Honda e:Ny1 (2024-) Review

Introduction

Honda has a pretty varied portfolio, from supercars to superminis and from strimmers to speedboats, the brand has plenty of experience. But its electric car offering is small compared with other brands, and the Honda e might be cool, but it isn’t exactly competitively priced or blessed with ample space and range.

Step forward, the Honda e:Ny1. Known to some (apparently incorrectly) as the ‘Anyone’, the confusingly named electric vehicle sits above the little ‘e’ in Honda’s line-up, providing an electrically powered alternative to the HR-V hybrid crossover already on sale. The question is, is the e:Ny1 here purely for show, or is it a realistic alternative to the existing HR-V?

At a Glance

Visually, the e:Ny1 looks a lot like the HR-V hybrid SUV, but it’s a cool and modern design that’s smart and contemporary without being too futuristic or ‘out there’ and it’s a similar story inside, despite the enormous central touchscreen and the digital instrument display.

In spite of their dominance in the e:Ny1’s cabin, neither screen is especially remarkable from a technology standpoint, but they work well enough and they’re generally simple to use, albeit in an occasionally clunky way. More impressive is the build quality, which, with typical Honda sense, is very solid indeed.

Space is adequate, too, although boot space is a little limited, and the battery isn’t exactly massive, either. That said, a real-world range of more than 200 miles even on the motorway is solid enough, and customers won’t have too many complaints about charging, either.

Nor will they find many faults with the driving experience. The Honda is hardly exciting, but it’s comfortable, particularly at motorway speeds, and refinement is good around town. The steering is a bit dull, it’s true, but with adequate grip and performance, most customers will feel perfectly at home in the Honda.

Key Features

The e:Ny1’s powertrain is more simple and effective, with just a single electric motor powering the car’s front wheels. That means it’s smooth and refined, with barely a whisper from under the bonnet, and a much more linear delivery. And with a little over 200hp, it’s plenty fast enough.

It also offers plenty of range, despite the relatively compact size of the battery. A motorway range of more than 200 miles is fairly achievable — at least in mild weather conditions — even on the motorway. Drive around town and that might increase to 240 or 250 with a bit of forward planning and the air conditioning switched off, but cold weather will impact range noticeably. Even so, the e:Ny1 is a compact electric car with a really useful range.

Range & Batteries

Under the floor, the e:Ny1 has a 68.8kWh battery that’s fitted as standard no matter which version you choose. Officially, that’s big enough for a range of 256 miles on a single charge, and that kind of range is just about achievable in the real world. Admittedly, you’ll struggle to get anywhere near that in cold weather or with the air conditioning running, but you’ll be able to cover more than 200 miles on the motorway and even more on slower roads. It isn’t a massive range, admittedly, but for something of this size, it’s perfectly adequate.

Performance & Drive

When you choose an e:Ny1, there are no powertrain options to choose from — you’re simply lumped with the oh-so-simple single-motor electric propulsion system. Not that there’s anything wrong with it.

A 204hp electric motor powers the front wheels through a constant-ratio gearbox, giving the car enthusiastic performance without providing especially ballistic acceleration. Getting from 0-62mph takes just over seven-and-a-half seconds, which is brisk, but not quite fast enough to trouble traditional hot hatchbacks.

More importantly, though, the electric motor and single-ratio transmission mean you get instant responses to any accelerator input, which means overtaking is way easier than the official performance figures suggest.

It’s smooth and quiet, too, as you’d probably expect from an electric motor, although that can make some of the wind and tyre roar a little more noticeable than it would otherwise be, particularly at high speeds. Nevertheless, the e:Ny1 is comfortable enough, partly because its suspension is pretty accomplished.

While it’s true that the battery seems to weigh the car down a bit over potholes at lower speeds, the ride settles into a smooth and amiable gait when the speed rises, leaving a comfortable cruiser for longer journeys.

The catch with that is a slight lack of engagement and excitement when you want to drive with a bit more gusto, but that’s hardly the e:Ny1’s target market. Instead, the light steering makes it manoeuvrable, and though visibility could be better, the inclusion of a reversing camera as standard and big mirrors mean it’s easy enough to place, while compact exterior dimensions mean it isn’t too tricky to squeeze into small gaps. In short, it’s everything you expect it to be.

Charging

The e:Ny1’s maximum charge speed of 78kW isn’t all that impressive, but it allows you to charge from 10% to 80% in about 45 minutes, assuming you can find a 100kW charging point. That’s about the right time for a lunch stop on a longer drive, so it’s still a useful charge speed. And that’s only when you’re away from home. Using a more conventional AC charging system, and the e:Ny1 can charge at up to 11kW, which means it should charge completely in six hours, although a more common 7kW domestic ‘wallbox’ charging unit will take a little longer – perhaps around eight or nine hours. Either way, it can easily be achieved overnight.

Running Costs & Emissions

In theory, at least, the e:Ny1 can be incredibly cheap to run, although exactly how cheap it will be depends on a few parameters. Firstly, it has to be charged at home — preferably on cheap-rate electricity available during off-peak times. Do that, and though filling the battery takes about nine hours from a so-called ‘wallbox’ home charging point, it should be pretty cheap.

Fill up away from base, however, and charging can quickly become more expensive, particularly on the more powerful charging units. But the e:Ny1’s battery will only charge at a maximum speed of 100kW, so using a charger considerably more powerful is going to be a bit of a waste.

For company car drivers, though, the benefits of an e:Ny1 over a HR-V become immediately obvious. Low rates of Benefit-in-Kind taxation make the e:Ny1 much cheaper to run than its hybrid sibling, and that might well attract plenty of drivers who use company-funded wheels.

Interior & Technology

Unusually for a Honda — and surprisingly, given the brand’s somewhat patchy relationship with touchscreen technology — the e:Ny1’s cabin is awash with tech.

Naturally, your eye will be drawn to the huge 15.1-inch touchscreen that dominates proceedings, although it doesn’t always behave like such a big display. Normally, it’s effectively partitioned into three displays, giving you access to multiple different things at once.

For example, you can see the navigation screen, media display and climate control functions all at the same time, without having to delve into some menu to switch between them. And if you pair your phone to use Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, you still have access to the proprietary infotainment tech.

So the system is useful, if not especially pretty. The design feels a little more functional than fancy, and though it generally works fairly well, it lacks a bit of pizzaz. As does the digital instrument display, which is quite busy but shows you everything you need to see and very little you don’t. It won’t give Audi any sleepless nights when it comes to configuration options, but it does the job.

Which is a bit of a shame when Honda has actually made the e:Ny1’s interior fairly appealing. The design is solid and robust, giving you strength, comfort and style without doing anything especially rogue or provocative. It’s ergonomically laid out and the materials are plush enough, while they’re all stitched together really well.

Practicality & Boot Space

Normally, small cars feel spacious in the front and cramped in the rear, but the e:Ny1 is the other way around. The driving seat is positioned high up, and that means your head gets remarkably close to the roof lining, while the top of the windscreen feels quite low and visibility suffers slightly as a result. That said, there’s a fair bit of adjustment in the seat and the steering wheel, so there’s no question of discomfort.

Similarly, there’s plenty of space for adults in the rear seats, with plenty of head- and legroom even for those who are six feet tall or even taller. Carrying four people for a couple of hours isn’t going to be an issue. But that space has come at the cost of luggage capacity, with a 344-litre boot space that’s just about acceptable for a family car, but isn’t exactly generous. Still, it should be enough for most occasions, and you can always fold the back seats down if you need to carry anything bulkier.

Safety

Euro NCAP, the independent organisation that crash-tests cars in Europe to help ensure safety standards, has not yet put the e:Ny1 through its paces. But we’re pretty confident the e:Ny1 would score solidly, not least because most Hondas seem to do so with consummate ease. The Civic, Jazz and CR-V all managed the maximum rating of five-stars, while the e and ZR-V both got reasonable four-star ratings.

The other reason is because there’s so much safety equipment included as standard, with even base models getting adaptive cruise control that maintains a safe distance to the vehicle in front and an autonomous braking system that can slow or stop the car if the driver fails to react to a hazard. Lane-keeping assistance is also included alongside traffic sign recognition and the usual fleet of airbags and stability control systems.

Options

The e:Ny1 range is pretty simple, with just one powertrain and two trim levels to choose from. The base model is the Elegance, but it’s still packed with standard equipment, including the massive 15.1-inch touchscreen, heated front seats and a digital instrument display, as well as wireless phone charging, an electrically adjustable driving seat and a rear-view camera. Front and rear parking sensors are thrown in, too.

In short, there’s no great need to upgrade to the Advance, but those that want to will get some extra goodies. There’s a panoramic glass roof, for starters, and you get a multi-view manoeuvring camera and a power-operated tailgate, as well as a heated leather steering wheel. But whichever version you choose, there’s now just one colour available: the vibrant Obsidian Blue.

In fairness, it’s a smart colour, and it can be paired with one of four alloy wheel designs, as well as a few accessory packs. The Obscura Black Pack adds a black grille and a tailgate spoiler extension, as well as black trim all around. The Ilmenite Titanium Pack, meanwhile, adds grey touches to the car’s exterior.

Rival Cars

With the popularity of electric SUVs growing, the e:Ny1 faces an ever-increasing number of rivals. Chief among its rivals are the South Korean duo of the Hyundai Kona EV and the Kia Niro EV, both of which are enormously popular and with good reason. Both have a cool, modern style and ample range, as well as pleasant road manners and lots of tech.

Elsewhere, competition comes from the likes of the CUPRA Born and VW ID.3, both of which are appealing family cars. Or, for those on more of a budget, there’s always the MG4. Of course, all these hatchbacks are a little less capacious than the Honda, but the difference isn’t that great and they’re all more engaging on the road.

Alternatively, there’s thePeugeot e-2008, which is very good, and the related Vauxhall Mokka-e. The Fiat 600e and Jeep Avenger are compact options, too, but they each offer their own appealing design languages. 

For those seeking a bit more space, meanwhile, the Toyota bZ4X and the closely related Subaru Solterra (above) are solid options, albeit with less range and a more outlandish design, while left-field alternatives include the KGM (formerly SsangYong) Korando e-Motion, and the MG ZS EV.

Each of these cars has its advantages and disadvantages, but few will offer the same promise of solidity and reliability as the Honda, even if some may be more spacious and more stylish, as well as being better to drive. Which you choose will depend on your individual needs and your style preferences.

Verdict & Next Steps

The e:Ny1 may not be perfect, but it’s a solid electric SUV that inspires confidence. Despite its flaws, it feels completely robust and solid, offering drivers the chance to get to grips with electric motoring with the reassurance and familiarity of a compact Honda SUV. So while it might not be the most exciting or the most imaginative electric car on the market, it manages to give drivers everything they expect from a medium-sized Honda, with the added bonus of a zero-emission powertrain. It’s easy to see the appeal in that.

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**Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top leading independent car website reviews of the Honda e:Ny1.

**Correct as of 12/09/2024. Based on 9 months initial payment, 5,000 miles annually, over a 36 month lease. Initial payment equivalent to 9 monthly payments, or £2,607.12 (Plus admin fee) Ts and Cs apply. Credit is subject to status.