform as part of a stopgap effort before Honda's own EV platforms arrive.

Assuming you can put aside the strange feeling of driving a Honda or Acura built by General Motors, the Prologue and ZDX are both solid entries into the growing electric SUV segment. Are the Prologue and ZDX identical under the skin? Does the Acura offer improved performance and amenities to go along with its higher price? It turns out there are some significant differences between these two EVs that put a new spin on the concept of badge engineering. Not just in terms of their performance and luxury options, but in their drivetrain layouts themselves. 

At their heart, the ZDX and Prologue are closely related to the Chevrolet Blazer EV, meaning they both carry over the Blazer's spacious interior and impressive driving range. What they also bring over from GM is the Ultium platform's wide range of battery and motor options.

Honda does an interesting job splitting up these options between the Prologue and ZDX. The entry-level $48,850 Prologue EX comes with a front motor, front-wheel drive setup, making 220 horsepower, and it's good for 308 miles of EPA-rated driving range. The $65,850 entry-level ZDX A-Spec uses a rear motor, rear-wheel drive setup, making 358 horsepower, and it has an EPA-rated 316-mile range. 

Both can be upgraded to a dual-motor AWD layout, with the Prologue's dual-motor AWD option adding $3,000 to the price and bumping output to 300 horsepower.  For a $4,000 premium, the dual-motor AWD ZDX A-Spec bumps output to an impressive 490 horsepower. Acura then goes even further, offering the $74,850 flagship performance model ZDX Type-S, which gets you 499 horsepower and throws in added performance equipment like adaptive dampers and adjustable air suspension.

Beyond the expected differences in performance and luxury features, Honda and Acura's styling teams have done a commendable job adapting the GM existing platform into their brand's respective exterior design language, with the Prologue's simple, sensible look, and the ZDX's sporty demeanor. But with either model, for better or worse, there's no escaping their GM roots.

 It's not that the Ultium platform itself is bad or lacking potential. The closely related Blazer EV, after all, did win Motor Trend's SUV of the Year Award for 2024.  But in our review of the 2024 Honda Prologue, we found the SUV lacking in character and without that interior packaging magic Honda is known for. Likewise, in our review of the Acura ZDX Type S, though it was fast and capable, we found a clash between the Acura branding and the distinctly GM driving experience and interior interface. 

If buyers do end up cross-shopping the Prologue and the ZDX, it probably won't be because they are Honda company loyalists. Those buyers will want to wait until Honda's own next-gen EVs start to arrive in the coming years. But for now, if you're okay with driving a Honda or Acura built by GM, there are some great discounts and rebates available that can make both the Prologue and ZDX very enticing EV choices for the money.