Summary
The Honda e is a small five-door electric city car hatchback. After various concept versions were shown by Honda in 2017 and 2018, the production version was revealed in 2019 and arrived in the UK in Summer 2020.
Unlike most electric vehicles currently on sale, the Honda e was designed from the ground up as an electric car rather than being based on an existing petrol model. It is also a showcase for a new design direction for Honda, combining 1970s and 1980s retro styling elements with start-of-the-art technology.
Media reviews for the Honda e have been positive but cautionary. It has received universally high praise for its styling, technology and driving dynamics, which distinguish it from any other city car (either electric or petrol-powered). But reviewers have also universally pointed out that the Honda e is expensive, with a starting price of more than £34,000, and has a limited battery range of not much more than 100 miles in real-world conditions.
As of February 2024, the Honda e has a New Car Expert Rating of B with a score of 68%. This score has been steadily falling for the last year as newer EV rivals have arrived in the UK that have been objectively superior to the e in almost every way.
Key specifications
Body style: Small five-door hatch
Motor: electric, battery-powered
Price: From £34,420 on-road
Launched: Summer 2020
Last updated: N/A
Replacement due: TBA
Image gallery
Media reviews
Reviews, road test and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.
The Car Expert
Model reviewed: Advance
“The Honda e is a groundbreaking little car, and one which will undoubtedly prove immensely popular. Yes, you could say that the range restricts it, but for those who want a car which is easy to nip here and there in – charging on the fly – then it more than fits the bill.”
Read review
Auto Express
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
“The retro-styled Honda e provides a cool, classy take on the small electric car.” (Ellis Hyde)
Read review
Model reviewed: Advance
Score: 8 / 10
“Just a little more range would make the Honda e more appealing, but it’ll likely be fine for how most owners will use it. What you can’t deny is that Honda’s execution is superb; the e drives nicely, it’s comfortable, refined and even fun.”
Read review
Auto Trader
Score: 9.5 / 10
“The sweet combination of impressive future tech and captivating retro design makes Honda’s small, urban EV a very tempting package.”
Read review
Autocar
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“For anyone already resolved that a short-range electric car would suit just fine, it could be first in the queue – but, we fear, that won’t be a great many.”
Read review
Model reviewed: Advance
Score: 8 / 10
“Honda benchmarked this EV against bigger cars for refinement, and it most definitely shows. This is one car you can drive in urban areas without being constantly reminded of the ravaged state of Britain’s roads. Altogether, driving the Honda e is an uplifting experience, which shows a new way for small cars – or at least for small cars that weigh 1.5 tonnes…”
Read review
Business Car
Model reviewed: Advance
Score: 9 / 10
“The Honda e is a ground-breaking EV, from its design and drive to its multiscreen infotainment system. The latter especially feels way ahead of all other cars sold in the UK (large and luxury ones included). Drive and see for yourself.”
Read review
Car
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Honda e is one of the most eye-catching electric cars we’ve yet seen. Its dinky size, cute face and properly cool interior are the biggest draws in its charm arsenal, so much so that some might overlook the low-ish available range and the price being higher than other city EVs.”
Author: Tim Pollard
Read review
Car Keys
Score: 8 / 10
“The Honda e looks brilliant, has interior technology that can rival luxury cars and is a brilliantly unique model that is a fantastic showcase for how innovative Honda can be when its engineers and designers can let their hair down. But the range and price are two sticking points.”
Read review
Carwow
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
“The Honda e looks like a CCTV control centre inside and a surprised panda outside. You’ll be surprised, too, when you see how much it costs given its modest range.”
Read review
Company Car Today
Model reviewed: Advanced
“Range and, to a lesser extent, price are big barriers to what is an otherwise excellent little car. Practicality is compromised for the sake of style, but it does it that very well.”
Read review
Daily Mail
“You can fall very quickly and deeply for the charms of Honda’s new all-electric supermini. The Honda e is eye-catchingly cute, has bags of personality, a lively pace, and a great sense of style without being overly formal, and is a comfortable and interesting companion with which to hang out and chill.”
Read review
Daily Mirror
Model reviewed: Advance
Score: 8 / 10
“The Honda e is great looking but its limited range and high price is going to make it a rare sight on our roads. It’s a car that’s easy to love but Volkswagen’s e-Up – that costs £6,000 less yet has a longer range – is a much more logical buy.”
Read review
Discover EV
Model reviewed: Advanced
Score: 9 / 10
“Honda’s first electric car is more than a pretty face, it’s crammed with tech and rewardingly fun to drive, but you can’t get away from that limited range and hefty price tag. The truth of the matter is range anxiety is just that, the majority of us don’t need to feel anxious with a 100-plus miles of range.”
Read review
Eurekar
“Honda believes that two-thirds of its global car sales will feature some form of electrification by 2030. The Honda e is an encouraging glimpse into that future, but it’s been made available to sample now.”
Read review
Evo
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Honda’s new electric car is fun to drive and bursting with personality, but low range may deter some.”
Read review
Green Car Guide
Score: 8 / 10
“We have no doubt that the Honda e will be popular. The stunning looks mean it will easily turn more heads than most exotic supercars. But it’s impossible to ignore its limited range and lack of practicality in a market that’s becoming increasingly competitive and will only become more so.”
Read review
Heycar
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“The Honda e is the must-have car of the moment. It combines quirky looks with a superb, modern interior and technology to keep even the most flippant of car buyers entertained. But its limited range means it won’t suit everyone’s needs, and there are more practical options on the market.”
Read review
Honest John
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Honda e is the Apple iPhone of cars. It’s small, expensive, and will need recharging regularly. But many buyers will be happy to overlook its shortfalls in order to drive one of the most desirable electric cars on sale.”
Read review
Move Electric
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
“We’re not going to pretend the Honda e hasn’t got flaws, fairly major ones when you consider its short range. Yet if you can look past this and the funky little machine can be made to fit into your life, then few other EVs are so packed full of charm or so capable of putting a smile on your face.” (James Disdale)
Read review
Parkers
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7.8 / 10
“Cute electric city car is a convincing urban runaround.”
Read review
The Intercooler
Model reviewed: Advance
“I can’t give it a higher rating because it’s so limited in what it can do, but I can say how much I appreciate Honda’s doing something different by creating an electric car that actually appeals to the heart. If it made more sense to the head, it could have been a winner.”
Read review
The Sun
“The ‘baby’ Honda e is a cool, clever and cheap electric car.”
Read review
The Sunday Times
Model reviewed: Advance
Score: 7 / 10
“The interior is so good you might ignore the range.”
Read review
The Telegraph
Score: 6 / 10
“There’s much to like in this little Honda e. It’s refined, charming and feels quite fun to drive. But the rear seats are small, the luggage space tiny and the low range will put off some, while the e’s low efficiency is not what we expect of this Japanese car maker. “
Read review
Top Gear
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Honda’s first electric car is impossibly cute, beautifully engineered and crammed with tech… but you’ll pay for it.”
Read review
What Car?
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 4 / 10
“The Honda e is a car you buy because you love the way it looks. And it’s an electric car that’s good fun to drive, well-equipped and relatively upmarket inside. Sadly, with a limited range, a confusing infotainment system, a high price and a tiny boot, it’s objectively harder to recommend than many rivals.”
Author: Will Nightingale
Read review
Which EV?
Model reviewed:
Score: 7.2 / 10
“The Honda e is a car you will either love or hate, or possibly both at the same time. The bold styling provides a sense of occasion and the innovative equipment will keep you interested for some time too. It’s also quite fun to drive, particularly with the more powerful Advance motor. But the real-world range of scarcely 100 miles is a severe limitation. It’s a great little city car and short commuter, if you have home charging. But don’t even consider it for longer journeys.” (James Morris)
Read review
Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
Overall score: 4 stars
Date tested: December 2020
Read the full Euro NCAP review
Adult protection: 76%
Child protection: 82%
Vulnerable road users: 62%
Safety assist: 65%
Eco rating
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
As of February 2024, the Honda e has not been lab tested by Green NCAP.
The Green NCAP programme measures exhaust pollution (which is zero for an electric car) and energy efficiency. Electric cars are much more energy-efficient than combustion cars, so the Honda e is likely to score very highly in Green NCAP testing if and when it ever takes place. Check back again soon.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
As of February 2024, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Honda e to generate a reliability rating.
The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy. As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the Honda e, we’ll publish the score here.
Running cost rating
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
Battery range | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
EV models | 137 miles | C | 137 – 137 miles | C – C |
Electrical efficiency | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
EV models | 3.7 m/KWh | D | 3.7 – 3.9 m/KWh | C – D |
Insurance group | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
All models | 27 | B | 25 – 29 | B – C |
Service and maintenance | Cost | Score |
Year 1 | £135 | A |
Year 2 | £301 | A |
Year 3 | £526 | A |
Year 4 | £664 | A |
Year 5 | £975 | A |
Overall | £2,601 | A |
The Honda e is a relatively affordable car to own and run, according to whole-life cost numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data.
It’s electrical efficiency (the EV equivalent of miles per gallon for a petrol or diesel car) is lower than the average EV, while insurance premiums should be good compared to other cars as well. But the good news is that scheduled servicing costs for the Honda e are excellent.
In addition, an official battery range of 137 miles is about average. That said, there a a number of newer EV hatchbacks on the market that can muster a few more miles on a single charge than this.
Awards
Trophies, prizes and awards that the Honda e has received
2021
- UK Car of the Year Awards – Best City Car
- Business Motoring Awards – Best Small Car
- DieselCar and EcoCar Top 50 – Best Electric City Car
- Southern Group of Motoring Writers Awards – Car of the Year
2020
- Red Dot Design Awards – Best of the Best + Smart Product Award
- DrivingElectric Awards – Best Tech
Similar cars
If you’re looking at the Honda e, you might also be interested in these alternatives
BMW i3 | Fiat 500 Electric | Mini Electric | Peugeot e-208 | Renault Zoe | SEAT Mii Electric | Smart EQ Fortwo | Smart EQ Forfour | Vauxhall Corsa Electric | Volkswagen e-Up
Buy a Honda e
If you’re looking to buy a new or used Honda e, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find the right car.
Search less, live more. We make finding the right car simple. Find out more
Find your next used car with Cazoo. Find out more
Discover great deals available on both new and used cars. Find out more
Search for your next new or used car with Auto Trader. Find out more
Lease a Honda e
If you’re looking to lease a new Honda e, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find a competitive deal.
Personal contract hire deals from Carparison Leasing. Find out more
Personal contract hire deals from Hippo Leasing. Find out more
Personal contract hire deals from LeaseLoco. Find out more
Personal contract hire deals from Rivervale Leasing. Find out more
Subscribe to a Honda e
Subscriptions are becoming a very popular way for consumers to try an electric car for a few weeks or months to help decide whether it’s a suitable alternative to a petrol car. If you’re interested in a car subscription, The Car Expert’s partners can help. (PS: What’s a car subscription?)