The Honda Super N has had plenty of attention since it arrived, and it deserves it. It's a small electric hatch that's fun to drive, and it looks like it came out of an anime. It's based on the JDM Honda N One though, and if the 120 mile range puts you off, the petrol N One RS might suit you better.
The Honda Super N at a glance
The Super N takes the N One kei car and makes it wider and angrier. It gets flared arches, side skirts, a roof spoiler and a front end full of working vents, including a scoop that cools the battery. The front bumper air vent reminds us of a Mugen DC5 bumper, and the overall shape has a bit of the new electric Renault 5 about it.
It makes 64hp as standard and 95hp in boost mode. With 1,097kg to move, it does 0 to 60 in under nine seconds. Honda has also given it simulated gears with paddle shifters. On paper that sounds like a gimmick, but it makes the car more engaging to drive, which is typical of Honda's ethos.
Inside you get physical climate controls along with Apple CarPlay, a digital driver display, heated seats, a heated steering wheel and a Bose sound system with a subwoofer in the boot. The seats are part cloth and part leather. The boxy shape leaves plenty of rear headroom, and the rear seats fold up to make up for the small boot. The striking purple is the standard colour and it all costs under £20,000 new.
The catch is range. Around 120 miles is fine for getting round town, but it's limiting if you do any distance.
The alternative: Honda N One RS
The N One RS is the car the Super N is based on, with a 660cc three cylinder turbo petrol engine and a six speed manual. It makes 64bhp and weighs around 840kg, so it's close to 260kg lighter than the Super N. That makes it quick enough to have fun in, and the short ratio gearbox still cruises comfortably at motorway speeds. It's a kei car, so it's cheap to run and own. With fuel prices climbing and speed limits coming down, a cheap car you can enjoy at sensible speeds makes a lot of sense.
Our 2021 N One RS
We recently bought this 2021 Honda N One RS at auction. It has covered 41,500 miles and it's graded 4.5, which is a very tidy example. The RS gets its own styling, including a honeycomb grille and black trim that looks good against the pearl white paint.
The cabin is modern and makes good use of the space. The rear seats fold to take advantage of the boxy shape, and it comes with heated seats, cruise control, an electronic handbrake with hill assist and supportive front seats.
Which one should you buy?
We had huge fun in the Honda Super N, and it's one of the few electric cars we could get behind. If you want the same character with a real engine, a proper manual and no range worries, the N One RS is the one we'd pick. Get in touch with the team to reserve this one, or ask us to find you one from Japan.
