Honda Prologue Insurance Nearly Doubles Its Running Costs

Over five years, our calculator says insuring a 2024 Honda Prologue will cost $11,923. Charging it, fixing it and servicing it will cost $6,083 combined. That is $3,323 for fuel, $1,620 for repairs and $1,140 for maintenance.

So the part of electric ownership people obsess over, the cheap electricity and the missing oil changes, is the small part of this bill. The big parts are depreciation and the policy your insurer writes.

Our five-year total is $45,870, or $765 a month, on an assumed purchase price of $47,600. Depreciation is $27,609 of that. Insurance is $11,923. Everything else is rounding error by comparison.

The $765 a month breakdown nobody advertises

Honda will tell you the Prologue saves money on fuel. It does. Our calculator puts five years of charging at $3,323, which works out to about $55 a month. A comparable gas SUV would cost meaningfully more to run.

But $55 a month is a small number sitting next to a $199 monthly insurance cost. That figure is our estimate, built from the car's value and vehicle class. It is not a quote, and yours will differ based on your age, ZIP code, driving record and insurer. Still, a roughly $48,000 electric SUV with expensive-to-repair battery and electronics is going to cost real money to cover.

Then there is depreciation. Our estimate leaves the Prologue worth about $19,991 after five years. You lose $27,609 of value, which is around 58% of the purchase price. That is the single largest line in your ownership cost, and no charging discount touches it.

Repairs and maintenance are the good news. $1,620 for repairs and $1,140 for maintenance over five years is low. No oil, no transmission service, fewer wear parts. Those two lines together cost less than one year of insurance.

What the Prologue is, and who it is for

The Prologue is Honda's first big electric SUV in the US. It is built on General Motors' electric platform and shares its bones with the Chevrolet Blazer EV. Honda tuned it, styled it and put its own badge on it.

It is for a household that wants one calm, roomy, no-drama family SUV and can charge at home. If you have a garage or driveway outlet, you will rarely think about fuel at all. If your current car is a Honda CR-V or Pilot and you want something similar without the gas station, this is the pitch.

It is not for people who road trip often and want fast, reliable charging. It is not for people who want to feel something behind the wheel. And it is not for anyone who cannot charge at home, because public charging erases much of the fuel savings and adds hassle.

It is also not for buyers who need the lowest possible monthly cost. At $765 a month all in, you are paying for a new-technology SUV, not a bargain.

Trims and pricing

The Prologue comes in three trims. Prices below are approximate and include destination. Confirm current numbers on Honda's build page, since incentives and options move them.

Trim	MSRP	What you actually get
EX	about $47,400	Front-wheel drive standard, all-wheel drive available. Google built-in infotainment, a large touchscreen, digital gauge display and Honda's standard driver-assist suite.
Touring	about $51,100	Adds comfort and convenience upgrades, larger wheels and more premium touches. The sensible middle of the lineup.
Elite	about $57,900	Loaded. Top audio, the most luxury features and the highest price. All-wheel drive standard.

Our $47,600 assumed purchase price sits close to the entry trim. If you buy the Touring, expect every price-driven figure above, especially depreciation and insurance, to rise.

The Elite is hard to defend. At nearly $58,000 you are in territory where rivals with faster charging and more power are competing for the same money.

Powertrain and what fuel economy looks like

The Prologue uses a single battery pack of roughly 85 kWh. Front-wheel-drive versions use one motor. All-wheel-drive versions add a second, with a noticeable bump in power. Neither is quick in a way that will thrill enthusiasts, and that is on purpose. Honda tuned for smoothness.

For efficiency and range numbers on your exact trim, use the EPA's fueleconomy.gov listing rather than a brochure. Range falls in cold weather and at highway speeds, so treat the official number as a ceiling.

In dollar terms, our calculator's $3,323 over five years at 12,000 miles a year is the number to hold onto. That assumes you charge mostly at home. Rely on public fast chargers and your cost will climb, sometimes past what gas would cost.

What it gets right

The cabin is the best argument for the Prologue. It is roomy, quiet and easy to live with. Rear seat space is generous, and the cargo area is practical for strollers, luggage and groceries.

Google built-in infotainment is a real upgrade over most Honda systems. Maps, voice commands and apps work without leaning on your phone. The screen is large and quick.

The ride is soft and composed. This is a vehicle that tells you nothing about the road, which is a compliment if you are tired and carrying children.

And the running costs are low. Maintenance of $1,140 over five years is about $228 a year. That is hard to beat.

What it gets wrong

Charging is the weak point. The Prologue uses the older CCS fast-charging connector on 2024 models, not Tesla's plug. That means adapters or a more limited charger network until Honda updates the design. Peak charging speed is also modest next to the quickest rivals, so long trips take longer than they should.

The price is another problem. At around $47,000 to $58,000, you are paying for a vehicle that is good, not exceptional. The shared platform means Honda did not build something unique, and that matters when the Chevrolet Blazer EV costs similar money.

Then there is depreciation. $27,609 lost in five years is the cost of buying a fairly new EV at a time when prices and incentives are shifting. Used EVs have a history of dropping fast. If you buy new, you absorb that drop.

Finally, Honda's reliability reputation comes from decades of gas cars. This is a new platform with new software. Our $1,620 repair estimate is reasonable, but it is an estimate for a vehicle without a long track record. Early model years of anything new carry risk.

Safety ratings

We are not going to print a star rating we cannot verify for this model year. Check the Prologue's current results directly at NHTSA and IIHS, and look at the specific trim and test year. Honda includes a driver-assistance package as standard, but ratings come from crash tests, not feature lists.

First-year costs on the Touring

The Touring is the trim most people will land on, at about $51,100. Here is what the first twelve months look like.

Depreciation: New cars lose 15% to 22% in year one. On the Touring, that is roughly $7,665 to $11,242.

Fuel: At 15,000 miles, our calculator's rate works out to about $830 for charging, mostly at home.

Insurance: Our estimate runs roughly $2,000 to $2,800 for the year. That is built from vehicle value and class, not a quote. Get real quotes before you sign anything.

First service: Expect a tire rotation and inspection around the first year. Honda's Maintenance Minder will tell you when. There is no oil change, so the first visit is cheap.

Add it up and the first year is dominated by depreciation and insurance. Charging barely registers.

How it stacks up

Chevrolet Blazer EV: The Prologue wins on a calmer, more conventional feel and Honda's ownership reputation, but it loses because you are paying for nearly the same hardware under a different badge.

Hyundai Ioniq 5: The Prologue wins on cabin quietness and a familiar, easy interior, but it loses on charging speed, which is where the Hyundai is clearly ahead.

Tesla Model Y: The Prologue wins on a more traditional dashboard and a softer ride, but it loses on charging network access, which is the Tesla's biggest advantage.

Verdict

Buy the Prologue if you have home charging, you want a quiet family SUV, and you value low maintenance more than speed or flash. At $765 a month in our calculator's estimate, it is a reasonable way to own a practical electric vehicle. The EX is the one to get.

Skip it if you road trip often, if you cannot charge at home, or if you are shopping on monthly cost alone. Skip the Elite regardless. At nearly $58,000 it asks too much for what it is.

And before you commit, price the insurance. It will be your second-biggest cost after depreciation, and it is the number most buyers forget to check.