Honda e Is a Game Changer With Bad Screens, Says First Review

It's been compared to the original MINI, which is ironic because the British brand is also launching its first EV right now, the Cooper SE. But more to the point, when the original Cooper S came out, nobody believed people would spend that much money on a small car, but MINI proved them wrong. Likewise, the Honda e could silence its critics.

One of the first reviews we saw tells the story of a car that's as fun to drive as it looks. Honda chose to copy the styling of the original Civic hatchback, resulting in a refreshingly retro look, similar to the MINI. The car features MacPherson Strut independent suspension for each wheel, 50:50 weight distribution and low center of gravity.

It's also based on a bespoke platform with the EV engine at the back, unlike many of its rivals which were derived from regular FWD cars. There are two types of e-motor.

The basic model starts at €29,470 in Germany or £26,160 in the UK. It's equipped with a 136 hp motor that will get you to 100 km/h in 9 seconds. But there's a more powerful version too, with 154 hp and 315 Nm (232 lb-ft) that needs only 8.3 seconds for the standard sprint.

Both models use the same 35.5 kWh battery pack that's supposed to offer a real-world range of about 222 km (138 miles). That's probably the biggest criticism people will have with the Honda e, but it's not the only one.

The Civic and CR-V have some of the worst infotainment systems of any mainstream model. And sadly, the Honda e is filled with even more screens - 3 main ones and another two displays for the side-view cameras. That's right, you can't order the car with regular mirrors.