Toyota Grand Highlander vs Honda Prologue

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander and the 2024 Honda Prologue represented two distinct approaches to modern automotive design. The Grand Highlander, built on Toyota's TNGA-K platform, showcased a true crossover SUV identity. Compared to its more rugged sibling, the Sequoia, which shared its truck-based platform with Toyota's Tundra and Tacoma, the Grand Highlander opted for a unibody structure. This allowed for a slick, urban aesthetic coupled with impressive dimensions: 201.4 inches in length and a 116.1-inch wheelbase, both surpassing the Kia Telluride. It retained an 8-inch ground clearance, hinting at off-road capability without truly venturing off the pavement.

The Grand Highlander's design leaned conservative but still boasted a robust, blockier look, reminiscent of larger SUVs like the Ford Explorer and the Honda Pilot. Its trapezoidal grille and narrow headlights, coupled with the Toyota emblem, bore a resemblance to Toyota's 4Runner, adding a rugged allure. Interior-wise, buyers had options across three trims—XLE, Limited, and Platinum. The XLE offered light gray or black synthetic Softex leather, while the higher trims upgraded to real leather and added Portobello upholstery at the Platinum level. The seating arrangements included standard heated front seats and optional features like ventilated seats and a heated steering wheel.

Conversely, the 2024 Honda Prologue stood as a notable EV in an increasingly crowded market. Its base EX trim featured five color options, with the Touring and Elite trims adding more premium shades such as “North Shore Pearl,” a vibrant turquoise. The front end displayed the signature Honda "H" logo within a smooth, sleek panel, emphasizing its all-electric nature. Honda allowed for customization with accessories like skid plates and side cladding to add a rugged edge.

The Prologue's silhouette was low and stretched, partly due to its length, which was 3 inches more than the Honda Passport, though it was 8 inches shorter in height, giving it a unique, elongated appearance. The large wheels (19-inch standard on most trims, 21-inch on Elite) accentuated this look. Inside, the Elite trim featured a brown and black interior, while the other trims offered a gray and black two-tone scheme. The layout felt familiar, especially to those acquainted with the CR-V, Accord, and Civic, but lacked hidden air vents behind a grille, opting instead for piano black plastic and upholstery accents.

Performance-wise, the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander offered three engine variants. The base 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder produced 265 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. The 2.5-liter hybrid engine emphasized fuel efficiency at 245 combined net horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque. Topping the range was the Hybrid Max powertrain, generating an impressive 362 combined net horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque. Both engines were available with front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD), with the Hybrid Max exclusively AWD. The Grand Highlander's acceleration times reflected its power, with the Hybrid Max achieving 0-60 mph in 6.3 seconds.

Driving impressions suggested the Grand Highlander's large size made it less nimble in tight spaces compared to the standard Highlander. While not overly cumbersome, it did not feel as tight in handling as some competitors. The steering feedback was somewhat detached, although the braking was solid and linear. The 2.4-liter turbo engine offered adequate power for daily driving needs, while the Sport, Eco, and Normal drive modes allowed for some customization, with AWD models gaining additional off-road-oriented modes.

In contrast, the 2024 Honda Prologue provided both FWD and AWD configurations. The single-motor FWD setup produced 212 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque, available on the EX and Touring trims with a range of 296 miles. The dual-motor AWD configuration, standard on the Elite trim, generated 288 hp and 333 lb-ft of torque, achieving a range of 273 miles on 21-inch wheels, and slightly more on the 19-inch equivalents. The Prologue's 121.8-inch wheelbase delivered a smooth ride, although highway noise indicated that it wasn’t as serene as Honda claimed.

The Prologue emphasized a balanced drive with three regenerative braking settings: Normal, one-pedal driving, and a coasting-like mode for a more traditional driving feel. While not as groundbreaking, these settings catered to different driving preferences and eased the transition for first-time EV buyers. Sport mode sharpened the throttle, brake, and steering response, making the Prologue engaging to drive on winding roads.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander outshone its rivals with generous interior space. At 201.4 inches long and with a 116.1-inch wheelbase, it was more extensive than competitors like the Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot, Hyundai Palisade, and Kia Telluride. Cargo capacity stood at an impressive 97.5 cubic feet with the seats folded, 57.9 cubic feet behind the second row, and 20.6 cubic feet with all rows in place. This made it a practical alternative to minivans like the Toyota Sienna, boasting considerable headroom, legroom, and shoulder space in all rows.

The 2024 Honda Prologue offered a more compact yet efficient interior. With 111.7 cubic feet of passenger volume, it notably surpassed the Cadillac Lyriq. The Prologue provided 39.4 inches of second-row legroom and 41.4 inches in the first row. Headroom was slightly less impressive, at 39.6 inches in the front and 38.1 inches in the rear. However, the reclinable rear seats and the panoramic moonroof, standard on higher trims, enhanced the sense of space.

Heated front seats and dual-zone climate control were standard across all trims, with higher trims adding features like front seat ventilation and a heated steering wheel. Cargo capacity stood at 57.7 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, accessed via a hands-free power liftgate on Touring and Elite trims. Though lacking a "frunk," the Prologue offered a deep compartment beneath its flat load floor for additional storage.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander came with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, equipped with an intelligent assistant activated by saying "Hey Toyota." This connected-services subscription also provided cloud-based navigation and 24/7 live-agent assistance. Standard features included dual-device Bluetooth connectivity and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The 11-speaker JBL stereo, standard on Limited and Platinum trims, ensured impressive audio quality. Streaming options, including Sirius XM and connectivity for Apple Music and Amazon Music via the Wi-Fi Connect package, were available.

The 2024 Honda Prologue featured keyless access with a card-format key on the Elite trim, a first for Honda. The Prologue included a standard wireless charger, four USB-C ports, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto running through an 11.3-inch infotainment screen. Additionally, a separate 11-inch screen served as the digital driver-information display. Google Built-In, standard on the Prologue, offered native Google Maps with route-planning features for EV charging.

Touring and Elite trims included a 12-speaker Bose premium audio system developed specifically for the Prologue. The Active Sound Control feature simulated engine noises during acceleration and deceleration, enhancing the sporty driving experience, especially in Sport mode.

While the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander had not been crash-tested or rated by NHTSA or IIHS, it boasted an extensive array of standard safety features under the Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 suite. This included automatic emergency braking, lane-departure alert with steering assist, lane-tracing assist, road-sign recognition, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. Adaptive cruise control was also standard, featuring four following-distance settings.

The 2024 Honda Prologue came with the Honda Sensing suite of driver-assistance technologies, which included new features like rear cross-traffic braking and blind-zone steering assist. Higher trims offered additional safety features such as front-park assist, a surround-vision system, and rear pedestrian alert. Standard safety features covered automatic emergency braking, forward collision alert, adaptive cruise control, and lane-keep assist. Honda aimed for top safety ratings from IIHS and NHTSA.