After 9 BMWs, I thought they’d look after me but in fact nothing could be further from the truth. My i3 had suffered enormous depreciation (£23k in 2 years) and it’s replacement, the iX1, was a whopping £52k before any extras. I was really dismayed by the attitude of the dealer as I’d been a very loyal customer. They basically weren’t interested in a deal, saying that essentially, private buyers were not of much interest and that 90% of sales were via a lease or salary sacrifice.

So I was left with a car that had significant negative equity and no possible replacement. Then, by chance, I passed Brindley Honda in Cannock which had an e:Ny1 in the showroom. I’d heard mixed reviews but I was immediately impressed by the standard of fit & finish and the level of equipment included. The eager salesman gave me the key to their demo car and off I went. My first impression was one of incredulity, where are all these terrible issues the car allegedly has? I’d made the mistake of watching a couple of YouTube reviews by smug ‘experts’ and wondered which car they had driven!

In short, a spectacular deal was put together and the car was ordered. After proudly announcing my new purchase on social media, I was amazed at the negative comments I received, some of which were quite offensive, telling me how crap the Honda is etc. This was largely because they’d watched the same inane reviews I had but had obviously not gone anywhere near the car itself!

So, after 12,500 miles in 7 months, I thought I’d let you know how it’s going. Firstly some stats: max. range at 100% charge has consistently been 250-260 with an average overall efficiency of 3.7 kWh. Some journeys have yielded up to 5.9 kWh.

The car has been totally fault-free: no software issues, rattles or squeaks and tyre wear is minimal. The large centre screen is very clear and responsive. It can sometimes take a few seconds to boot up but otherwise it responds well.

I drive a lot for work and spend a fair amount of time on motorways. This is where the e:Ny1 excels as it’s very responsive and very comfortable. Maybe a bit more road noise than is ideal but the adaptive cruise control is a thing of beauty, making my journeys so relaxing.

Another criticism levelled at the e:Ny1 was that it has very poor regenerative braking. It’s fair to say that in ‘Normal’ driving mode it is quite ICE-like in terms of engine braking although this is adjustable using the flappy paddles on the steering wheel. However, if you put the car in ‘Sport’ mode, you get stronger manual regen which is just as good as my MG4, for example.

I think the critics of this car fail to understand who exactly this car is targeted at. It has been designed to be an EV that in many ways feels like an ICE with an automatic gearbox. This makes the transition from ICE to EV much easier for people who may be worried about doing so. Having worked for Honda many years ago, I know the demographic and I know that a full blown EV would probably terrify them! The initial price point for the car was too high but with the deal I got made it a no-brainer!

Overall, the e:Ny1 is a great car with the usual Honda quality and clever design. Do I miss the BMW i3? Nope! Would I buy another Honda? Yes!