Honda is going small again with the Super-N, a compact electric car priced from £18,995 (RM104,000) for the UK market.
Order books open today, with the car due to reach showrooms in July.
For now, this is not a wider Europe launch. When Honda showed the Super-N Prototype, it said it had no immediate plans to introduce the car to further European markets.
The company added that the UK launch would help it understand demand for future small EVs in the region.
Honda is limiting the Super-N to right-hand-drive markets, with the UK, Japan, Australia and Thailand confirmed so far.
The restriction isn’t just commercial: a left-hand-drive version doesn’t currently exist, so Honda would need to engineer one before mainland Europe becomes an option, and keeping production to one steering configuration also helps hold costs down.
That combination of engineering reality and cost discipline, more than a simple lack of interest in Europe, is what’s keeping the car off the continent for now.
Honda is betting on a simple formula with the Super-N: keep it light, keep it small, and give it some of that old hot-hatch character.
The car is based on the lightweight platform used by Honda’s N Series kei cars in Japan. It also takes visual cues from the 1980s Honda City Turbo II, with a short, upright body, a wide stance, flared arches and aero ducts.
The result is more toy-like than aggressive, but that appears to be the point.
The performance angle centres on BOOST Mode. In normal driving, the compact e-Axle produces 47kW. Hit BOOST and output rises to 70kW, cutting the 0-100kph time from 14.51 seconds to 10.0 seconds.
That still will not scare real hot hatches, but in a car weighing just 1,097kg, it should feel lively.
Honda has also added a simulated seven-speed transmission and Active Sound Control, which creates an artificial engine note in the cabin. Some EV buyers will roll their eyes. Others may like the idea of a small electric car that does not take itself too seriously.
The Super-N uses a 29.6kWh lithium-ion battery. Honda quotes a combined WLTP range of 206km. In city use, where the car is clearly meant to spend most of its time, the WLTP city range rises to 320km. A 50kW DC charger can take the battery to 80% in 30 minutes.
It is properly small, too. The Super-N measures 3,599mm long and 1,573mm wide, but Honda says it can seat four adults.
The cabin follows the brand’s “Man-Maximum, Machine-Minimum” packaging idea, with Magic Seats that can be folded in different ways. Boot space is 162 litres with the rear seats up, rising to 967 litres in dive-down mode.
Equipment includes Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, an eight-speaker Bose sound system, ambient lighting and Honda Sensing driver assistance features. The interior gets blue trim, while the lighting switches to purple when BOOST Mode is selected.
Boost Violet Pearl is the signature colour, with a black roof and rear spoiler available as part of a two-tone finish.
The Super-N also arrives with a more realistic price than Honda’s last small EV for the UK. The Honda e was charming but expensive; this one looks less precious and more usable.
