Battery size: 30kWh (est)
Max charge rate: 50kW (est)
WLTP Range: 123 miles
Introduction and model history
You probably don’t know what a kei car (pronounced ‘kay car’) is. And that’s okay, because there’s no reason you should. But we’ll tell you right now because it’s relevant to the tiny but mighty new electric Honda Super-N.
Now, a kei-car is a class of tiny city car that has proven popular in Japan because you get big tax savings provided it’s small enough and efficient enough to pass the kei car rules. These have been around for decades, and they have a bit of a cult following in- and outside of Japan – often because they are tiny and cheap but also a lot of fun, and they also often look very cool.
Step forward the Honda Super-N. This new urban EV from is the latest electric offering from the Japanese maker, and I LOVE IT. It’s so cute and so friendly looking. I want to buy one and hang bunting from it on my driveway, just for some relief from all the super-aggressive, matcho SUVs. It is based on the N Series Kei platform that Honda has used very successfully in Japan, and it takes styling inspiration from the cult 1980s modern classic – the Honda City Turbo II.
For a bit of context, the Super-N is around 3.45-metres long, which is almost 20cm shorter even than a Fiat 500e, Dacia Spring and Hyundai Inster, or 60cm shorter than a Renault Twingo and BYD Dolphin Surf.
Now, the details on the Honda Super-N are a bit vague, so you’ll have to bear with us if there are a lot of ‘TBCs’ in this article. But we’ve been to see it, and Nicki had a great time filming the full walkaround when we got cheeky early access to this latest electric Honda. So, read on and watch the full walkaround video to find out what we currently know about the dinky little Honda.
Range, battery and charging
Honda isn’t keen to confirm battery sizes just yet, but it’s likely that the Super-N will be offered with on battery option of around 30kWh. Enough for the official claimed WLTP range of 128 miles, although when it’s in use around town – which is where the Super-N will no doubt spend most of its time – Honda claims that it’ll do as much as 200 miles.
That’s not bad, and given that most people in the UK do less than 30 miles per day, I’d love to see these small battery urban EVs becoming more popular. It really is so much more environmentally friendly than buying a car with a 60kWh battery just because you’re worried about range, and then only ever using half that battery capacity. ‘Right sizing’ the battery is something we’re very keen on, so I’m hoping the little Honda finds fans – and buyers! – despite a modest claimed range.
Mind you, given that the Super-N weighs under 1100kg, we’d hoped for slightly better efficiency. If our maths is correct, it’ll be doing around 4.3 miles per kWhin varied driving – more if it’s in town, to be fair. Given that the Renault Twingo manages around 5.0 m/kWh, and wasn’t far off that even in real-world driving when we tested it, I’d have hoped for slightly better from the Honda. Still, we haven’t driven the Super-N or seen the final tech spec so we’ll have to wait and see!
Charging specifics aren’t confirmed yet, either – and we don’t know whether DC rapid charging will be standard or now. But we are expecting a DC charging speed of up to 50kW, which will be good enough for a 10-80% top-up in under 30 minutes.
Practicality and boot space
This is where the fun really happens. As you might expect, the Honda Super-N is a four seater, just like the Hyundai Inster that I’d is closest to the little Honda in character and remit. But the Honda’s upright shape means it is surprisingly spacious in there. Yes, it’s narrow so you sit really close to your passenger, but headroom is really good and visibility is great so it actually feels quite airy and bright. You sit quite upright but it’s comfy enough, especially as it’s not a car designed for really long journeys.
In the back it’s the same story, you are upright but you don’t feel cramped as there’s plenty of headroom and a surprising amount of legroom, too. Even an average-sized adult will feel fine back there, to be honest.
And I absolutely adore the ‘Magic Seats’. These will be familiar to anyone with a Honda Jazz, but it means that the rear seat bases fold up – and it’s really easy, you can do it one-handed. This leaves a big, open through-loading area where the rear seats are so that you can get something like a folding pedal bike in there no problem at all. And of course you do get five doors, so accessing the rear seats (for people or just so that you can throw some shopping in there) is really easy.
The boot itself is… Well, it’s pretty tiny, to be honest. Honda hasn’t given official figures, but d’you know what? I don’t mind. Because I doubt many Honda Super-N owners are going to need the back seats all the time and those Magic Seats are so useful. Plus, if you’d prefer then you can fold one or both of the rear seats down flat to make for some really useful storage space.
Interior, design and technology
I’ll say right now – if you’re hoping for the sort of interior quality that we saw on the rather boutique Honda e or on the BMW i3 (which I still think had one of the best interiors of any mainstream car) you’ll be disappointed.
The Super-N is much more about being functional, hard wearing and sensible – just like a kei car, rather than the Honda e which was always a high-end urban car meant to rival the Mini Electric. This is a different thing, really, and it’s still pretty cool – not to mention a lot cheaper than the Honda e!
There’s a big 9.0-inch central screen, and a smaller display for the driver’s essential info, too. And some proper switches, too! Some simple buttons for the heated seats and air-con, and I’m happy to be honest.
It doesn’t feel really basic, mind. I know it’s not plush and fancy, and the Renault Twingo and Hyundai Inster have much more interesting interior design and colours. But the Honda’s big seats are really comfy, and the faux-suede finish in the car I looked at was rather nice. It doesn’t actually feel really cheap, just honest and straightforward. And I don’t mind that, to be honest.
Motors and performance
We haven’t driven the Honda Super-N yet, but we do know that it gets a rather weedy 64hp in its standard drive mode, which goes to the front wheels. But there’s a magic ‘Boost’ button that delivers a significant jump up to 95hp for a few seconds when you want it, which does sound like it’ll be quite a lot of fun, doesn’t it? There’s no confirmed 0-62mph time yet, but it’s not going to be quick – let’s face it. If that bothers you, I’m not sure that the Honda is for you, to be honest.
The suspension has all been uprated and tweaked for European markets, too, which is promising. You even get a simulated seven-speed gearbox, which mimics gear changes and even gives the effect of bouncing off the rev limiter. There’s also an ‘Active Sound Control’ system that gives simulated engine noises. It all sounds rather like the system you get on the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, doesn’t it, but in a tiny city car. And that makes me very excited, because cars that are designed to be fun but that don’t have huge amounts of power are exactly what we need on our roads. I can’t wait to drive it!
Pricing and on sale date
The Honda Super-N goes on sale this summer in the UK, with prices expected to be around £20,000 or under. Monthly PCP prices and leasing deals will obviously be key, so we'll just have to wait and see.
We’d expect the Honda Super-N to get the same three-year, 60,000 mile warranty that all Hondas get, while the battery will likely be covered for eight years and 100,000 miles.
Verdict
We need to drive the Honda Super-N, and see finalised monthly PCP prices and leasing costs, as well as test the real-world range and efficiency, before we can really come to a decision on how it stacks up against rivals like the Renault Twingo and BYD Dolphin Surf. Suffice to say that it’s got a big job on its hands, but if Honda can get the pricing right then I sincerely hope it does well. I don’t even need to drive this thing for it to bring me joy – just seeing it does that.
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