Honda e:Ny1 Advance (2024) Review

HAVE you ever tried to fit a gallon into a pint pot?

Well my life seems to be filled with such occurrences. Downsizing from an ancient hall to a bijou holiday home doesn’t help, as you can imagine, but when you live in one of the most expensive parts of the country reality soon takes hold and you just have to get on with it.

A much needed remodel of the humble home requires Jenga logistics as most of the downstairs furniture has to be squeezed into the rest of the house. As it creaks under the strain the only option is to pack the car and head for temporary digs.

As boxes and bags galore stand like soldiers on parade waiting to be loaded I can’t help thinking that surely it will not all fit in this modestly sized Honda.

But this particular SUV is the fully electric, and snappily named, e:Ny1 and seems to a boast a Tardis-like ability to swallow the goods. Drop the rear seats and pack every corner of the spacious, well designed cabin and before you know it everything is in. The electrically operated tailgate helps no end as it makes loading a hands-free affair.

Packed to the gunwales, the extra bulk does nothing to the Honda’s ability to accelerate, climb or overtake as the electric motor offers a gutsy 204PS of instantaneous power. Power transmits to the road through the front wheels and the handling is safe and secure. This all goes to make it truly rapid, smooth and quiet, not to mention an awful lot of fun to drive.

I think I must have been having a tad too much fun because when it was 100 per cent charged the range still only read 165 miles, yet the official figures say it should be more than 250 – oops.

Not to worry as it is just as rapid to charge – on a 100kW unit it takes just 45 minutes to go from 10 per cent to 80 per cent. Overnight it will top up back to full on a three pin plug into your wall socket. So the charging regime is mercifully easy.

The e:Ny1looks every bit the EV. It is sleek with slim headlights setting off a bold face. The charging port hides behind a rotating grille panel which rolls upwards to reveal the socket. A full width LED light bar joins integrated taillights and the effect is particularly striking after dark.

The overall aesthetic is distinctive thanks to short front overhang, large alloy wheels and wide track. Its coupe-like profile is similar to the HR-V. With the lack of front grille it could only be an EV.

Inside is typically Honda, well  made, comfortable and well-equipped. There are virtual clocks and a large portrait touchscreen, which is a bit cluttered but responds well to the touch.
There is no gearlever just buttons – P for park, D for drive and R for reverse.

The transmission tunnel also features deep cubbyholes/drinks holders and a pad on which you can charge your phone. Many of the touchscreen functions are also replicated on switches on the three spoke steering wheel. The interior is very well designed and easy to live with. The whole car also feels top quality.

By the time we move back into our homestead the Honda will be long gone. I just hope the next vehicle is as good at carrying our worldly goods.

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