Overview

HONDA has launched its undeniably cute Super-One Down Under, a car that despite its sticker price and enormous levels of interest will sell fewer than 130 units before the end of 2026, owing to limited supply.

The model is priced from $36,900 driveaway for the base grade, while a two-tone version with a blacked-out roof will set buyers back $37,400 d/a.

As noted, the Super-One’s retro-futuristic kei-car styling has generated massive interest, with Honda claiming more than 6500 expressions of interest – more than the FL5 Civic Type R received – but limited supply means only about one in 50 of those interested will get their hands on one this year.

Honda says greater supply will become available in 2027, but exactly how many examples will land in Australia is yet to be determined, potentially adding to the exclusive appeal of the micro-BEV in a similar way to Suzuki’s depreciation-resistant Jimny.

Pre-orders are now open at Honda dealers around the country, with deliveries from the initial 130-car allocation to commence in October before additional stock comes online from 2027.

The Super-One is powered by a front-mounted electric motor producing 47kW and 162Nm in regular driving modes, fed by a compact 29.6kWh battery offering a claimed WLTP driving range of 206km.

Like the 1980s Honda City Turbo II from which it draws design inspiration, the Super-One promises peppy performance courtesy of a Boost mode that lifts output to 70kW.

Given the car’s dainty 1093kg kerb weight – remarkably light by EV standards – that makes enough for a spirited drive. More on that in a moment.

Boost mode also aims to deliver an ICE-like driving experience with a simulated seven-speed transmission and distinctive Honda engine sounds piped into the cabin, much like the system employed by Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 N.

DC fast charging can replenish the battery from 15 to 80 per cent in around 30 minutes, while boot capacity measures 162 litres with the rear seats in place, expanding to 967 litres courtesy of Honda’s versatile Magic Seat arrangement.

At $36,900 d/a, the Super-One enters an increasingly competitive sub-$40K compact BEV segment but is far from its cheapest entrant.

It sits well above cut-price Chinese models including the BYD Atto 1 (from $19,990 d/a), Geely EX2 (from $26,490 + ORCs), and slightly larger GAC Aion UT (from $31,990 + ORCs), but comes in below the Hyundai Inster (from $39,000 + ORCs).

However, at just over 3500mm long and around 1600mm wide, the Super-One is perhaps the first true micro-EV among them, its pint-sized dimensions well below those of the compact Chinese alternatives mentioned.

The Super-One’s boxy proportions are enhanced by pumped-out wheelarches, a roof spoiler, wide-body treatment, and diminutive 15-inch alloy wheels shod with 185/55 tyres.

Inside, the Super-One features a 7.0-inch digital instrument display and 9.0-inch multimedia touchscreen alongside heated front seats, a heated leather steering wheel, kick-ass eight-speaker Bose audio, and single-zone climate control, while LED headlights and taillights complete the exterior package.

All Super-Ones are backed by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty with capped-price servicing for the same period, with an option to extend the warranty for an additional three years.

Driving Impressions

There is something inherently refreshing about a small car that does not take itself too seriously.

At a time when battery-electric vehicles are becoming larger, heavier, and increasingly obsessed with acceleration figures, screen sizes, and ever-longer driving ranges, Honda’s Super-One takes a decidedly different approach.

It is small, light, relatively modest in output, and – perhaps most importantly – designed to be fun.

That last point becomes apparent almost immediately.

Step inside and there is an unexpected sense of space. Every last inch has been considered in packaging the car for the city, while at the same time ensuring Honda’s straightforward interaction between owner and machine is upheld.

In regular driving modes, the Super-One produces just 47kW, a figure that looks decidedly underwhelming alongside many of today’s increasingly powerful EVs. In the real world, it’s not. But headline figures often matter most.

Indeed, the outright numbers tell only part of the story…

With comparatively little mass to move – weighing about the same as the current generation Mazda MX-5 – and instant electric response available from low speed, the Super-One feels considerably more energetic around town than its specification sheet might suggest.

In Melbourne’s bustling CBD, where narrow lanes and super-low speed limits are the norm, the Super-One feels right at home. It responds eagerly to throttle inputs, moving swiftly to keep pace with cut-and-thrust traffic.

Econ mode takes considerably more urgency from proceedings and is perhaps best reserved for situations where eking maximum range from the battery takes precedence over keeping pace with traffic.

But it is when Boost mode is selected that the Super-One reveals what Honda was really trying to achieve.

Output climbs to 70kW and 162Nm, bringing considerably stronger acceleration and transforming the character of the little EV.

It still is not brutally quick – nor does it need to be – but the additional urge gives the Super-One enough performance to make exploiting its diminutive dimensions genuinely entertaining.

Add the theatre of the simulated gearshifts and rev limiter, along with the Super-One’s intentionally 12-bit soundtrack, and the difference between 47kW and 70kW becomes deliciously addictive, encouraging playful driving – even at safe city speeds.

Rather than attempting to disguise the Super-One as something it is not, Honda appears to have used the system simply to introduce another layer of interaction between car and driver.

Pull a paddle, the soundtrack changes pitch and the drivetrain mimics the interruption in acceleration associated with changing gear. It is knowingly artificial, but that does not necessarily mean it isn’t fun.

More important is what happens when the road begins to twist.

The Super-One’s relatively low mass and compact footprint immediately give it an advantage over considerably heavier EVs, while the low-mounted battery helps keep its centre of gravity in check despite its tall proportions.

The steering is more direct than in many rivals, meaning the Super-One responds eagerly to initial input, changing direction like a caffeinated wasp.

Body control is well contained for the most part, while the sticky tyres and large-for-its-size footprint ensure a go-kart-style response to driver inputs. If the challenges of Melbourne’s CBD and its surrounds did not prove that point, a run through a car-park slalom course certainly did (nice work, Honda!).

Sure, there are far quicker EVs available for similar – and indeed considerably less – money, but exploiting their performance on public roads (and cordoned-off car parks) can mean travelling at antisocial speeds remarkably quickly.

The Honda instead encourages its driver to use more of what it has, more of the time.

It is an old-fashioned small-car formula applied to a thoroughly modern powertrain – modest performance, limited mass, compact dimensions and an enthusiastic chassis.

Yet none of this has cost the Super-One its ride.

Its tiny footprint could reasonably be expected to work against it. Yet despite our best attempts to tackle speed humps and bumps, there is very little to tarnish the Super-One’s serenity.

The Super-One quells larger undulations with surprising ease, while sharper-edged imperfections are barely felt, even when repeated in quick succession.

We did not sample the Super-One at highway speeds but suggest its spring and damper rates should provide a suitably sorted ride when the pace picks up. And yes, we very much look forward to spending more time in the car.

Of course, none of this means the Super-One is without compromise.

Its performance is modest by contemporary EV standards, its dimensions inherently limit its usefulness, and there is no escaping the fact buyers can purchase larger and more powerful electric cars for less money.

But viewing the Super-One solely through the prism of kilowatts, kilometres-per-charge, or dollars-per-inch rather misses the point.

Honda has deliberately chosen not to compete directly with the growing number of Chinese EV manufacturers engaged in an increasingly aggressive specification and price war.

Instead, it is asking buyers to place a value on something considerably harder to quantify – character.

Whether the simulated gearbox and accompanying soundtrack are inspired or merely novelty will ultimately depend on the driver. Likewise, the Super-One’s unconventional, retro-inspired appearance will appeal enormously to some and leave others entirely unmoved.

But underneath the theatrics is what appears to be a fundamentally well-resolved little car – and one we reckon makes even the most mundane city trip quite an enjoyable experience.

And just how many pint-sized EV rivals can we say that about?