We love us a zippy little Honda hatch, and this latest one making its debut at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show looks particularly feisty. It’s called the Honda Super-One Prototype, and if it seems familiar to you, that’s because 1) it took on the Goodwood hill climb earlier this year in camouflaged Super EV concept form, and 2) it’s based on the N-One e:, itself an electrified version of the carmaker’s award-winning N-One kei car.
“Great, another kei car we’ll never see...” or so you think. But just like the N-One e:, the eventual production model of the Super-One will make its way to “other regions with strong demand for compact EVs, such as the UK and various Asian countries,” after sales begin in Japan next year. Chance spotted.
One of the key changes turning the N-One e: into the Super-One is Boost Mode. Honda says it’s been developed specifically for this model, although it sounds similar to the hybrid CR-Z’s Plus Sport button that boosted top speed by around 30kph when there’s sufficient battery charge. We’re guessing it’s the same general idea here—so far, Honda has only mentioned that it “increases the power output to enable the power unit to fully unleash its performance potential to realize powerful and sharp acceleration.” No specs given yet, but kei cars are usually limited to 64hp.
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Other features enhancing the “fun of driving” in the Super-One Prototype are a simulated seven-speed transmission (there’s no actual transmission here) and Active Sound Control that blares out a vroom-vroom engine soundtrack to match brake and go-pedal input as well as the “gear shifts.” Some will find it fun, others will be looking for the off button within minutes.
On the outside, the lower half of the Super-One Prototype gets an aero kit that visually lowers and widens the car’s stance compared with its, uh, non-super sibling. Wide tires nicely fill out the space under the flared blister fenders, and the front and rear air ducts are actually functional. The red reflector strips on the rear diffuser are just the right hint of sporty—any more and they would have ventured into tacky territory.
Finally, strips of blue in the cabin liven up the gray and white color scheme. The sports seats have chunky bolstering—probably way more than you’ll ever need in a car of this size and expected power output.
“The Super-One Prototype stimulates the driver’s senses—including visual and auditory senses, as well as a tactile sensation of acceleration and vibration—and offers a new ‘joy of driving’ EVs,” Honda says.
Would you give it a go?
