The Honda e is already two years old since its first release to the public in 2020. Though the initial excitement has slowed down for Honda’s fun and quirky EV, it still remains one of the more intriguing EVs on the market that offers something different from its competition. With dimensions equivalent to its petrol sibling the Honda Fit, Honda did not go the traditional SUV or sedan route that other manufacturers took. Instead, they took the compact car approach, making the e a dynamic and convenient car perfectly fit for the urban lifestyle. The e is full of surprises thanks to its state-of-the-art tech, its cosy interior and its simple yet memorable facia. Inside out, the e wants to upgrade the quality of your everyday life, yet somehow, it isn’t a car that you tend to see very often on the roads. But one thing’s for sure, the e is an EV that truly stands out from its competition as it offers something new in an industry where latest models have a tendancy to feel a little déjà vu, especially with the rise in the 2022 electric cars.

2021 Honda e

9.00 / 10
Key Features
  • Minimal and retro silhouette
  • Side view cameras instead of traditional mirrors
  • Loungy, living room-like interior
  • Beautiful dashboard with 5 screens and faux-wood
Specifications
  • Trim: e Advance
  • Model: Honda e
  • Engine/Motor: Electric motor
  • Horsepower: 152 hp
  • Torque: 232 lb-ft
  • Drivetrain: RWD
  • Transmission: 1-speed, automatic
  • Range: 137 miles
Pros
  • Incredible side view cameras that feel natural to use
  • Cozy and welcoming interior
  • Ideal city car thanks to its size and small turning circle
  • Smooth cruise control and a parking assist feature that actually work
Cons
  • Pricey for a compact car
  • Not a lot of range and heavily reliant on regen

A Minimal, Retro And Honda-Like Silhouette

Honda e front close-up
via Claire and Ayesh

It’s easy to get used to the looks of the e with its round lines that give it this lovely and modern retro style. The Honda e's silhouette is simple and straightforward, with flushed door handles to accentuate its clean silhouette. As an EV, there is no front grille. Instead, Honda's EV features a piano black panel that hides all kinds of sensors.

The e also has these striking, signature round headlights that seem to be intensely staring at you. Though we are all familiar with the horizontal and elongated headlights such as those you’d find on the current Honda Civic, these round headlights are very much a Honda-like design and reminiscent of the 1960's earlier Honda models such as the S500 and S600 fascia. Overall, the round and compact body feels like a modern take on the first gen’ Civic.

As for the e’s charging port, you can find it on the bonnet, underneath a square, glass flap. This front port is a positioning that makes sense as it is easy to park the e head first unlike big sedans and SUVs (think Taycan, E-Tron) with front charging ports. It is also worth mentioning that though some may complain about the charging cable rubbing against the car and damaging the paint, this has little to do with the car but more about the poor design of charging cables as this is not something we encountered even once during this test drive.

The Honda e’s most striking external feature is of course its side view cameras. As a futuristic car worthy of its name, the Honda e shows off Honda’s latest technology with these two cameras that replace the traditional side view mirrors. While we will get into its usability later, these make for an eye-catching detail that will get you more looks than your average supercar.

A Small And Cozy Living-Room Feeling Inside

Honda e dashboard
via Claire and Ayesh

The interior of the Honda e is what truly makes a difference with other EVs as it grabs your attention from the moment you sit inside this cozy cocoon. It is a quiet and relaxing place that truly makes you feel as if you were sitting in a modern living room thanks to the attention to detail Honda put into the design and choice of materials.

The contrasting dark and light gray two-tone color pattern creates a homey atmosphere. This is also emphasized with the contrasting faux-wood elements such as the center console and the dashboard. The center console is detached from the dashboard and only connected to the seats, which allows for a wider foot area. As for the dashboard, it spans across the width of the car and gives the image of replicating a living room’s TV stand. It is however slightly inclined, which makes it unfortunately impossible to use it as a counter table for your coffee cup or your phone.

The comfortable seats use a wool mix fabric that is commonly found on sofas and other furniture. The optional sunroof opens up the cabin, making it feel more spacious and airy. As for the rear seats that can seat two people, it is one uninterrupted seating space with a flat floor, which helps compensate for the tight space.

Then, there’s the trunk space. Though quite small with only 171L at your disposal, it would be most unfair to judge the e by its trunk. As a car that fits the fast pace and modern urban lifestyle, it is enough for your daily use. The trunk is also big enough to fit a suitcase or a few large bags and if that’s not enough, you can always lower the rear seats for additional space.

Related: Here's What Makes The Honda E The Coolest Compact Car

State Of The Art Tech Behind The Lovely Retro Look

Honda e side view camera
via Claire and Ayesh

The Honda e’s tech is equally captivating as the interior and completes it very well, starting with the 5 screens occupying the width of the dashboard. The driver gets a fully digital 8” screen with all of the driving data. On it, you get your basic information such as speed and range, but you also get other convenient information such as a traffic light reader for Japan models, which lets you know accurately how long until a light turns red or green. It is a feature that works in major Japanese cities such as Tokyo that comes in handy when a large truck is blocking the view. It is also worth noting that the predicted range is just as accurate in comparison to competitors that tend to overestimate how far their cars can travel.

Next to it are two 12.3” screens that can be used by both driver and passenger. These two interconnected screens feature the new and already iconic fish tank that you can activate while parked, with fish that can swim from one screen to the other and that reacts to the digital food you give them as you gently tap on the screen. When driving, you can pick a background image of your choice, such as an autumn Japanese garden or a winterly Hokkaido scenery. And though it’s true that a virtual aquarium may not have much functionality aside from its ornamental aspect, this focus on aesthetic is precisely what helps reinforce this cozy and homey atmosphere. Honda did not sacrifice practicality as some physical buttons remain in order to adjust the temperature, the volume or to activate the parking assist feature for example, so you don’t have to dig through all the menus on the screen.

In addition to these infotainment screens, there is also a set of 6-inch screens at both extremities of the dashboard with a very straightforward function: they project the image from the side view cameras, replacing the traditional side view mirrors. Though unusual at first, Honda made these concept-like mirrors incredibly easy to use thanks to their perfect positioning. The projected image is sharp, bright and almost feels like watching a car commercial. With a rain repellent coating and a brightened image at night, the image always remains clear under any conditions.

Honda also installed a couple of USB ports underneath the control buttons, alongside an HDMI port and a 2-pin socket for Japan models (3-pin socket for foreign models), just so you can keep yourself busy while the car is charging.

Related: This Is Why We Need More Electric Cars Like The Honda e

A Fitting Performance For A City Car

Blue Honda e driving in Fuji
via Claire and Ayesh

When it comes to driving, the Honda e delivers what you’d expect from a compact EV: it accelerates quickly and its range works perfectly for short trips such as your daily commute. With this specific performance version called the e Advance, the car produces about 152 hp and 232 lb-ft of torque and claims a 0-62 mph of 8.3 seconds. Believe us, the Honda e Advance feels quicker than that. The e’s batteries sit underneath the floor as low as possible, in between the axles, helping the car in its 50:50 weight distribution.

The batteries have a capacity of 35.5 kWh, which explains its short range of 137 miles and it’ll likely vary upon your driving style. You'll find that highway driving tends to drain the battery a lot quicker than city driving and going uphill requires even more power… But this is only one side of the story. In comparison to other EVs out there, the Honda e offers a very powerful regen mode. This allows you to regain quite a bit of range when slowing down at red lights and so forth, to the point that in certain scenarios such as when going downhill, you can easily regain half of the power you’ve spent when driving up. Though this isn’t a car that’ll get you far, the e’s small battery is quicker to charge, making those longer drives more time consuming but not impossible.

On the highway, the Honda e is incredibly pleasant to drive as it is surprisingly quiet with little wind and road noise. Its independent suspension offers a stable, smooth and mature drive. In short, it delivers everything you would not expect from a compact car. Even on winding mountain roads, its rear wheel transmission and its generous amount of torque makes the e Advance a fun car to drive. It will provide you with the right amount of thrill for when you’re feeling like pushing the car a bit more.

As for city driving, this is where the Honda excels. Its RWD layout allows it to have a ridiculously small turning circle of just 14 ft, making it incredibly easy to U-turn wherever you want. Its range isn’t as problematic anymore as you’ll be using it for shorter drives, as Honda researched. Based on data, compact car owners don’t tend to go too far, as the manufacturer found out. You also get all of the tech that makes it even more relaxing to drive around town. Its cruise control is excellent, with soft acceleration and braking that makes it feel very human. The e also comes with a parking assist feature that actually works. The car will park itself for you and it does it with such precision that it’ll leave you speechless.

Related: 8 Things We Love About The Honda E (2 Reasons Why We Wouldn't Buy One)

A Pricey Car, But For Good Reasons

Front 3/4 Honda e in misty weather
via Claire and Ayesh

The Honda e is not a car that suits everybody’s needs. If you are in search of a car that can take you far, while carrying a minimum of two suitcases, then the e won’t be for you. However, if you are in need of a compact city car that can conveniently drive you anywhere in the city on the daily, then this might be the EV for you. With a price that ranges from $36,000 to $40,000 for the e Advance here in Japan depending on the exchange rate (Japan price: ¥5,049,000), it is not an affordable EV. But then, all EVs tend to come with an expensive price tag. Yet, the amount of technology you get in the e stands on another level in comparison to other compact EVs. From its brilliantly executed side view cameras to its driving assist technology, there is little to complain about the Honda e. The e has an intrinsically Japanese feeling to it, which might feel different from European or American cars at first, but its cozy interior always feels welcoming and its lovely exterior design makes it hard to not fall for it. So if a small, high-tech EV full of personality is what you are after, you would be missing out not choosing the Honda e.