First Drive: Could the Honda Super N be the future of city driving?

What is it?

To qualify for this, Kei cars need to comply with set size and engine requirements, making them tiny compared to ‘full-size’ vehicles. Kei cars haven’t officially been on sale in the UK, up until now, that is, with the arrival of Honda’s Super N.

What’s new?

To up the ante, the Super N has also been tuned on UK roads to make sure that it handles as buyers here expect and comes equipped with a broad range of standard features that would ordinarily count as optional extras with other brands. At £18,995, it’s arriving with a very low price tag, too.

What’s under the bonnet?

Zero to 60mph is a leisurely 14 seconds and a top speed of 84mph means that the Super N just have just about enough in the ‘tank’ to do motorway driving. A small battery means that the Super N can be charged quickly and at a speed of 50kW, you should be able to manage a 10 to 80 per cent top-up in around 30 minutes.

What’s it like to drive?

But tech aside, how does the Super N drive? Well, because it’s so small, you’ve got more space within a lane to work with and the compact body rolls very little through the bends. The net result is a car which does feel quite accurate and exciting to drive. The best part is that it gives this experience at slower speeds, so there’s no need to endanger your licence in order to have a good time.

How does it look?

You can also get the Super N with additional sticker packs and bumper kits, so there’s some decent scope for customisation if you’d like to take ‘your’ car even further.

What’s it like inside?

Boot space isn’t bad, either, at 162 litres with the rear seats in place, or 618 litres with the seats down. Both of those figures are loaded to the windows; so you can get more in if you’re willing to pack kit to the roof.

What’s the spec like?

The only real options are the additional paint colours and sticker packs. Honda is also offering the Super N with some very low rates of finance which, for many people, will make this car even more attractive.

Verdict

The Honda Super N won’t be for everyone. With its rather outlandish looks, limited range and compact interior, it’s not going to suit all types of drivers. However, all-around appeal is missing the point of this car; it’s all about a little character.

You can tell some actual thought and flair has gone into the Super N, both in terms of design and dynamics, too. Against a background of rather mundane-looking EVs currently on sale, the Super N stands out, which makes it well worth investigating yourself.