Honda E and I3S, anybody driven both?
Discussion
I’m looking at my first leccy car for local journeys, as 90% are probably less than 50 miles, and I’ve got other cars for the longer journeys.
Budget is £10-12k which gets me a Honda e or an I3S, obviously both RWD, being in west wales opportunities to drive both are a bit limited, any experience / observations?
TIA
Budget is £10-12k which gets me a Honda e or an I3S, obviously both RWD, being in west wales opportunities to drive both are a bit limited, any experience / observations?
TIA
SWoll said:
The i3S is lighter, nippier, more practical, more efficient and has more range.
The Honda has more tech, rides better, has the tightest turning circle of any car I've driven so great in town/parking and is happier at high speeds where the i3 can feel very wobbly in cross winds.
Thanks, my heart is saying Honda, my head Beemer at the momentThe Honda has more tech, rides better, has the tightest turning circle of any car I've driven so great in town/parking and is happier at high speeds where the i3 can feel very wobbly in cross winds.
You should probably try both.
For what it's worth...
About 6 years ago, a friend bought an i3.
Another friend tried it, and bought an i3s.
I tried it. I bought an i3s.
On the way home from picking it up, I called in to see my parents and show them our new car. 4 days later they also had an i3s.
My uncle visited them for a holiday. When he got home he bought an i3.
We all still have them.
Another friend bought a Honda e and sold it 4 months later.
For what it's worth...
About 6 years ago, a friend bought an i3.
Another friend tried it, and bought an i3s.
I tried it. I bought an i3s.
On the way home from picking it up, I called in to see my parents and show them our new car. 4 days later they also had an i3s.
My uncle visited them for a holiday. When he got home he bought an i3.
We all still have them.
Another friend bought a Honda e and sold it 4 months later.
SWoll said:
The i3S is lighter, nippier, more practical, more efficient and has more range.
I've driven both although I only had the Honda E for the day. I bought an I3S. They are not hugely different in terms of feel, both rear wheel drive. I liked the airy feel of the Honda cabin. The tech on the Honda E is mind-blowing. I particularly liked the video door mirrors, it's a geeks paradise. The deal killer was the limited range, and smaller higher boot. The Honda E was below 100 miles more or less straight away whereas the I3 is showing and achieving 160 miles at that stage.
GT6k said:
………. the I3 is showing and achieving 160 miles at that stage.
My commute to work is 26miles total, through mostly 30/40 speed limits with a few miles of national speed limit and into the centre of York. On several occasions last summer the GOM was showing 200-220miles of range!I've driven both too.
Obviously both great cars. I preferred the interior of the i3. Slightly less gimmicky use of screens/tech.
To drive, the Honda was slightly better. The negatives of a short wheelbase in the i3 felt more obvious, whereas the Honda had the ride of a much larger car.
At the time, I was leaning towards getting the Honda, but eventually I decided neither had sufficient range, even as a second car. If I was looking now, I think I would get an i3s, as I slightly prefer the looks.
Obviously both great cars. I preferred the interior of the i3. Slightly less gimmicky use of screens/tech.
To drive, the Honda was slightly better. The negatives of a short wheelbase in the i3 felt more obvious, whereas the Honda had the ride of a much larger car.
At the time, I was leaning towards getting the Honda, but eventually I decided neither had sufficient range, even as a second car. If I was looking now, I think I would get an i3s, as I slightly prefer the looks.
Jermy Claxon said:
We all still have them.
Another friend bought a Honda e and sold it 4 months later.
Exactly the same here - my wife bought a Honda-e back in 2021 "because it's so cute"Another friend bought a Honda e and sold it 4 months later.
and she ended up trading it in for an i3s less than a year later because the range was
absolutely hopeless and the various driver safety aids were intrusive and annoying.
None of the i3 models have any form of 'bings and bongs' (other than for seatbelts),
so they are extremely relaxing to drive/live with.
Owned both;
2018 I3s
2022 e
BMW is faster, much better range, choppy ride/handling, weird tyre sizes, suicide doors can be a pain
Honda has a much better ride, unsupportive seats when taking advantage of the great chassis, tiny boot, great suspension and tyres, feels plush and sporty at the same time. Superb turning circle. Very good stereo.
Both great cars, loved them both. Both seem to be holding their used prices very well now.
2018 I3s
2022 e
BMW is faster, much better range, choppy ride/handling, weird tyre sizes, suicide doors can be a pain
Honda has a much better ride, unsupportive seats when taking advantage of the great chassis, tiny boot, great suspension and tyres, feels plush and sporty at the same time. Superb turning circle. Very good stereo.
Both great cars, loved them both. Both seem to be holding their used prices very well now.
I really enjoyed test driving the Honda E. It's not particularly punchy, just well balanced, well made, and I love the look of it. As a family that has owned a Nissan Cube, I also loved the..... Japaneseness of it. Slightly cute, screens for the sake of it etc... different but good different!
On paper, it's difficult to split the Honda and the MINI electric, very similar size \ battery \ handling etc, and I've owned several MINI's and loved them.
However, the i3s, especially as the 120Ah, is a different prospect. I love the construction and engineering behind it, the ease of use, the range, and it's genuinely fun to drive. I've only had mine a few weeks, but it's been exactly what I expected. Range in the 160's, buttons for everything, spacious airy cabin but small and easy to find a parking space. It was bought as a stop gap (I am between employers!), but I genuinely hope it suits my "next" commute as I don't wish to part with it.
On paper, it's difficult to split the Honda and the MINI electric, very similar size \ battery \ handling etc, and I've owned several MINI's and loved them.
However, the i3s, especially as the 120Ah, is a different prospect. I love the construction and engineering behind it, the ease of use, the range, and it's genuinely fun to drive. I've only had mine a few weeks, but it's been exactly what I expected. Range in the 160's, buttons for everything, spacious airy cabin but small and easy to find a parking space. It was bought as a stop gap (I am between employers!), but I genuinely hope it suits my "next" commute as I don't wish to part with it.
MOBB said:
Owned both;
2018 I3s
2022 e
BMW is faster, much better range, choppy ride/handling, weird tyre sizes, suicide doors can be a pain
Honda has a much better ride, unsupportive seats when taking advantage of the great chassis, tiny boot, great suspension and tyres, feels plush and sporty at the same time. Superb turning circle. Very good stereo.
Both great cars, loved them both. Both seem to be holding their used prices very well now.
Please explain the issue with rear-hinged rear doors? (I refuse to call them suicide doors, because I am sure that issue has long been resolved: in fact I am surprised more cars don't revert to rear hinged front doors).2018 I3s
2022 e
BMW is faster, much better range, choppy ride/handling, weird tyre sizes, suicide doors can be a pain
Honda has a much better ride, unsupportive seats when taking advantage of the great chassis, tiny boot, great suspension and tyres, feels plush and sporty at the same time. Superb turning circle. Very good stereo.
Both great cars, loved them both. Both seem to be holding their used prices very well now.
Allow me.
The rear doors can only be opened if the front doors are already open. You can't open the rears independently with the front doors still closed.
So, if you're parked next to another car in a car park, to extract the kids from the back of the car you need to:
1) Open drivers door, and get out.
2) Open rear door. You're now "penned in", stuck in the gap between your car, the car next to you and two open doors.
3) Shuffle your feet to the front of the car to make space for a kid to get out.
4) Swap places. The kid has to stand next to the driver's seat so you can then close the rear door.
5) Close the rear door, and get the kid to move out of the pen and go to the rear of the vehicle.
6) Repeat steps 2-5 for second child.
7) Close the driver's door.
It's better than a 3 door, worse than a 5 door.
The i3 has proper adult sized rear seats though, unlike the Honda, so I would still choose the i3 if using the rear seats was a consideration.
It sounds like a faff, and it is, but the kids learn the dance quick enough. We've been doing it for years and while objectively it's not ideal, if I suggested selling the i3s, my wife and both children would physically hurt me.
The rear doors can only be opened if the front doors are already open. You can't open the rears independently with the front doors still closed.
So, if you're parked next to another car in a car park, to extract the kids from the back of the car you need to:
1) Open drivers door, and get out.
2) Open rear door. You're now "penned in", stuck in the gap between your car, the car next to you and two open doors.
3) Shuffle your feet to the front of the car to make space for a kid to get out.
4) Swap places. The kid has to stand next to the driver's seat so you can then close the rear door.
5) Close the rear door, and get the kid to move out of the pen and go to the rear of the vehicle.
6) Repeat steps 2-5 for second child.
7) Close the driver's door.
It's better than a 3 door, worse than a 5 door.
The i3 has proper adult sized rear seats though, unlike the Honda, so I would still choose the i3 if using the rear seats was a consideration.
It sounds like a faff, and it is, but the kids learn the dance quick enough. We've been doing it for years and while objectively it's not ideal, if I suggested selling the i3s, my wife and both children would physically hurt me.
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