Used Honda E 2020-present review

Once known as one of the world's best engine makers and one of the most innovative car manufacturers, Honda's mantle seems to have slipped a little since the turn of the millennium.

However, no one viewing this diminutive Honda E, the Japanese firm's first mass-produced battery-electric vehicle, could fail to be impressed by it. Its looks are close to adorable, for one, and this fiercely futuristic car comes with flush door handles, cameras instead of door mirrors and two enormous touchscreens on the inside.

But in the increasingly competitive world of small electric cars, you need more than just good looks to prosper. And that's where Honda has chosen to take a bit of a gamble. You see where many affordable mainstream EVs are now appearing with more than 200 miles of range, the dinky E arrived with a comparatively meagre 136 miles of range.

However, Honda is confident it has taken the right approach with this car, aiming it at a particular customer who won't be seeking the maximum range for price but will instead be looking for a stylish urban car for short hops only.

There are two trim levels, named simply Honda E and Honda E Advance. Both give you a decent amount of equipment, with Advance adding luxuries such as a heated steering wheel, a self-parking system and heated front seats, along with a more powerful electric motor.

It's certainly good to drive, feeling agile, nippy and fun. Go for the entry-level Honda E and you get 134bhp, whereas as mentioned the pricier Advance model packs 152bhp. Whichever version you choose, acceleration feels particularly urgent when you put your foot down at relatively low speeds, making the baby Honda ideally suited to the urban cut and thrust.

A push of a button enables one-pedal driving, whereby lifting off the accelerator pedal turns the car’s regenerative braking system up to its maximum level, slowing the car quickly without you needing to press the brake pedal at all, and helping to recharge the battery in the process.

Inside, an 8.8in screen serves as the instrument cluster behind the steering wheel, displaying your speed and remaining range, and this is joined to two 12.3in infotainment touchscreens that stretch out across the width of the dashboard. This array is flanked on both sides by 6.0in screens that display a live feed from the futuristic camera door mirrors.

The driving position is great and the interior quality impressive. In fact, it feels really upmarket. Space is good up front, but in the back it's roughly on a par with the Renault Zoe, so there’s more leg and head room than in a Mini Electric or Seat Mii. There are only two seatbelts in the back, so carrying five people is out of the question. The boot, meanwhile, is absolutely tiny.

If you're interested in buying a used Honda E, or any of the other cars mentioned here, please head over to our used car classifieds site here.

Prices for the E start at around £25,000 for a 2020 car bought from a franchised dealer. These will currently be cars with a nominal mileage and often dealer demonstrators. Spend between £29,000 and £32,000 on a nearly new one.

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Electricity is a lot cheaper than petrol or diesel, for starters. With a fully charged battery, the Honda E Advance can officially travel for just 125 miles, with the less powerful regular version mustering a more respectable 137 miles. In the real world, you'll be lucky to get much more than 100 miles.

The 35.5kWh battery takes 36min to charge from 10-80% if you're plugged into a 50kW CCS public charger, and while you can use a more powerful 100kW charging point, the time won’t reduce because the E can’t accept any more than 35kW.

Plug into a 7kW home wallbox and a 0-100% charge will take around 5hr 15min, or if you get caught short and have to use a three-pin domestic plug, a full charge will take around 15 hours.

Insurance costs are low, though, and servicing costs should be reasonable.

Of the two, we'd seek out the longer range of the normal E version. It's handsomely equipped and a little cheaper and should obviously go farther before needing to be charged up.

Our favourite Honda E: Honda E

The BMW i3 was a refreshing and innovative delight on its launch in 2013 and it still turns heads today. A 2019 facelift upped the range to between 177 and 193 official miles, depending on the power output. It remains a pleasant thing to drive and grips the road well, despite its skinny tyres. The ride can be a little firm, though.

You can pick up an old Renault Zoe for as little as £6000, but here we'll concentrate on the later, heavily revised 2020 version. Its official range, under the latest WLTP testing, is 238 or 245 miles depending on power output, and it also achieved an excellent 192 miles in our Real Range tests. It's good to drive, too, and decently practical, but its reliability record is poor.

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If you're interested in buying a used Honda E, or any of the other cars mentioned here, please head over to our used car classifieds site here.