Look at this car: Honda e - Field Notes: The Turo blog

posted on April 12, 2024

Take a break with these pretty pictures

Every few Fridays, we like to bring you moments of zen in the form of some of our favorite motorcars from around the Turo marketplace. Let’s keep the fun going. We like cars, you like cars, so let’s look at some cars.

The Honda e hit European and Japanese streets in 2020 to great applause. On its friendly, inviting face, it should’ve been a huge success — a Honda city car with an amazing design is a no-brainer. Unfortunately, the e presents a bit of a tragic story, and highlights the challenges automakers are facing in the EV market.

Look at this cute face and these perfect proportions. It’s futuristic and inviting at the same time — modern and sleek without being pretentious. The interior is a clean lounge-like space packed with big screens and technology, like wing cameras and screens in place of traditional mirrors. This little Honda is rear-wheel drive, has 50:50 weight distribution, and by all accounts is a hoot to drive.

But alas, it’s not easy to have it all. The base model offers up to 137 miles of range, which is realistically enough for getting around town on a day-to-day basis, but lacking when compared to the battery range of most EVs these days, and not enticing enough to justify its price — roughly the equivalent of $46,000. Sales have slowed so much that just four years later, Honda has pulled the plug on the e.

This was never meant for the SUV-obsessed North American market, but even in Europe and Japan, the Honda e couldn’t hack it against established compact competitors — both gas and battery-powered. EVs sales are growing sharply but still command a small market share, and larger EVs with larger batteries are proving to be the preferred recipe for many drivers. So while you can no longer buy a new Honda e, you can still book Danny’s lovely example here near Crawley, England.