Honda e Base

Overview

The Honda e Base, never officially sold Stateside, is a real head-turner; a compact EV designed with city slicking in mind. Its retro-futuristic charm and dinky dimensions made it a unique proposition in markets like Europe and Japan. Key highlights for this Base trim include its nimble rear-wheel-drive setup and an interior packed with screens. As it wasn't available new in the US, pricing is purely for the hypothetical, super-rare import, making it a true unicorn on American roads. Its production unfortunately ceased in 2022.

What's New for 2022?

For 2022, the Honda e Base largely carried over its delightful package as it was already a well-specced little machine. This model year marked the end of its short but sweet production run, meaning a 2022 model is as fresh as this quirky EV gets. There were no major mechanical or feature shake-ups for the Base trim in its final year, solidifying its position as a charming, tech-forward city car. Think of it as the final edition of Honda's bold statement in the compact EV world.

Design & Exterior

The Honda e Base is pure eye-candy, rocking a minimalist yet oh-so-cool retro design. Smooth surfaces, iconic round LED headlights, and flush pop-out door handles give it a concept car vibe. The Base trim keeps things clean and stylish, rolling on smart alloy wheels. Its compact dimensions – just 153.3 inches long, 69 inches wide (excluding mirrors), and 59.5 inches tall – make it a dream for tight city parking. Those standard camera side mirrors instead of traditional ones really seal the futuristic deal!

Interior, Tech & Cargo

Step inside the Honda e Base, and you're greeted by a lounge-like cabin that’s surprisingly premium, with fabric seats and wood-effect trim. The dashboard is dominated by a massive wall-to-wall screen setup, housing two large displays for instruments and infotainment, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It’s a strict four-seater, cozy for passengers. Cargo space is city-car typical at 6 cubic feet in the trunk, expanding to 30.4 cubic feet with seats folded. Sadly, there’s no frunk for extra bits and bobs.

Performance & Driving Experience

Don't let its cute looks fool you; the Honda e Base is a proper giggle to drive! Its rear-wheel-drive layout, powered by a 100 kW Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor churning out 232 lb-ft of instant torque, makes it feel wonderfully zippy. Nought to 60 mph takes a respectable 8.7 seconds. It darts through city traffic with an incredibly tight turning circle, and the ride is comfy. Single-pedal driving is a cinch with its effective regenerative braking, making urban crawls smoother.

Range, Battery & Charging

The Honda e Base packs a 28.5 kWh usable battery, delivering a Green Cars Compare estimated real-world range of 117 miles – perfect for urban hops. Efficiency is a decent 4.11 mi/kWh. At home, its standard 6.6 kW on-board AC charger can juice it up in around 4.5-5 hours. For quicker top-ups, it supports DC fast charging at up to 46 kW, getting you mostly full in about 30-35 minutes. While it uses CCS Type 2 in Europe, a US version would logically sport a CCS Type 1 port.

Safety & Driver-Assistance Features

While never tested by NHTSA due to its absence in the US market, the Honda e Base earned a solid 4-star rating from Euro NCAP. It comes impressively kitted out with Honda’s Sensing suite as standard. This means you get goodies like adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, road departure mitigation, and collision mitigation braking. Features like blind-spot information and cross-traffic monitor were typically part of the standard package too, making it a reassuring city companion even in its Base guise.

Warranty & Maintenance Coverage

Since the Honda e Base wasn't officially sold in the US, there's no specific American warranty. However, typically Honda offers a 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and an 8-year/100,000-mile warranty for the battery and electric powertrain components in markets where its EVs are sold, often guaranteeing at least 70% battery capacity. Maintenance for EVs like the e is generally minimal, focusing on tires, brakes, and cabin filters, making for potentially lower running costs than a traditional petrol car. Reliability is expected to be strong, typical of Honda.