Honda e:Ny1

Report 1: Appreciating Honda's unpronounceable EV SUV

Honda's electric small SUV - the e:Ny1 joins - the HJ fleet. The name is a mouthful, but what else have we got to say?

Date: 18 September 2024 | Current mileage: 1569 | Claimed range: 256 miles | Actual range: ~200 miles

I’ve had the Honda e:Ny1 on my driveway for a couple of weeks and already I’ve realised two things. First, Honda has built a really appealing, comfortable and tech-filled family SUV. Second… I’ve got a few questions about efficiency and range that I’ll be digging into over the next few months.

Wait, How Do You Even Say It?

Before we get into the details, let’s address the name: e:Ny1. How do you pronounce it? “E-N-Y-1”? “En-y-one”? “Anyone”? Even after explaining it to friends several times this week, I’m still not sure. 

Confusing name aside, the Honda e:Ny1 is Honda’s first dedicated electric SUV, effectively the EV sibling of the Honda HR-V hybrid. 

Prices start at £44,995 for the Elegance trim and rise to £47,195 for the top-spec Honda e:Ny1 Advance, which is the version I’m running. Options are minimal, beyond paint (£650 for anything other than black) and some cosmetic tweaks, there isn’t much to add. Surprisingly, even a heat pump isn’t available (as was fitted to the Volkswagen ID.3 that I previously ran), which could become a factor when winter arrives.

With a 68.8kWh battery (62kWh usable) and a single 201bhp electric motor driving the front wheel, plus an official WLTP range of 256 miles, the Honda e:Ny1 looks very promising indeed.

It’s late summer now and - for the first few weeks at least - the range has been around 220 miles and appears to be pretty genuine. If there’s 220 miles on the dashboard you get 220 miles. But I’m aware that temperatures are still mild and that will be having a positive effect on its performance. But, so far so good with a consumption of around 3.3-3.5 miles per kWh.

Of course, it’s early days and my driving recently has included a lot of motorway miles. But the absence of a heat pump nags at the back of my mind - will things get worse when winter sets in? The Volkswagen ID.3 I had previously had one fitted and it made a tangible difference in winter.

Charging: Fine, But Not Fast

When you do need to plug in, the Honda e:Ny1 supports DC fast charging up to 78kW. That’s… okay, but hardly competitive when rivals like the Kia Niro EV can charge much faster. On long motorway trips, that’s going to mean longer coffee breaks than I’d like. In reality, I'm seeing somewhere between 65kW and 70kW even on the very fastest chargers.

Here’s the thing: despite these niggles, I’m really enjoying living with this car so far.

I like the design, it’s clean and modern without being shouty. Honda’s replaced the traditional grille with a smooth, blocky panel that hides the charging flap. Subtle touches like the white Honda badges and lowercase boot lettering help distinguish it from the HR-V. It’s understated in a good way.

It also feels like a Honda, which is a good thing. If you didn’t know what the badge was on the front, there’s a strong chance that you would be able to have a stab at this being a Honda from behind the wheel, because of the non-nonsense style, use of buttons over touchscreen simplification and that everything just feels solid.

It's inside where the Honda e:Ny1 really shines. The cabin feels airy and spacious, with excellent rear legroom for the kids. The panoramic glass roof is a treat, flooding the interior with light and giving longer journeys an open, relaxed feel.

The materials are generally high quality, too, with plenty of soft-touch plastics and a reassuring lack of squeaks or rattles. My only gripe so far is the piano-black trim around the centre console, which attracts fingerprints - particularly from children - faster than I can wipe them away.

Then there’s the 15.1-inch portrait touchscreen, the centrepiece of the cabin. I’ll admit, I’m usually sceptical about giant screens, but Honda has nailed this one. It’s cleverly divided into three sections: navigation or Apple CarPlay at the top, drive and media controls in the middle, and permanent climate controls at the bottom. No endless menu diving just to turn the heater up.

In Advance trim, there’s plenty of other useful kit, too. Adaptive cruise control, wireless charging, electrically adjustable heated seats, a powered tailgate and a multi-view parking camera. There’s even a Parking Pilot system that can park the car for you, though I haven’t dared try it yet.

After a few weeks with the e:Ny1, I’m impressed by its comfort, quality, and tech, but concerned about its efficiency and charging speeds. Over the next few months, I’ll be putting it through its paces:

Long motorway trips: A regular 250+ mile trip to London and back and a few longer jaunts too.

Cold-weather testing, when the lack of a heat pump could make a noticeable difference.

Family life testing, from school runs to weekend getaways, to see if it genuinely works as a versatile family SUV.

For now, the Honda e:Ny1 is a car I want to love. It’s comfortable, it’s packed with ki, and it looks good. 

First update verdict: Promising, but plenty of questions left to answer...