Christopher Sharp spent a week driving the Honda Super-N, the city car recently named the best value electric vehicle in the UK by WhatCar?. The small EV starts at £18,995, produces 94bhp, offers a range of 128 miles, and reaches a top speed of 84mph.
Design and practicality
The Super-N is a compact electric vehicle with a 94bhp motor driving the front 15-inch wheels and providing 120lb of torque. It measures 3,599mm by 1,573mm, weighs 1,097kg, and seats four people. The boot offers 162 litres with the seats up, expanding to 967 litres when folded down.
According to Honda, the car can fast charge from 10 to 80 percent in 30 minutes using a 50kW DC charger. Like the Dacia Spring, its primary focus is city driving, although fast-charging capability allows for longer trips.
Interior and controls
Inside, the Super-N follows a recent industry trend toward physical buttons rather than large dashboard screens. It has a small screen and minimalist controls, which Sharp found user-friendly and less distracting to drive. The mix of cloth and leather made it comfortable, though the seating position is more upright than in some rivals.
The steering wheel is thin and pleasant to hold, while the instrument binnacle is clear and not overly bright.
Driving experience
Sharp noted that Honda has recently made its regular cars engaging and grippy without being uncomfortable. The Super-N continues this trend, helped by being low, short, and narrow. It offers plenty of feel through the steering and rotates well in city driving.
He raised two criticisms: the low ride height makes it sensitive to potholes and aggressive speed bumps, and he could not move the steering wheel back far enough for complete comfort. Despite this, he found small journeys enjoyable, including a trip to the Royal Albert Hall after missing a train. On a 15-mile roundtrip through central London, he used only seven miles of range, thanks to efficiency and regenerative braking.
Sharp described the throttle as being held like a conductor's baton, with adjustable regen strengths adding fun. The car feels brisk off the line, and he wished the range were longer—an extra 80 or 100 miles would make it a strong road trip car.
Verdict
Sharp concluded that while the looks may divide opinion, the Super-N is a great car. He said it is manoeuvrable, nice to drive, comfortable, easy to get along with, and incredibly efficient. He considers it a more realistic and probably better value proposition than the Citroen Ami and Dacia Spring, despite those cars having their own merits.
Limited only by its range and small boot with seats up, the Super-N is a fun car that shows Honda's current momentum. If a hybrid version with extended range appears, it could become a wonderful solo car for a household and strengthen its position as a great value electric vehicle. Sharp gave the car an 8/10.
