Kei car with hot‑hatch attitude?
Honda doubles down on compact EVs
Retro styling meets performance: Super One debuts
Honda has expanded its kei‑car–based EV lineup and unveiled a new model.
This model draws inspiration from Honda’s classic N360
and is developed as an electric hatchback based on the N‑One series.
Honda appears to be positioning this car, together with the N‑One e electric variant due in 2025, as part of a broader push into the small EV market.
'Super One' arrives…
Reviving the 1980s hot‑hatch spirit
The newly revealed high‑performance variant will be sold as the Super One in Japan and as the Super N in the U.K.
Borrowing cues from the Honda City Turbo II, the car embraces a hot‑hatch concept,
injecting sporty character into a compact package.
Wider bumpers and fenders, plus a rear spoiler,
give it a distinct look compared with the standard model.
95‑hp boost mode…
Small but spirited
The powertrain is a single front motor driving the front wheels.
Base output: 64 hp
Boost mode: up to 95 hp
It carries a 29.6 kWh battery
and offers an estimated WLTC range of about 274 km (roughly 170 miles) on a single charge.
Honda has also added features designed to enhance driving enjoyment,
including simulated engine sound and a shift‑feel simulation.
Price starts at 31,000,000 KRW (approximately $23,250)
European push steps up
Honda will launch the model simultaneously in Japan and Europe.
Local pricing in Japan starts at ¥3.39 million (about 31,000,000 KRW, approximately $22,713).
Although it’s built on a kei‑car platform, Honda has stepped up the design, character and performance
to distinguish it from conventional electric hatchbacks.
Industry observers say the Super One isn’t just another small EV;
it targets a new niche by combining retro style with genuine driving enjoyment.
In Korea, the market currently lacks small cars built with driving enjoyment as a priority.
If manufacturers produce engaging small cars — for example, a high‑performance take on the Hyundai Casper — consumers would gain meaningful new options.
