HONDA

HONDA e HATCHBACK 113kW Advance 36kWh 5dr Auto

Fuel

FuelElectric

Transmission

TransmissionAutomatic

Acceleration

0 - 60 mphFalses

WLTP - Pure Electric Range

Electric Range131 miles

Electric cars are all very worthy but, by and large, they tend to lack any kind of 'want one' factor. Here's one though, that you might really covet - the Honda e. Because it's very small and doesn't go particularly far on a single charge, it's very much an urban town runabout. But what a cool one to have.

E BY BRUM

The Honda e redefines what a full-electric city car can be. Jonathan Crouch drives it.

Ten Second Review

Electric cars are all very worthy but, by and large, they tend to lack any kind of 'want one' factor. Here's one though, that you might really covet - the Honda e. Because it's very small and doesn't go particularly far on a single charge, it's very much an urban town runabout. But what a cool one to have.

Background

What should a city-based full-electric urban runabout really be if an element of desirability as well as efficiency is called for? Something like the Honda e? We can see why you might think so. The Japanese brand believes that EV makers have been producing boring, pricey products with expensive technology delivering extended range that city folk don't actually really need. Which explains why the Honda e restricts the size of both its battery and the resulting driving range. There are many compensations though, as we're about to see...

Driving Experience

Almost everything about this car is different - including the way it's been engineered. Drive is from the back not the front. There's a DC electric motor, not an AC one. And it sits under the boot floor, not under the bonnet. Even the wheels are of contrary design - the rims are staggered in width, like they are on Honda's NSX supercar, half an inch narrower at the front at the rear. In keeping with that, there's the kind of perfect dynamic 50:50 weight distribution that's foreign to most other EVs. All of this we think you'll like - even the curious electric motor placement, which decimates boot space but makes possible a tiny London taxi-like 4.3-metre turning radius. The differentiation point we think you'll be less happy with is Honda's decision to go against the grain when it comes to battery size and not to prioritise here the thing that most EV customers prioritise; driving range. You can't give a car like this a heavy all-steel structure and a resulting one and a half tonne kerb weight, then give it a little 35.5 kWh battery and expect it to go it to go very far on a single charge - and it doesn't. The official WLTP figure is up to 137 miles - but real world? You get sweaty palms just trying to reach three figures Still, there are lots of compensations. Light, quick steering, great cornering body control, a brilliantly supple quality of ride thanks to the all-independent suspension and the novelty of Honda's 'Side Mirror Camera System', which replaces conventional door mirrors with 6-inch colour screens that sit at either end of the dash. Switch out of the 'Normal' drive mode into the alternative 'Sport' setting that further decimates the range and there's an appropriate bit of zip to go with all of this - especially up to 30mph, courtesy of a 154PS electric motor (now the only one available), which makes 60mph in 8.3s.

Design and Build

Rarely have we ever tested a car that looks quite so much like a motor show concept. Not everyone will like the look of this Honda e, but there's certainly nothing like it on the road. It's certainly small - just 3.9-metres in length - and quite tall too, the roofline 100mm higher than a rival MINI Electric Hatch. It's a clean sheet design with virtually nothing - visually or in terms of engineering - shared with the brand's only fractionally larger Jazz Hybrid, which is impressive. There's brand DNA here, but the character and style of what a small Honda should be has been re-imagined for the 21st century. And so much about it will be fascinating if you find a different approach to be also an intriguing one. At the wheel, there's lots of showroom wow factor, though we're not too keen on the incongruous light wood trim. Two 12-inch screens sit at the centre of the dash and it's possible to 'swap' displays between them - so, for instance, you might want to pass the sat nav over to the front passenger to type in an address, say. You can even hook up a games console to the HDMI input port. Or select wallpaper or aquarium screen backgrounds to sooth your mood. The main interior talking point though, will probably be the corner monitors that take the place of exterior door mirrors, a design idea we first saw on a much bigger EV, the Audi e-tron. Here, the concept actually works a little better - the mirror displays are a little better sited. And on the 'Advance' variant, aother little screen takes the place of the rear view mirror, though you can flip it back to a conventional mirror surface if you wish. Predictably, there's not much room in the back and the boot is just 171-litres in size.

Market and Model

Prices start from around £37,000 for the base 136PS 'Advance' model - or from around £38,000 for the better-equipped 154PS 'Advance'-specced variant. The base version includes most of the stuff you'd want: 16-inch alloy wheels, climate control, all-round parking sensors, a rear view camera, keyless entry, an alarm, ambient lighting, front heated seats and that clever Side Camera Mirror System. Infotainment is provided by two 12.3-inch Dual Touchscreens featuring Honda CONNECT with 'HERE' Navigation, Bluetooth, a 6-speaker DAB audio system, 'Android Auto' and 'Apple CarPlay' smartphone-mirroring, app integration and internet browsing. To this tally, the 'Advance' model adds an upgraded 8-speaker Premium Audio system with a dedicated hardwire amplifier, a heated windscreen, a heated steering wheel, a Centre Camera System, a 230V electric outlet, the Honda Parking Pilot system to steer you into spaces and the option of larger 17-inch wheels. Safety kit on both models runs to a Collision Mitigating Braking System, Lane Keeping Assist, Traffic Sign Recognition, Road Departure Mitigation, Lead Car Departure Notification, Adaptive Cruise Control and an Intelligent Speed Limiter which adapts to the limit signs you pass. To this, the 'Advance' variant adds a Blind Spot Monitor and a Cross Traffic Monitor.

Cost of Ownership

You'll want the WLTP-rated driving range figure possible from the 35.5kWh lithium-ion battery first: it's officially classified at up to 136 miles. This car has an AC charging specification of 6.6kW and a DC Charging spec of 100kW. As usual with an EV you can set charging times via the centre screen or an app (here called Honda+). And by the same means, pre-condition the car so that it's either cool or hot when you get into it. Fast charging at 100kW to 80% takes 30 minutes, while a 50kWh charger will complete the same thing in 36 minutes. A home charger in your garage will recharge in around four hours. Many customers will want to budget ahead for scheduled maintenance with fixed-price scheme called 'Five'. It includes five years' worth of maintenance, an extended warranty for this period and roadside assistance breakdown cover should the unexpected happen. This can be transferred to a new owner if you sell the car before the service plan has expired. Residual values are expected to be significantly better than most other EV small car segment rivals. And the three year 90,000 mile warranty is better than the package you get from many competitors too. In addition, surface corrosion is covered for three years, exhaust corrosion is covered for five years, chassis corrosion is covered for ten years and structural corrosion for twelve years.

Summary

Before the Honda e came along, only the smart fortwo EQ and the MINI Electric were able to offer something more charismatic and fun in the smallest end of the EV segment. And the firm ride that characterises those cars isn't really what you'd ideally want in an urban-based runabout. The Honda e is, for us, a better stab at what a more individualistic car of this kind should be. It's modern, yet memorable, both inside and out, and little touches like the clever fascia screens and the virtual door mirrors provide the required cutting-edge feel that early adopters of technology tend to like. Quite a lot of the motor industry thinks that buyers want full-electric vehicles to look and feel just like the combustion-engined ones they left behind. Honda has a different perspective. Throughout its history, this innovative Japanese brand usually has had. Thank goodness for that.

  • Rear wiper
  • Privacy glass
  • Front windscreen de-icer
  • Automatic rain sensing wipers
  • Heated windshield
  • Electric front and rear windows

  • Regenerative braking system
  • Collision mitigation braking system
  • Electronic parking brake
  • Hill start assist
  • Anti-lock Brake System + Electronic Brakeforce Distribution + Brake assist
  • Collision mitigation throttle control

  • Vehicle stability assist

  • Bluetooth hands free telephone connection

  • Front and rear parking sensors
  • Emergency stop signalling system
  • Lane keep assist
  • Lane departure warning system
  • Electric power steering with variable gear ratio steering
  • Forward collision warning
  • Traffic sign recognition
  • Road departure mitigation
  • Adaptive cruise control
  • Rear view camera
  • Honda parking pilot
  • Low speed following
  • Intelligent speed limiter
  • Lead Car Departure Notification System

  • Multi-information display
  • BLIS (Blind Spot Information System) with Cross Traffic Alert

  • Door mirror with side camera mirror system
  • Door mirror with centre camera mirror system
  • Door mirror with multi view camera mirror system

  • 376w Premium power audio system with 8 speakers
  • HDMI socket
  • Honda dual screen (2x12" 3')
  • 2 x USB sockets in front
  • 2x USB sockets in rear
  • DAB audio
  • Steering wheel mounted audio controls
  • Subwoofer

  • Body colour door handles
  • Rear spoiler
  • Panorama glass roof
  • Glass antenna
  • HONDA e emblem

  • Automatic LED headlights
  • LED front fog lights
  • Automatic coming/leaving home lighting function
  • LED daytime running lights
  • High beam assist
  • LED rear lights

  • Climate control air conditioning
  • Rear air vents

  • Front accessory power socket
  • Black interior door handles
  • Heated steering wheel
  • Cargo hooks
  • Leather steering wheel
  • Tonneau cover
  • Tilt/telescopic adjustable steering wheel
  • 6.6kw charger
  • Fabric interior panels
  • Under trunk charging cable storage

  • Footwell ambient interior light for driver and passenger
  • Meter illumination light
  • Ambient light in roof
  • Trunk light
  • Rear reading lights
  • Front map lights

  • Side curtain airbags
  • Front side airbags
  • Low speed safety system
  • Airbags - driver and front passenger
  • Anti-whiplash front headrests
  • Deflation detection system
  • Passenger SRS airbag cut-off device
  • Front and rear seat belt with emergency locking retractor
  • Driver SRS airbag

  • Isofix points
  • Front seat manual lumbar support for driver
  • Rear headrests
  • Height adjustable front seats
  • Heated front seats

  • Immobiliser
  • Security alarm
  • Remote central locking with 2 remote folding keys
  • Honda super locks
  • Smart entry + Smart start
  • Ultrasonic sensor and tilt sensor
  • Selectable door unlock
  • Window key fob

  • Illuminated sunvisor with vanity mirror

  • Tyre repair kit

  • Battery Charge Fast Time (Minutes): N
  • Battery Charge Fast kW: N
  • Battery Charge Fast Percentage: N
  • Battery Charge Rapid Time (Minutes): N
  • Battery Charge Rapid kW: N
  • Battery Charge Rapid Percentage: N
  • Battery Charge Super Charge Time (Minutes): N
  • Battery Charge Super Charge kW: N
  • Battery Charge Super Charge Percentage: N
  • Coupler/Connector Type: Type 2
  • Battery Capacity in kWh: 35.5
  • Battery Leased: False
  • Battery Type: Lithium-ion
  • WLTP - Pure Electric Range (km) - Comb: 211
  • WLTP - Pure Electric Range (km) - Comb - Min: 212
  • WLTP - Pure Electric Range (km) - Comb - Max: 209
  • WLTP - EC (kWh/100km) - Comb: 17.2
  • WLTP - EC (miles/kWh) - Comb: 3.6
  • WLTP - Pure Electric Range (miles) - Comb: 131
  • WLTP - Pure Electric Range (miles) - Comb - Max: 129
  • WLTP - Pure Electric Range (miles) - Comb - Min: 131

  • CO2 (g/km): 0
  • Standard Euro Emissions: N
  • Noise Level dB(A): N
  • CO: N
  • HC: N
  • NOx: N
  • HC+NOx: N
  • Particles: N

  • Engine Code: ZC784LGKE
  • Cylinders - Bore (mm): N
  • Cylinders - Stroke (mm): N
  • CC: 1
  • Cylinders: N
  • Cylinder Layout: N
  • Number of Valves: N
  • Camshaft: N
  • Fuel Delivery: N
  • Catalytic Convertor: N
  • Engine Layout: REAR TRANSVERSE
  • Compression Ratio: N
  • Transmission: AUTO
  • Gears: 1 SPEED

  • EC Directive 1999/100/EC Applies: N
  • EC Urban (mpg): N
  • EC Extra Urban (mpg): N
  • EC Combined (mpg): N

  • Coin Series: Advance
  • Coin Description: 36kWh
  • Timing Belt Interval Mileage: N
  • Timing Belt Interval Frequency - Months: N
  • NCAP Adult Occupant Protection %: N
  • NCAP Child Occupant Protection %: N
  • NCAP Pedestrian Protection %: N
  • NCAP Safety Assist %: N
  • NCAP Overall Rating - Effective February 09: N
  • Badge Power: 154
  • Badge Engine CC: 0
  • Vehicle Homologation Class: M1
  • Generation Mark: 1
  • Alternative Fuel Qualifying: True
  • Special Edition: False
  • Special Order: False
  • Based On ID: N
  • Insurance Group 1 - 50 Effective January 07: 29E
  • Did at least one aspect of this vehicle's safety give cause for concern?: False

  • Engine Torque - MKG: 32.1
  • 0 to 62 mph (secs): 8.3
  • Top Speed: 90
  • Engine Power - BHP: 154
  • Engine Power - PS: True
  • 0 to 60 mph (secs): False
  • Engine Power - KW: 113
  • Engine Torque - LBS.FT: 232
  • Engine Torque - NM: 315

  • Emissions Test Cycle: WLTP

  • Wheel Style: N
  • Alloys?: True
  • Space Saver?: False
  • Tyre Size Rear: 225/45 R17
  • Tyre Size Spare: TYRE REPAIR KIT
  • Wheel Type: 17" ALLOY
  • Tyre Size Front: 205/45 R17

  • Width (including mirrors): 1752
  • Height: 1512
  • Height (including roof rails): N
  • Wheelbase: 2538
  • Length: 3894

  • Minimum Kerbweight: 1520
  • Luggage Capacity (Seats Down): 861
  • Turning Circle - Kerb to Kerb: 9.2
  • Luggage Capacity (Seats Up): 171
  • No. of Seats: 4
  • Max. Towing Weight - Braked: N
  • Max. Towing Weight - Unbraked: N
  • Max. Loading Weight: 350
  • Fuel Tank Capacity (Litres): N
  • Gross Vehicle Weight: 1870

  • Metallic paint: £550
  • Pearlescent paint: £550
  • Solid paint: Included

  • Cloth upholstery: Included
  • Leather upholstery: £1,395

  • Illumination pack - e: £600
  • Protection pack - e: £260
  • Black and blue Urban pack - e: £850
  • Black urban pack - e: £850
  • Bronze interior panel set pack - e Advance: £650

  • Metallic - Crystal blue: £550
  • Metallic - Modern steel: £550

  • Pearl - Platinum white: £550
  • Pearl - Crystal black: £550

  • Solid - Charge yellow: £0

  • Cloth - Grey: £0

  • Leather - Dark brown: £1,395
  • Leather - Midnight black: £1,395

  • 17" gunpowder black windows and diamond cut A surface alloy wheels: £1,100
  • 17" gunpowder black windows and diamond cut A surface with blue rim alloy wheels: £1,100
  • 16" alloy wheels: £0
  • 17" alloy wheels: Included

Whilst every effort is made to verify and ensure the accuracy of the data, the information should only be used as a guide and no purchasing decision should be made without verification of the data from either the manufacturer or franchised dealer. Our offers may be on a different model year to that represented by this data and so specification may differ accordingly.

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