A collaborative effort with General Motors, which put the 2024 Honda Prologue into the U.S. auto market a generation earlier than would have been possible otherwise, paid immediate dividends to the Prologue’s Japanese carmakers.

From its introduction last March to its end-of-year sales boom in December, the Prologue was one of the five best-selling electric SUVs in the country.

While its styling was by Honda’s design studio in Los Angeles, the midsize SUV EV was based on GM’s Ultium architecture and BEV3 platform, shared with the Chevrolet Blazer EV, Cadillac Lyriq and Acura ZDX.

The partnership has since been dissolved, though will continue production of the Honda through the first generation.

The Prologue delivered to me is the standard two-row with seating for five, a third row is optional. It operates smoothly and quietly, handling impressively.

The all-wheel-drive Prologue uses an 85-kWh battery pack with dual electric motors generating 288 combined horsepower.

Twice last week, I charged the Prologue overnight, producing a fully energized battery pack of an estimated 271 miles of range.

Thursday morning following the first charge we drove to Sterling and back with temperatures in the 20s and low-30s, some light winds and rain on the return leg.

We drove 208 miles, using 250 miles off the battery pack. Half the distance was on state highway (65 mph), the other half on Interstate (75 mph).

The move to a lever for shifting the electric is an improvement; Honda’s current push-button shifter for its internal-combustion models is a bit awkward, never seemed intuitive.

With most all safety features, including lane-change assist, the 2024 Prologue AWD Elite carries sticker price of $59,295. Its MPGe is 99 city, 84 highway, 92 combined. It is built in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico.

From a reader

Bud: The recent photo of the ‘58 Chevy Impala brought back memories for me. In the mid-’60s I owned a black ‘58 Chevy Impala. What a vehicle. The engine was a 283-cid (probably the best engine Chevy ever built) with an automatic transmission. A couple of things about the car. The brushes in the generator would go bad around every six months, so I always carried a set with me to replace them. Also, the dual mufflers needed to be replaced too often, so I would take an oil can (they were metal in those days as you know) cut out the top and bottom and cut up the side to make a patch using wire to hold the can in place. It worked pretty good and was cheaper than buying new mufflers. Those were the good old days. I always enjoy your weekly articles. Keep up the good information. – Allan S.

Yes, Allan, the Chevy “small-block V-8,” which showed up in the 1955 model, became one of all-time great engines.