2020 Honda e review: E for excellent?

In our 2020 Honda e review, we look at the pros and cons of the compact electric city car having driven it at the European launch in Valencia, Spain.

It’s only January and already we are driving one of the most highly anticipated cars of 2020. No, it’s not some flashy supercar that will, most likely, be driven obnoxiously slowly through central London. It’s an all-electric city car. One with gloriously circular headlights.

Honda deserves a lot of credit for making a car that so closely resembles the original Urban EV concept revealed back in 2017, which enjoyed unbridled appreciation from enthusiasts and the general public alike with its part-retro, part-futuristic design.

In fact, we are lucky it exists at all given that it’s a fully electric car, which means it’s going to upset Greta Thunberg haters. The type of angry person on the internet who bashes expletives into their keyboards for daring to challenge the petrol-powered status quo.

So now it’s here, it’s real, and it still looks adorable (though a little less than before). No pressure, Honda, but everyone’s praying this thing is brilliant. Now you can find out whether that’s the case.

2020 Honda e review: What do I need to know?

Let’s start with a highlights reel of the marketing materials. This is basically Honda’s vision of what an electric commuter car should be, so the size came first and then everything else was built around it. It’s small because it’s designed to be good in the city, which dictated the battery size, which is also quite small at 35.5kWh.

That provides a WLTP range of just 137 miles, and you can knock another 11 off that if you opt for the bigger 17-inch alloy wheels. Not a lot compared to the comparably priced but also larger Kia e-Niro’s 282 miles.

Other stats? There are two trim levels – ‘e’ and ‘e Advance’ – with the entry-level model putting out 134bhp and the higher-spec making 152bhp. Both generate 232lb/ft (315Nm) of torque, while 0-62mph takes 9.0 and 8.3 seconds.

The rear-wheel drive Honda e is small but, being an electric car, it’s not particularly light. It is, in fact, heavier than the Mini Electric, Nissan Leaf and VW e-Golf to name a few. An impressive feat when you consider it’s smaller than all of them, at just 3,895mm metres long and 1,755mm wide.

Performance is however brisk enough to put a smile on your face when the roads get fun – or when darting in and out of traffic like a real-life game of Frogger. It’s also remarkably composed at motorway speeds so it will feel happy to venture out of the city.

But it’s the interior where the real impact lies. Imagine a living room collaboration between high street retailer John Lewis and Apple (the technology company, not the fruit) and you’re some way there.

Tell me more about this interior…

There are numerous cool touches, but you really have to start with the screens, which dominate the dashboard, wrapping around the cabin from pillar to pillar. There are five in total – two rear view monitors, one instrument binnacle for the driver and two infotainment displays.

The infotainment system is the highlight, with a slick design and responsive user interface. Car manufacturers’ operating systems always lag miles behind Android and iOS, but Honda has done a great job of moving its generally awful systems on hugely. To the point where it actually feels like an acceptable alternative.

You can move between screens quickly and easily, even passing ‘apps’ from one screen to the other should you so desire. For example, the passenger could input a destination in the sat nav on their screen, then move it towards the driver. It’s simple yet effective.

There’s also a voice-controlled personal assistant that’s ‘intelligent’, so you can talk to it like a human and it will understand. But other features, such as turning the screen into a digital aquarium, will be used once for a Twitter video and then never looked at again. Unless you really like fish.

As you may have noticed, the rear-view mirrors are replaced by cameras that feed into monitors at each end of the dashboard. These work better than other similar systems we’ve tried, but still take some getting used to. The instrument binnacle, meanwhile, is more basic in its design than the other screens, and looks a bit outdated and out of place – though it has all the information you need.

What’s most surprising is that the screens aren’t at all distracting. Once you’re out on the road you’re looking clearly over them, so they don’t catch your eye or obstruct your view. But once you need to look at them you can generally find the information quickly.

What about interior space & practicality?

Space up front is decent for a car this size, thanks to there being no transmission tunnel – a key advantage of building an electric car from the ground up – but adults in the rear will find legroom limited, and boot space will struggle to swallow a weekly shop. 171 litres is hardly plentiful.

Things do improve if you can fold the rear seats down, with boot space increasing to 861 litres. Although you end up with a much less versatile vehicle, an issue shared by the even cuter Suzuki Jimny.

Is the small range that big a problem?

Okay, so let’s not hide from it any longer – let’s talk about range. Range is a difficult one, because it’s either incredibly relevant or not at all relevant depending what you want to use the car for. Most studies show the average person only drives about 20 or 30 miles each day, so a car that has a range of 137 miles could be charged once a week, in theory. That’s who Honda built this car for.

The main problems for Honda are two-fold. The first problem is a simple one – numbers are easy to market. If a person is looking at the Honda e and thinks it looks cool inside and out, but for about £10 a month more on their finance deal they could get a rival that goes almost 100 miles further per charge, it’s going to be hard to be swayed.

Then there’s the fact that ‘what if?’ scenarios play on the mind. If you’ve got 200-plus miles of range it’s easier to justify because even the longest unexpected trip would likely need a maximum of one mid-journey charge. With 137? It’s a relatively small difference, but psychologically it’s going to induce far more stress.

If, however, your commute falls within those boundaries and you have access to charging at work, at home or even a fast charger nearby, there’s less of a reason why a Honda e can’t squeeze into your life with minimal fuss.

2020 Honda e review: What about the drive?

Rather well, as it turns out. The steering is super light, which is good for three-point turns and parking, but lacking in feedback. Fortunately, smooth driving is never an issue so no worries about it being twitchy and needing lots of correctional steers.

The ride, meanwhile, is surprisingly good for a small electric car. There’s none of that crashing about you see in some rival offerings, yet firm enough to remain flat in the corners.

This is partly thanks to that low centre of gravity enjoyed by electric cars and their floor-based battery packs, which in this case is liquid cooled and 35.5Wh in capacity.

So, should I buy the Honda e?

2020 Honda e review verdict: The truth of the matter is that whenever you buy a car, you do it based on whether it fits your lifestyle. You would avoid buying a sports car if you had four kids to take to school every day, and you would avoid buying a supermini if you wanted to put a bicycle in the back every weekend.

Therefore, look at the range and whether you have access to charging, look at the space inside, then look at your lifestyle and see if it fits. If it does, then the Honda e would be a compelling purchase because it’s a pleasing machine.

The issue is that prices start at £26,160 for the entry model. Or £28,660 for the e Advance that Honda is pushing at launch. Either way, that puts it up against electric cars such as the Nissan Leaf and not that far from a BMW i3 or Tesla Model 3. All are more practical and can go further on a single charge.

We had hoped the little Honda e would be a little cheaper as that would make it easier to recommend. Still, this is a rare opportunity to own something truly left-field that’s great to drive and has a nifty cabin.

2020 Honda e review: Technical Specs

• • Engine: DC Electric motor
  • Power Output: 135bhp to 152bhp (136-154PS)
  • Torque: 232lb/ft (315Nm)
  • Battery Capacity: 35.5kWh (lithium ion)
  • 0-62mph (100kmh): 8.3 to 9 seconds (spec-dependent)
  • Top Speed: 90mph (145kmh)
  • Kerb Weight: 1,514 to 1,542kg
  • Boot Space: 171 litres, 861 with rear seats down
  • Dimensions: 3,895mm (L) x 1,750mm (W) x 1,512mm (H)
  • CO2 Emissions: 0g/km (locally)
  • Range: 125 to 137 miles (WLTP)
  • Recharge Time: 18.8 hours (2.3kW), 4.1 hours (7.4kW)

• UK Price OTR: From £26,160
• 2020 Honda e configurator

2020 Honda e Image Gallery

2020 Honda e review: E for excellent?

Verdict

Big on character and technology, fun to drive and more interesting than anything else in its class, the Honda e is a solid purchase if you can stomach the ambitious price and limited range.

The Good

Unique styling

Nippy performance

Comfy & cool interior

The Bad

Lack of rear space & boot

Big alloys affect range

Battery capacity

70

Tribe Score