Honda e electric car review – DrivingElectric

The Honda e has wowed onlookers ever since its first appearance as a concept car, and now the largely unchanged production version is on sale in the UK. So does it fulfil its promise of being the ultimate high-tech electric urban runabout? Richard Ingram finds out...

Rival reviews

See also

Follow us:

If you’re choosing an electric, hybrid or plug-in hybrid car, DrivingElectric is here to help you every step of the way.

DrivingElectric celebrates the most efficient cars money can buy, giving you the clear and concise facts you need to help you go electric. We deliver our car reviews, advice and news in the simplest way possible, avoiding jargon and focusing on the facts.

And unlike other websites, we’ll tell you if an electric, hybrid or plug-in hybrid car isn’t for you – and point you in the direction of the very best alternatives.

Electric car reviews

We cut through the myths you might find elsewhere to ensure our car reviews deliver the information that matters. From range and charging times to running costs and practicality, our in-depth reviews leave no stone unturned, covering every model available to buy new in the UK today.

Electric car advice

New to the world of electric – and electrified – cars? We’ll explain everything about them, from how to charge your electric car's battery and choosing the right home-charging system, right through to helping you generate your own energy through solar panels.

Best electric cars

Need a quick, decisive view of the best cars out there? Our wide range of Best Car features can help. By analysing thousands of questions posed by real car buyers through leading search engines, we’re able to answer the most vital questions: what are the best cars out there?

[davidcoveney]

You say there's no storage for cables in the boot, then lift up the boot to show a cable spaced slot into which you can put your type 2 cable. Which is exactly where I keep mine. No need to take the granny charger with you on most trips - that lives in the garage but may take it if we decide to use the car for a longer trip to visit a friend... but really, we bought it as a second car.

[BHBeckenbauer]

What is it about Ev reviews that make people moan so much in the comments? If you don’t like the car, don’t buy one

Great video and very cool little car 👍

[GraemeLeRoux]

Why are you testing a dedicated city car on the open

[jason]

120 miles for that price. Are they releasing it in 2015?

[nickieredshaw]

Nice car if we only did town runs and had lots of money I would have one

[nickporter]

I've seen a few comparison tests against the Mini Electric and Peugeot e208, but I'd really like to see the Honda tested against the BMW i3, which IMO is the king of the small EVs.

[johnshortt]

Honda got this all wrong, focused on the wrong features. Instead of the cameras and screen display they should have focused their efforts on increasing the range. Pity, because it's a beautiful looking car. Let's hope they get the next generation right.

[matthewcox]

Fact were wrong. The boots under floor storage is for the cables... also range isn’t an issue. This is a city car and it’s practicality is perfectly suited to that role, so much so, that I pick mine up in 5 days.

[amigang]

This really needed to be at least 150miles range and be £5, 000 cheaper it would be a real winner.

[toyotaprius]

Lets all be strictly honest here. The hype for the Honda e was... a bit blown out of proportion, and we all seem to have a much higher esteem for this car - which ended up becoming a trend of luxury city vehicles. Mostly to recuperate the costs of Honda being late to the EV scene.

The BMW Mini-e is similar, so too the new Fiat 500e but cheaper entrants and a based-Panda are said to be coming. The Renault Zoes are miles ahead of this bunch.

If only Mitsubishi/Citroen/Peugeot had kept up with the i-MiEV/C-Zero/iOn? They would be sorely needed now, given how VW can squeeze 36 kWh in an e-Up!

[stuartmarshall]

Does every uk car reviewer use this same bit of road?

[OscarLeeMX]

The concept looked much better. This looks like a sad throwback to rusty old Civics.

[MinatoTV_JP]

this tiny little car is same price as Fk8 in Japan

[avidviewer]

With its charge port facing directly upwards, I couldn't imagine a more dangerous procedure than outdoor charging this vehicle in a downpour. As an afterthought, Honda offers a rain protector as an accessory (looks like a little tent perched on top of the bonnet) . . .

[CathodeRayNipplez]

Here in Au all the Big Oils are building many big new petrol stations, and more in the middle of nowhere. None of which have rapid chargers. I can't help but wonder why when the gas pump is apparently going the way of the dinosaur. Makes me think that everyone driving an electric car is still a very long way off... 🤔

[hellmekun]

that massive screen in the center is excessive for a "city car"

[MrBazsi]

There are 3 problems with Honda E, despite the japanese craftsmannship:
a. short nose: collision issues in an accident
b. ultra small trunk: not really suited for a shopping city car
c. a perfectly executed Mazda MX30, with perfect layout / size for the same price

[-Derp-]

honda have been on the crack pipe when sorting out pricing. range and pricing are crazy. no sane person will buy this.

[cuno]

Honda should decrease the screen size and get rid of the electric mirror as a longer-mile version of this car, love the exterior design.

[whocares]

Who said Honda don't a sense of how big is the front trunk/boot...rear drive rear motor so it must have one for the cables