Honda e:Ny1 2024 long-term test

Our road test gave it a lukewarm verdict but did living with it bring new insights?

*Why we ran it: *To find out if the brand’s first electric SUV could impress in a crowded class

-Month 1 - Month 2 - Month 3 - Final report - Specs-

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*Our road test gave it a lukewarm verdict but did living with it bring new insights? - 18 May*

When the Honda e:Ny1 arrived, I didn't really know what to call it.

Now that it has left, I'm still not sure - and nor, it seems, is Honda, following reports that the name could be simplified when it is updated in a few years. Thing is, while the name is nonsensical, I'd suggest there are more important things to work on when facelift time comes around.

You might have a sense of this if you read the report last week by my colleague Kris Culmer. Having been keen to try the eNyl to compare it with his previous Honda HR-V long-termer, it seemed to make him actively angry.

Judging by some videos and other reviews I've seen of Honda's electric SUV, that's not an entirely uncommon reaction.

And I get it: given Honda's reputation for technical innovation, you would think the e:Ny1 would be pushing electric technology forward. Instead, it feels like it has arrived a few years too late.

In terms of range (you will get substantially less than 200 miles on a cold day), efficiency (it takes a lot of work to get close to 3mpkWh) and charging speed (78kW), it lags behind key rivals. Even with a recent hefty price cut, which trims entry-level models to just under £40,000, it's pricier than most rivals too.

And yet I can't bring myself to get angry with the eNyl. It reminds me of that kid in PE at school who wasn't big, fast or strong, but at least turned up and tried their best, even if they didn't do very well. (Come to think of it, that kid was me...)

The e:Nyl tries as hard as it can to be a good electric SUV - and I've developed a sort of grudging respect for the things it does well.

It's perfectly pleasant to drive, for one thing. There's no real flicker of excitement or dynamism, but it is unexceptionally agreeable transport. It rides well enough on pockmarked roads and the light steering makes positioning it easy.

It's quite relaxing and will tackle most journeys without cause for complaint. That said, I'm not a fan of the weird motor note: I think it's supposed to sound futuristic, but it reminds me of a milk float. Which, for an EV, is never a good comparison.

The interior is well-appointed and comfortable, with nice seats and materials that feel more upmarket than you would expect in a mainstream family SUV.

There are It's an easy-going car to drive and the cabin has an upmarket feel a few quirks: discovering the rear sunroof was opened' by removing detachable panels was a surprise.

Space in the back and boot was a little on the tight side, but with a bit of thought you could pack a lot in. Then there was the massive, vertically mounted touchscreen, which felt at odds with the conservatism of the design elsewhere. I liked to think of it as the e:Ny1's mullet: business on the outside, party on the dash.

Generally, when a manufacturer sticks a massive touchscreen in portrait format on a car's dash, I get nervous since it usually feels like it's been done simply to copy Tesla.

But to give credit, the e:Ny1 has one of the better implementations I've seen. It splits the screen into three sections, with the top reserved for things like navigation (or Apple CarPlay), the middle for controls such as the radio and the bottom devoted to the heating.

That lowest section, in particular, proved crucial. Unlike on many screens, all the key HVAC controls remained in the same place and, once I had learned where they were, my muscle memory could operate them in much the same way as if there had been physical buttons.

Of course, that was partly because I spent a lot of time fiddling with the heating controls - because the e:Nyl lacked a heat pump.

That had a notable impact on the car's range. In warm weather, a full charge could give me around 200 miles, but that would dip to nearer 160 in the cold. It also meant that turning on the air conditioning drained the battery even faster - potentially shaving up to 50 miles off an already disappointing range.

So on longer trips, I developed a routine: turn on the heated seat and steering wheel, use the air-con to heat the cabin to acceptable levels and then turn it off, giving it a quick burst when it got really cold. That doesn't feel like the premium experience Honda was aiming for.

And the lack of a heat pump on this car (even as an option) remains a major sticking point, especially given its price. Speaking of pricing, my Advance-spec e:Ny1 cost £47,845 (including £650 for the Platinum White Pearl paint) when new.

If you walked into a dealership now, the on-the-road sticker price would read £42,195 - and there are some strong finance deals on offer. That feels like a course correction, but it still made my e:Ny1 too expensive to take part in our recent 12-car test of sub-£40,000 SUVs (Autocar, 27 March).

This might have been for the best, given the opposition included the Kia Niro EV, Hyundai Kona, Cupra Born and Tesla Model Y. It would be hard to truly recommend the e:Ny1 ahead of any of them.

This is a shame because the e:Ny1 does many things creditably: it would work well as a second car for a family that requires a functional EV for reliable transport without the need to regularly travel long distances. But many cars on the market can do that better, for less.

That's the problem: the eNyl isn't an inherently bad car, it just already feels outdated. So when it's time for an update, it needs to take a big leap and not just with the name.

*Second Opinion*

In a word, the e:Ny1 is flawed, centred around a powertrain that feels about 10 years out of date. It’s a shame because other aspects, such as that vertical touchscreen and just the general Honda-ness, really made me warm to the car, before the range anxiety kicked in.

*Will Rimell*

*Back to the top*

*Love it:*

*Charger up front A* front-mounted charging port is a bit of an oddity now but was easy to line up when stopping for a top-up.

*Classy comfort *The interior was a pleasant place to spend time, feeling upmarket without trying too hard to be posh.

*Loathe it:*

*Range rage *Some class rivals will now easily exceed 300 miles. I had to really work to get close to 200 miles.

*Where's the heat pump? *Seriously, who offers an EV in 2024 without a heat pump even on the options list?

*Motor noise *The e:Ny1 has one of the loudest electric motors I’ve encountered on an EV. Sometimes, silence is golden.

*Final mileage: *3971

*Back to the top*

-Life with a Honda e:Ny1: Month 3-

*How do you like the sound of a version that’s better in almost every way for £15k less? - 18 May*

I have treasured memories of the summer before last, centred on a hybrid crossover.

Not something I ever thought I'd catch myself saying, but the Honda HR-V was beyond reproach when my best mate and I went on a transcontinental road trip during a heatwave.

Totally reliable, very economical, comfy and enjoyable to drive, whether on an autobahn or mountain pass, beautifully furnished inside with enough room for two mountain bikes in the back.

I was therefore dead keen to have a go in the new Honda e:Ny1, seeing as this is essentially a fully electric version of the HR-V. So I did. And goodness, where to start... Okay, let me deal with each area in turn - apart from reliability, which, this being a Honda, was again perfect.

How can a brand-new model be is easier to use in the HR-V (left) so inefficient? Regular custodian James Attwood has been getting 2.8mpkWh of late, but that's the result of lots of under-the-limit driving, gentle acceleration and coat-wearing, and while this may be how you can get the best out of an EV, I consider it a matter of principle that I shouldn't have to make any compromises in my life for the sake of a car.

I'm imagining I've just paid £48k - £48k! - for this e: Nyl, so I bloody well should be able to cruise at 70mph, jump into a traffic gap and warm up the car when it's cold outside. Never mind the HR-V for £15k less, the Dacia Sandero will happily let me do that for a quarter of that price.

This meant the e:Ny1's self-calculated efficiency sank as low as 2.2mpkWh during our time together, equating to only about 150 miles of range - barely enough to get me from my home in Brighton to the Autocar office in Twickenham.

If I were to do the same trip to northern Italy as I did in my HR.V, that would have required 13 stops for a full charge. Actually, let's call it 15 because maxing it out on the autobahn of course sends any vehicle's efficiency plummeting.

And the e:Ny1 has a maximum charging rate of 78kW, which means each of those stops would have lasted about an hour. The trip simply wouldn't have been doable.

The actual driving experience is worse than in the HR-V, too. First, the addition of a battery beneath the floor has pushed the seating position up higher (by about 35mm, according to our road tests), which makes the driving position less adjustable and, to me at least, less comfortable.

Said battery also increases the kerb weight by 376kg, which is the equivalent of no fewer than four large adult passengers - to the noticeable detriment of both ride comfort and handling agility.

At least the eNyl gives you the benefit of silent running, though, right? Nope. I've never heard such a loud motor whine inside an EV. It's like mechanical tinnitus. And then there's the interior.

Quite apart from the reduced head and legroom, Honda has replaced the HR-V's modest infotainment touchscreen and panel of physical buttons and climate control dials with an enormous, Tesla-esque slab on which the software interface is essentially a triplication of that on the HR-V (without border lines in between). So the car's interior now looks much less tidy and you spend more time being distracted with your eyes off the road. Oh, great.

I really am dismayed, both because of how good of a car the HR-V is and the fact that Honda is a manufacturer so highly respected for its engineering prowess.

If the e:Nyl had come out in 2018, around the same time as the Mk2 Nissan Leaf, it would have been fairly impressive.

Six years later, it feels like, as with other EVs today, people are being asked to pay a whole lot more money for a whole lot less capability and a whole lot less convenience. In my opinion, anyway. I will be interested to read Attwood's final verdict next week.

*Love it:*

*Pump it*

At least I could drown out that motor whine: as in the HR-V, the Pioneer stereo fitted with topspec Advance trim sounds great.

*Loathe it:*

*Plug it *

Another EV, another hour wasted at a public charger. Oh for a house with a driveway – or at the very least a faster charging rate.

*Mileage: *2296

*Back to the top*

*Front-positioned chargers are the way to go - 1 May*

Not many new car makers stick the charging port square on the front, but it’s actually quite useful for a lot of chargers and places. My only gripe: opening the port requires pressing a button inside the car, but closing it requires pushing the cover, so if the car is messy, your fingers get grubby.

*Mileage: 2234*

*Back to the top*

-Life with a Honda e:Ny1: Month 2-

*Honesty is the best policy. Especially for EVs with not that much range - 4 April *

The first few weeks with any new car are spent trying to work out how to get the most out of it- and that's especially true when it comes to electric cars. To feel comfortable running one, you just need to know exactly how far you can get before it will need more energy.

The good news is that the Honda e:Ny1 seems to be relatively honest in its predictions.

There's always going to be a greater variance in the range estimate of an EV compared with a combustion car, because the greater efficiency of electric motors means external factors such as the ambient temperature and the type of driving you're doing have a bigger impact.

But while I have found the range estimates of some EVs to be very best-case-scenario optimistic, the e:Ny1 seems pleasingly truthful.

That's crucial: it means the range that's showing on the dash when you set off is broadly how far you will get. So, as long as you drive fairly steadily, you can plan things like charging stops and be fairly sure you won't have to adjust after realising you won't make it.

There's even a pleasing degree of honesty in how the efficiency display will tell you how many miles of extra range you could get if you turn off the heating.

And that can be a lot: upwards of 50 miles on a cold day with a full charge. It would be better if Honda offered the eNyl with a heat pump, of course, but since it hasn't, at least it's arming you with the information you need.

This leads us to the not-so-good news: how far the eNyl will go on a full charge. Now, my early running has been in relatively cold winter weather, but so far I've rarely seen the range indicator exceed 200 miles on a full battery.

It's not disastrous, and it's still a leap forward from the sub-100-mile real-world range of the little Honda E hatchback, but it's not difficult to find rivals that will easily go farther.

Has it stopped me from getting anywhere I've needed to so far? No. Has it meant I've spent more time planning charging stops than in other similar-sized EVs I've run recently? Absolutely. And at least on that score, I have the benefit of a reliable range indicator.

So how am I enjoying those journeys? Well, any hopes 1 had of unearthing hidden depths of dynamism from the e:Ny1 have already been largely extinguished.

There doesn't appear to be much in the way of character there. However, it actually does many things well: the steering is light, so it's very easy to manoeuvre, the ride is decently comfortable and the powertrain is smooth and responsive.

Those are the ingredients for amiable and practical electric transport. The EV will get you where you're going without much fuss - it just won't offer much by way of dynamic entertainment in doing so.

The e:Ny1 feels like a car designed to blend into the background, providing unfussy, unexceptional transport for your daily needs. The comparison that springs to mind is white goods, although that sounds more demeaning than I intend.

There's a lot to be said for something that just quietly does a job well. Except its limited range means that, for anything beyond daily use, I can't just let any thoughts of the e:Ny1 drift into the background.

If I go and visit family who live 125 miles or so away, I need to think about making sure the e: Nyl is fairly full before I set off, and then when I'm there, I need to plot how to top it up before I head back.

That's true of many EVs, to an extent, but the range of the e:Nyl makes those thoughts that bit more pressing. Which is a frustration, because the ingredients for a reliable and solid it unexciting) EVs are here.

*Like it *

*Light touch*

Parking EVs in charging bays can be hard work, but the e:Ny1’s light steering makes it easy.

*Loathe it*

*Still waiting*

Sadly, relatively slow charging speeds mean you can spend a while in those charging bays.

*Mileage: *1868

*Back to the top*

-Life with a Honda e:Ny1: Month 1-

*Welcoming the Honda to the fleet - 6 March 2023*

The big issue, then: have we decided how to say 'Honda e:Ny1' yet? I mean, it's not a name that trips off the tongue.

Are we supposed to just spell out each letter, making it E-N-Y-1? That's a bit of a mouthful. Is it 'En-Y-1'?

Or perhaps Enny-one? Anyone? Okay, I'm overthinking this, but I've had cause to: the Honda SUV-shaped space outside my house after waving goodbye to a ZR-V has been filled by an e:Ny1, and I've been struggling to explain what it is to people.

The e:Ny1 isn't a common sight in the UK, so I've had a few people ask me what 1t 1s - and the model name offers precious few clues, usually prompting a shrug of vague incomprehension in response.

So what is the eNyl? Well, at its simplest, it's an electric equivalent of the HR-V hybrid crossover, except that Honda's marketing people don't want to call it an HR-V EV, because they want to market their electric cars as separate offerings that are part of a distinct e-branded line-up.

Then again, Honda clearly is marketing them as siblings: it has made much of offering the two on finance deals with matching monthly payments, so all you need to do is pick whether a hybrid or an electric powertrain suits you best. Maybe I'm not the only one overthinking this...

Several design details separate the HR-V and e:Ny1, most notably the removal of the front grille. Instead, the eNyl has a blocky front panel with a fold-up flap to house the charging port. It looks a bit ungainly to me, but not offensively so.

More subtle is the switch to a white H badge on the nose and the switch to lowercase lettering on the bootlid, both of which are design features that Honda is reserving for EVs.

Anyway, let's move past the name and deal with the car in front of me. The eNyl is offered in two trim levels: Elegance, which costs £44,995, and Advance, which is £47,195. For reference, if you're buying outright, the HR-V starts at £30,695.

Still, all versions of the eNyl are well equipped, with entry-level models featuring a 15in touchscreen infotainment system, heated seats and a wireless charger. My car is an Advance, meaning it also has a panoramic sunroof, a heated steering wheel and a powered tailgate.

The only option we have plumped for is the Platinum White Pearl paint. Yes, that's right: white paint is an optional extra. The e:Ny1 comes in six colours, but it will cost you £650 if you want it in any colour that's not black.

You can spend extra elsewhere, but only on colour and trim options, such as various alloy wheel designs and paint options (for £890, you can have the car's front panel in black). This means one thing you won't find on the options list is a heat pump. Hmm.

The e:Ny1 offers just one powertrain, with a single electric motor that sends 201bhp to the front wheels and a 68.8kWh battery that gives a maximum WLTP range of 256 miles.

Of course, official ranges aren't calculated in the sort of real-world driving that you will do down the motorway on a freezing-cold winter morning which could well make the lack of standard or even optional heat pump feel like a truly glaring error. But that's for the future when I've got some more miles in. 

For now, I'm still settling into the e:Ny1 - and the cabin seems like a nice place to spend time. You won't fail to spot the big difference from the HR-V when you sit inside: it's that massive 15in screen slapped in Tesla-aping portrait style onto the dashboard.

Compared with the demure screen of my ZR-V (and indeed the smaller HR-V), it's a dramatic change. The contrast is interesting, and it feels a conscious effort to make the EV feel more appealing and relevant to those pesky youngsters who are always glued to their smartphones.

But it also feels odd for Honda to have gone quite so bold, given how modest the exterior design changes are. Still, my early impression is that the touchscreen works surprisingly well. It's cleverly divided into three sections, so the top covers the satnav or Apple CarPlay, the middle seras and drivin optines, aid

the bottom is permanently locked to the heating and ventilation controls. I will see how pleasing it proves over extended use.

It might have some work to do because, in terms of its power and range, the e:Ny1 on paper is somewhat disappointing when compared with many of its rivals, and the other crucial specifications (a 0-62mph time of 7.7sec and a maximum fast-charging rate of 78kW) also look a bit behind the times.

Our road testers weren't convinced by the eNyl when they assessed it last year, so much focus of this long-term test will be on what hidden depths and charm I might discover.

The ZR-V I ran before exceeded my expectations in terms of how pleasingly easy it was to live with. The hope is that the same will turn out to be true with the e:Ny1 - even if I do never quite work out what to call it.

*Second Opinion*

Honda knows how to build a charming car. Just look at the E, which melts hearts everywhere it goes. When we road-tested the e:Ny1, the tech spec didn’t fill me with hope, but these days a bit of honest charm goes a long way. Alas, despite having rather an appealing, pebblelike body, it has so far been found wanting in this respect. Will that change with time?

*Richard Lane*

*Back to the top*

-Honda e:Ny1 Advance specification specification-

*Prices: List price new* £47,195 *List price now* £42,195 *Price as tested* £47,895 *Options: *Platinum White Pearl paint £650

*Claimed range * 256 miles *Battery *61.9/68.8kWh (total/usable) *Test average* 2.8mpkWh *Test best* 3.1mpkWh *Test worst* 2.3mpkWh *Real-world range* 174 miles *Max charge rate* 78kW

*Tech highlights*: *0-62mph *7.7sec *Top speed* 99mph *Engine/Motor* Single front-mounted electric motor *Max power* 201bhpbhp *Max torque* 229lb ft *Transmission* 1-spd reduction gear *Boot capacity* 344 litres *Wheels* 7.5Jx18in *Tyres* 225/50 R18, Continental UtilityContact *Kerb weight* 1752kg

*Service and running costs:* *Contract hire rate* £329.45 *CO2* 0g/km *Service costs* None *Other costs* None *Electricity costs* £319 *Running costs inc electricity* £319 *Cost per mile* 14.2 pence *Faults* None

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