Verdict

Brands are axing their smallest models because the profit margins aren’t there any more. It can cost almost as much to make a small vehicle as a big one, so you have to charge lots to sell a small car, and more if it’s an EV. Make it a hi-tech premium model and you have a triple whammy. But electric city cars can be desirable if you can afford the high asking prices. When we ran an e for eight months in 2020/21, we loved its efficiency, maneuverability and comfort. However, the thing that made it easier to live with was having another car available for the longer journeys, especially in the winter. So make sure the Honda e will fit into your life before buying one, because it can demand all sorts of compromises.

Ever since Honda launched its first model in the early sixties, it has been one of the world’s most innovative car brands. But it’s a manufacturer that has gone off the boil in recent years, trying to find its place in an overcrowded market.

While mainstream cars such as the CR-V and Civic are worthy enough, there’s little to excite in Honda’s line-up, apart from the tiny-selling NSX. So when the firm unveiled a production version of its fabulous-looking e, almost unchanged from the original concept, it got buyers salivating. They calmed down a bit when the cost and specs were revealed, but for some people, a style-led city car is just the thing and they don’t mind paying for it. If that sounds like you, the Honda e could be just what you’re looking for.

History

We got our first glimpse of the e prototype at the February 2019 Geneva Motor Show. Within three months Honda announced that it was taking orders for a production-ready version, although prices weren’t revealed until September 2019 and the first deliveries didn’t take place until spring 2020, just as the Covid-19 pandemic hit, so sales volumes were very low.