Should you buy a Honda e:Ny1?

The market for small-ish electric SUVs is really hotting up. As such, the Honda e:Ny1’s rivals are plentiful and varied. Plus, almost all of them offer you more for your money than this Honda. Some are cheaper, many provide better real-world driving range and faster charging speeds, others have more space inside, larger boots, better driving experiences, etc, etc, etc.

On the plus side, Honda seems to know it’s fighting an uphill battle, and so there are often good deals to be had on the e:Ny1. It also comes with a a five-year warranty, five years servicing and five years roadside assistance at the moment. The firm also argues that the slower charging speeds will help keep the battery performing at its best for longer.

So if you’re an undemanding driver with limited need for luggage room, typically do most of your driving around town, and you can find one at a really attractive price, the e:Ny1 might be worth considering. But we’d point most buyers elsewhere at this stage. The Hyundai Kona Electric, for example, is roomy, drives well and offers great value, while the Renault Scenic e-Tech is a larger car with a similar list price.

What we like

The big infotainment screen is isn’t too hard to get to grips with and the e:Ny1 does ok for passenger space. Performance is acceptable, too.

What we don’t like

The boot’s very small and so are the rear doors, denting its practicality. The ride is a little annoying. But worst of all are the engineering issues, including the comparatively poor real-world efficiency and slow charging speeds. You can do better.