Honda Super-One review signal: an Australian city EV that is fun to drive but short on range and supply

What the road tests say

Honda's Super-One is the brand's first EV sold in Australia, and the early independent verdict is consistent: it is a small, engineering-led city EV that is far more fun to drive than its 47kW output suggests, but buyers accept real compromises on range, charging speed and availability. CarExpert's James Wong, in a 2027-labelled review of the local car, calls it a hoot to drive and adorable to look at, rating it 'Very Good' with the caveat that value, range and interior simplicity fall short of the cheaper BYD Atto 1 or Hyundai Inster (s8, s6). ⁴³

Chasing Cars, tested by Nathan Ponchard, scored the Australian-market Super-One 8.5 overall (8.0 for drivability, 8.5 for interior) and describes it as an unashamedly driver-focused city EV that is superbly packaged, astoundingly roomy and surprisingly comfortable, likening it to a Mazda MX-5 of its ilk. Its listed criticisms are limited electric range, a leisurely DC charging speed, trip planning, and only three colours offered in Australia (s4). ¹

An earlier CarExpert quick drive of a UK-market test car, sold there as the Super-N, reached similar conclusions: a genuinely brilliant small EV and far more engaging than most competitors, with fabulous steering and contained body roll, though it noted occasional sharp-edged ride on pockmarked city surfaces (s5). ²

Performance and driving character

The Super-One uses a single front-mounted electric motor with 47kW in standard modes and 70kW in Boost mode, with 162Nm of torque and a kerb weight of about 1093kg, according to Chasing Cars and CarExpert. Chasing Cars records a claimed 0-100km/h time of 14.5 seconds in standard output, dropping to 10.0 seconds with Boost or Sport engaged, and found acceleration tapers noticeably approaching highway speeds (s4, s8). ¹⁴

Five drive modes (Econ, City, Normal, Sport and Boost) are offered, per CarExpert, with City providing one-pedal driving with adjustable regenerative braking, and Sport or Boost unlocking a simulated seven-speed transmission with synthesised engine sound, including a manual mode that mimics a rev limiter. CarExpert describes this as among the most realistic virtual transmissions it has experienced in an EV outside the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, and praises the excellent steering feel and mature ride-handling balance around Melbourne (s8). ⁴

Japanese motoring writer Kudo Takahiro, in a road test published via carview/Yahoo! News Japan, compared the driving feel to an early Civic Type R with gentler power, noting the 1090kg weight, low battery-mounted centre of gravity and enough torque to provoke wheelspin on wet corners. He judged the short WLTC range acceptable for a second car charged at home (s10). ⁶

Range, battery and charging

Range figures differ by market and test cycle, and the outlets keep them distinct. CarExpert lists the Australian car's claimed range as 202km WLTP (253km NEDC) from a 29.6kWh nominal lithium-ion battery, with Honda quoting roughly 30 minutes on a 50kW DC fast charger (s8). Chasing Cars cites UK-market data of 206km WLTP combined and 320km urban WLTP, an official 12.1kWh/100km consumption figure, and its own mixed-driving average of 14.3kWh/100km, which calculates to about 196km real-world range on a 28.0kWh usable battery (s4). ⁴¹

Honda's Japanese domestic release quotes 274km WLTC and about 4.5 hours regular or roughly 30 minutes fast charging for the Japan-spec Super-ONE, alongside a 1500W external power supply capability via an optional Honda Power Supply Connector. These Japan-market figures should not be read across to the Australian car (s9). ⁵

Charging speeds on the Australian car max out at 50kW DC, with CarExpert listing 6.6kW single-phase or 10kW three-phase AC, and Chasing Cars reporting 30 minutes for a 15-80 per cent DC charge or three hours from zero to full on an 11kW AC charger. Both flag the leisurely DC speed and the need to plan longer trips carefully (s4, s8). ¹⁴

Dimensions

CarExpert's review of the Australian-market car lists the Super-One at 3582mm long, 1573mm wide, 1616mm tall and with a 2520mm wheelbase (s8). Chasing Cars gives the same 1573mm width but 1608mm height, and reports front and rear tracks of 1345mm and 1346mm, about 100mm wider and 185mm longer than the Japanese kei-derived N-One donor on which it is based (s4). An earlier CarExpert quick drive of the UK-market car lists 3580mm/1575mm/1615mm/2520mm (s5). No measurement basis for width (with or without mirrors) is stated in any of the sources. ⁴¹²

Boot capacity is reported as 162 litres with the rear seats up, expanding to 618 litres measured to the window line or 967 litres to the roof with the Magic Seats folded, with seat bases that flip up to create a flat load floor, per Chasing Cars and CarExpert. There is no spare wheel and no frunk; the boot-floor space houses the Bose subwoofer (s4, s8, s5). ¹⁴²

Pricing, equipment and ownership

Pricing for the single Australian trim is $36,900 drive-away, with a two-tone black roof option adding $500 for $37,400, per CarExpert, which also notes the car is pricier than direct rivals such as the BYD Atto 1 (from $19,990 drive-away) and Hyundai Inster (from $35,990 drive-away). Chasing Cars confirms the same drive-away figures (s8, s4). ⁴¹

Standard equipment reported for Australia includes 15-inch alloys, a 9.0-inch Honda Connect touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (and Google Built-in per CarExpert), a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster, an eight-speaker Bose system with boot-mounted subwoofer, heated front seats and steering wheel, keyless entry and three years of Honda Connect services. The safety suite spans six airbags, AEB, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, road-departure mitigation, parking sensors and a reversing camera (s4, s8). ¹⁴

On safety assessment, both Australian outlets report Honda has no plans to submit the Super-One for ANCAP testing. CarExpert notes Honda says the car was developed to passenger-car standards with a reinforced body over the N-One donor, internal side-impact testing at 32km/h rather than the 26km/h kei standard, a protective battery frame, and it is the first compact Honda to feature post-collision braking (s4, s8). ¹⁴

Ownership terms differ slightly between outlets: CarExpert lists a five-year unlimited-kilometre warranty extendable to eight years via Honda Extend, eight-year/160,000km battery cover, five years of roadside assistance, 12-month/10,000km service intervals and $995 capped servicing over five years (about $199 average). Chasing Cars reports 12-month/15,000km intervals with the same $995 five-year total. Honda's Japanese release also details standard Honda SENSING driver assistance across the range (s8, s4, s9). ⁴¹⁵

Availability: a coveted niche hit

Supply is the practical catch. Chasing Cars reports an initial 2026 allocation of 130 cars sold out almost immediately against nearly 7000 expressions of interest, with only 500 examples allocated to Australia until the end of 2027, explaining the three-colour Australian palette (black, grey and purple). CarExpert similarly reports the first run of around 130 units sold out within hours, with wait times stretching to nearly 12 months depending on colour choice (s4, s8). ¹⁴

Demand pressure appears to be global. The Japanese road test reports the Super-ONE drew roughly 11,000 orders in Japan including dealer demonstrators (about 7000 from customers), with Honda reportedly considering increased production, though that reporting concerns the Japanese market and does not confirm Australian allocation changes (s10). ⁶