Honda e:Ny1 (2023 - )

Following on from the Honda e, the Japanese carmaker has launched its second fully electric vehicle into the mix with the not-so-snappy title e:Ny1. Yes, it sounds like some sort of mathematical formula and difficult to say, but imagine how hard it is to type time and time again!

But back to the car. The e:Ny1 is a five-door B-segment SUV which Honda claims is aimed at younger buyers. However, with a price-tag the wrong side of £45k that’s pretty unlikely. Realistically, older buyers who are loyal to the Honda brand could see this as a chance to make the switch to full electrification and the combined 256 miles of driving range should fill them with confidence.

Customers can choose between two trim levels called Elegance and Advance and we opted for the range-topping e:Ny1 Advance for our test drive.

The Honda e:Ny1 is a five-door SUV that’s very easy on the eye when viewed from any angle. It boasts dynamic styling without being over-the-top or garish in any way. It has sleek headlight clusters connected by a fine horizontal LED strip when charging, a smooth front grille that opens outwards to reveal the charging port, rear door handles that are flush to the bodywork and a panoramic glass roof (Advance models only).

The rear lights are connected by a full width light bar, while there is white Honda badging with the name HONDA in place of a badge at the rear, plus large 18-inch alloy wheels.

Moving inside, the interior is modern, clutter-free and very upmarket with powered and heated synthetic leather seats, along with a heated leather steering wheel.

The main focal point is an oversized upright 15-inch navigation touchscreen which is very Tesla-esque. At the top of the screen is the navigation section while the climate settings are located at the bottom. In-between, you will find other features such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, DAB radio, Bluetooth, six-speaker premium sound system, rear view camera and much more besides.

Front and rear parking sensors are practical, while our Advance grade also featured Honda Parking Pilot which will virtually park the car itself with a little driver input.

Behind the steering wheel is all the important driving data such as speed, battery charge and driving range. This is also where all the driver assistance aids can be viewed.

Powering the front-wheel drive e:Ny1 is a high-performance 68.8kWh battery driving a single motor. It delivers 204Ps and 310Nm of torque resulting in a 0-62mph sprint time of 7.7 seconds and top speed of 99mph.

Honda claims the vehicle’s chassis and powertrain have been engineered to deliver a fun and confidence-inspiring driving experience and we have to agree. Yes, there are more exciting EVs out there with more exhilarating performance, but the Honda is a great all-rounder. 

It won’t pin you to the back of your seat when you touch the throttle, but there is always plenty of power on tap for bursts of pace and that helps make light work of overtaking slower-moving vehicles.

There are three drive modes called Econ, Normal and Sport with the Econ setting reducing the throttle response, air conditioning, heated seats and the heated steering wheel to save energy. By contrast, Sport mode is far more responsive with edgier handling.

The paddles can be used to increase or decrease the levels of regenerative braking, but single-pedal driving is not an option, which is a shame. 

Performance-wise, the e:Ny1 is well balanced on twisting B roads, a comfortable cruiser on motorways and easy to manoeuvre in busier town centres with steering feel that errs on the light side.

We did have one quite alarming issue during a torrential downpour when one-by-one every warning light imaginable came on. Even after stopping, exiting the vehicle, locking it and then starting all over again, these lights stayed on. Everything returned to normal after a two-hour break but it’s something that was a little disconcerting to say the least.

The Honda e:Ny1 is a neatly styled five-door SUV that stretches 4,387mm in length, is 1,790mm (excluding mirrors) 1,584mm tall and has a wheelbase of 2,607mm.

The interior is deceptively spacious with designers cleverly making the most of the area. Two six footers can sit comfortably up front and there’s also bundles of room in the back too for a couple more adults or three at a bit of a squeeze. That said; taller back seat passengers may find their head brushing against the car’s roof lining.

The boot, accessed via a hands-free powered tailgate, has a rubber mat which is handy if carrying wet gear, but this can be removed when not needed to reveal standard carpeted flooring. There is room to accommodate 344 litres of goodies, increased to 1,136 litres with the 60:40 split-folding rear seats down and there are plenty of practical storage compartments scattered throughout the cabin too.

These include a glovebox, door bins, deep front cup holders with additional ones in the rear armrest as well as the side doors, a charging pad, seat back pockets, a central cubby bin and some trays.

The 68.8kWh lithium-ion battery is positioned beneath the floor of the e:Ny1 and has fast-charging capabilities. That means it can be charged from 10 to 80 per cent in 45 minutes using a DC rapid charger and CCS connector. Alternatively, if using a standard domestic charger, 10 to 80 per cent is achieved in six hours.

The Honda e:Ny1 costs £44,995 for the entry-level Elegance trim and £47,195 for the Advance version, as tested. Our car also featured Premium White Pearl paintwork that added a further £650 to the final price-tag.

The vehicle is fitted with a high-capacity 68.8kWh battery and offers up to 256 miles on a single charge. So, with the soaring energy prices finally beginning to drop, its worth speaking to your supplier to see if there are any special low-rate tariffs for charging the car at home overnight.

And, with its zero carbon emissions, the Honda e:Ny1 is an attractive choice for business and fleet drivers thanks to its Benefit in Kind tax rating of just two per cent.

In addition, there are numerous financial benefits to running an all-electric vehicle. For example, drivers are currently exempt from road tax charges, congestion and low emission zone fees and they are not penalised for purchasing a car costing in excess of £40k as owners of combustion engine-powered vehicles are. I say currently, because the Government has announced it will be reducing or withdrawing incentives completely from 2025. 

All Honda e:Ny1 models are rated as insurance group 43.

Honda enjoys an excellent reputation for developing exceptionally reliable cars that tend to hold their value well. And there is every reason to expect the Honda e:Ny1 will deliver thousands of miles of untroubled motoring.

For added peace of mind, the vehicle comes with a five year service plan, five year warranty and five years of roadside assistance. 

The Honda e:Ny1 is a practical five-door SUV that has a strong road presence and offers a wealth of on-board luxury. The screen is large, but intuitive, while it boasts all the creature comforts we demand these days too.

It’s practical enough and the 256-mile range is ample for the majority of EV drivers. It is packed with the comprehensive Honda Sensing suite of safety features and driver assistance aids, but we did experience those issues in heavy rain which was a concern.

Oh, and that name – really? There was a time when a child in a car pointed at a Honda and shouted: “Look daddy, it’s a Jazz” but now it’s “Look daddy, it’s a lower case e, colon, upper-case N, lower case y, one”. Not quite so snappy eh!