The extremely small design of the kei car is an exceptionally attractive feature in a time when many electric vehicles seem to be bulky, and although we don’t often see these cars on sale in the UK, the popularity of slightly modified versions such as the Suzuki Jimny shows that there must be a market for such cars. But now, Honda will have another shot at it, with their Super N finally hitting our roads in July with base prices starting from just £18,995.
Having first been unveiled as a concept vehicle at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, we got to take a closer look at the prototype version of the Super N when it was revealed at the Japan Mobility Show held in Tokyo last year. Although it is still too early to test-drive it, we have enough information already to feel enthusiastic about it, even as the new Renault Twingo enters the fray in the field of compact EVs…
The Super N, otherwise known as Super One in every country apart from the United Kingdom due to copyright reasons, is clearly influenced by the Honda e in terms of design; yet, the concept vehicle adopts a very different attitude compared to its inspiration. While Honda aimed to offer an upscale city car in the form of the e, this one promises a lot less expensive model in both size and engagement.
As far as standard specifications go, the Super N delivers 62bhp and can increase the engine capacity to 93bhp in boost mode. Yet, the latter doesn’t promise anything in terms of record-breaking results for obvious reasons. By way of comparison, the latest Renault Twingo offers 81bhp without having any sort of boost system in place, albeit it weighs over 1200kg, which means it accelerates from 0 to 62 mph in 14.5 seconds. To put things into perspective, the aforementioned Twingo reaches the same speed in just under 12 seconds.
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While its exact weight cannot yet be disclosed, it should be noted that the electric version of the Honda N-One that it will be built off of only weighs slightly over 1000kg, making the Super N incredibly lightweight in comparison to any other EV out there. In addition to being able to maximise the power that comes from its engine, this light weight should ensure more engaging dynamics, especially considering the small size of the wheels (measuring 16 inches in diameter), which are even equipped with rather large tires measuring 205 mm in section size (Renault 5 uses 195).
Another aspect of the Super N that increases its performance levels comes through the implementation of virtual multi-gear shift control and an internal sound generator which imitates both the sound produced by a combustion engine and the gear shifts in a seven-speed automatic transmission. While the latter can be activated using two paddles positioned behind the steering wheel, the former is unique to it as well since the system has never been implemented in budget EVs before – only the Ferrari Elettrica and Hyundai Ioniq 5 N have it.
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However, what all of these modifications will not aid in, is an increase in its range which remains at 199 miles in ‘city’ mode and falls to a more realistic 128 miles overall, well below the 163-mile range of the Renault Twingo EV model whose smaller battery offers this improved performance. Its top-end charging speed of only 50kw is also somewhat disappointing, although again, the French competitor doesn’t offer anything better.
Its design is appealing with distinctive circular LED daytime running lights mounted at both ends of the wide grille section. This grille is in fact the location where you insert your charging cable, freeing up the rest of the body panels for wider doors. It features new front and rear bumpers as compared to the kei-car model it is based on; a necessity since it fails to comply with kei-car regulations due to its enlarged wheel arches.
The seats are upholstered in cloth and leatherette with added bolstering, creating an impressively snug fit. Despite its diminutive size, the rear seats are comfortable enough for adults with the aid of the flat floor design.
It’s hard not to agree when saying that there’s certainly a feeling of having a cheap vehicle because the doors feel light, and there’s a lot of plastic used here and everywhere else. However, it’s precisely what makes this automobile desirable – the lack of higher-quality materials is expected to result in its being sold in larger volumes compared to the e it draws inspiration from.
The Honda Super N is expected to come to the British market since July 2026, and the price range would start at below £18,995.
