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Motoring T
ROAD TESTS BY MARK SLACK New Honda Super-N - Small car, big fun?
hose who mourned the loss of the quirky but desirable Honda E have cause for optimism as Honda has revealed its new Super-N
compact EV. Priced from £18,995 the Japanese car maker says it’s aimed to be an uplifting small car experience. Engineered on the lightweight platform of the hugely popular N Series ‘Kei’ car range sold in Japan, the Super-N has a ‘BOOST Mode’, which increases the power output of its compact e-Axle from 47kW to 70kW. The benchmark 62mph is reached in 10.0 seconds
(vs. 14.51 seconds in ‘Normal Mode’) the emphasis is on a fun, responsive and accessible driving in all conditions. Unlike traditional EV models the Super-N is extremely light, which makes it feel more agile and engaging to drive. Cars don’t necessarily have to be fast to be a fun, and this is what Honda say they have aimed to do with the Super-N. A simulated sev- en-speed transmission and Honda’s advanced Active Sound Control system generates an engaging engine sound, more akin to driving a combustion engine vehicle.
Powered by a thin
and lightweight 29.6kW lithium-ion battery, the Super-N delivers a ‘combined’ range of 128 miles. However, in urban driving envi- ronments, where the compact and nimble Super-N is likely to
spend much of its time, the battery provides a ‘city’ range of 199 miles. The car also features the brand’s renowned Honda
‘Magic Seats’ configuration, where they can be folded in multiple ways. As a result, the luggage area is extremely versatile, with a maximum capacity of 162 litres with the rear seats up. In the dive-down config- uration, the available space is increased to 967 litres, which is one of the largest in the A-segment. Bold exterior styling and a distinctive wide stance,
flared wheel arches, and aero ducts, make the car a head turner and inside it features bolstered front seats. Both wired and wireless smartphone connectivity, enabled by Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and a powerful Bose sound system that has been tuned precisely for the interior’s dimensions and acoustics are also standard. The eight-speaker premium sound set- up features a 20cm subwoofer that has been designed specifically to fit under the Super-N’s boot, for a deep and rich bass response.
Geely Starray – not quite a star but certainly a protostar F
ew people with even a vague interest in cars can have failed to notice the number of Chinese brands appearing everywhere, I can’t recall a time when so many new names have appeared on the motoring market. One of those new names, Geely, isn’t actually that new and has already been a presence, certainly in the UK, for some years. The company owns British sports car name Lotus, Volvo and EV garage-mate Polestar, they even own the company making iconic London Black Cabs. Geely currently has the EX5, a pure EV, and then the
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