What car comes to mind when someone says, “Honda halo model”? Chances are you’re thinking of the NSX. Or to a lesser extent, the Civic Type R.
Basically, it must be an awe-inspiring, high-performance machine that leaves enthusiasts drooling.
However, Kah Motor, Honda’s official agent here, doesn’t sell them. Even the Prelude won’t arrive till 2027.
But if you leave performance out of it, Honda does have a halo model. It’s the Super-One, a small electric hatchback with limited range and a tall asking price, but also the ability to make the brand and its siblings shine that much brighter.
Cute and confident
It’s too easy to endlessly gush about the Super-One and go on about it being so kawaii, so JDM, etc.
That, I think, does it a disservice because it hypes it to a point where expectations are impossible to meet.
Before anything else, the Super-One is not a kei car.
Though based on the N-One (which is a kei car), its wider body and power output exceed kei car regulations. Of course, the Super-One is still smaller than a supermini.
Measuring just 3,589mm long, 1,573mm wide, and standing 1,616mm tall, it’s dwarfed by the Suzuki Swift.
But its striking design ensures it’s hard to miss.
From its boxy silhouette to its low stance, to its comically exaggerated bumpers and fenders, the Super-One makes you stop, stare, and look back as you walk away.
I only wish the rear end had round tail lamps to complement the head lights.
Pop open the doors and you’ll find a functional cockpit, with supportive sports seats with tall headrests. Though the instrument panel is digital, user-friendliness is ensured thanks to the plentiful physical buttons, easy-to-spot USB-C ports, and idiot-proof climate controls. Oh, and there’s accent lighting to liven up the space as well.
Although the Super-One’s dimensions are small, having its wheels pushed out to the corners allows for a 2,520mm wheelbase to help maximise occupant space.
Legroom and headroom are surprisingly good, and versatility is boosted by the Ultra seats, whose squabs can be flipped up to allow the storage of boxes, luggage, or even plants.
That’s mighty useful, considering that you only get 162 litres of boot space while the rear seats are up, and less than 1,000 litres when they’re folded.
Folding bikes are preferable to full-size ones, but at least the low loading height makes getting them in and out a cinch.
Zippy and bubbly
The Super-One’s output figures are modest, but its character is one that is overflowingly effervescent. Sure, the 70kW (95bhp) and 162Nm of torque might even be laughable to some, but remember, all this is instantly available.
Also, the car only weighs 1,092kg.
That kerb weight is why the Super-One feels so nimble, despite being front-wheel drive. See that upcoming corner? You can wait until the last moment to nail the brakes and turn in, confident that the car won’t mind one bit.
Directional changes are another specialty. With little inertia to overcome, you’ll need to behave yourself on the road — such is the temptation to weave in and out of traffic, plugging gaps along the way.
In fact, the Super-One welcomes this and other ‘gleeful’ manoeuvres. Mundane motoring? Leave that to other cars that take themselves seriously and recoil at the suggestion of fun.
The Super-One is cheeky as well. It has a ‘Boost’ mode that when activated, offers simulated shift points along with a bassy ‘exhaust note’.
It’s all fake, of course, but it’s done remarkably well. That means it sounds engaging, rather than annoying.
In fact, Boost mode makes the Super-One sound as if it has a dual-clutch gearbox. Accelerate hard, and you’d swear the ‘gear changes’ are punctuated by ‘braaps’.
The car even ‘downshifts’ when braking, and yes, you can conduct this electronic symphony using the paddle shifters. It might seem contrived at first, but go with the flow and you’ll even find yourself giggling from time to time.
The not-so-nice bits
The Super-One isn’t for everyone, but if you are considering it, there are shortcomings you’ll have to live with. Apart from the compact (okay, tiny) luggage compartment, space within the cabin is at a premium as well.
So, if you’re prone to quarrelling with your spouse or partner, rubbing shoulders while fuming may only worsen the situation. Similarly, the two rear passengers should get along famously; if not, the car ride will be a tense one, to say the least.
Another issue is the range. Honda claims a driving range of 202km from the 29.6kWh battery and when I collected the car, the trip computer estimated 191km with the battery at 99per cent.
As for the average consumption, Honda claims 6.6km/kWh, but mine was higher at 5.7km/kWh.
With my driving habits and lifestyle, I’d have to charge the car twice or thrice weekly.
Cuteness — at a cost
If these bugbears aren’t deal-breakers, you’re either head-over-heels for this hatchback or it’ll be just another car in your garage. Clearly, the Super-One is not going to be a volume seller. Especially not when it starts from $190,999 with COE.
But these limitations and its price are not what make it a halo model. It’s the fact that the Super-One is currently the cutest and most delightful Honda available today.
It’s so charming that you’ll forget about its flaws.
Then you’ll realise that the Super-One makes the brand and the rest of its models shine that much brighter. People will look at it and know that Honda doesn’t just make ‘regular’ cars. It may be the smallest and least powerful car in the range, but its character and energy? Pure halo model.
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This article was first published in sgCarMart.
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