The 2nd gen Honda N-One kei car that was previewed in September has been officially launched in Japan. Though visually very similar to its predecessor, the new N-One offers better safety & equipment than the out-gone model. Inspired from the classic N360, the N-One made its debut in 2012 and received a facelift in 2017.
Available in four variants– Original, Premium, Premium Tourer & RS, the new Honda N-One retains familiar retro-styled appearance with styling changes including LED headlamps surrounded by circular DRLs, tweaked bumpers, a redesigned tail lamp cluster with a light ring and individual diodes to create a more distinctive lighting signature.
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The actual changes are on the inside as the 2nd gen N-One gets a completely redesigned dashboard with floating head unit, a dedicated climate control panel, a revamped instrument cluster with color digital display and air vents of different shapes– circular for the driver & rectangular for the passenger.
Interior of 2021 Honda N-One
Other improvements include individual buckets front seats, which save up space for center stowage compartments, and 3 USB ports for the front passengers alone. There is an electronic parking brake instead of the previous foot-operated system and comes with an automatic brake hold function. Like before, the N-One utilizes central fuel tank location and highly practical rear Ultra Seats.
The 2021 Honda N-One
Safety enhancements include auto high beam and reverse pedal misapplication control, in addition to the standard Honda Sensing features which include autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, lane keeping assist, lane centering assist and traffic sign recognition. The new N-One is also offered with a Rear Seat Reminder that detects the rear occupants and alerts the driver in case they forget; this feature is said to be the first in the kei car segment.
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Under the hood there is a S07A 658 cc three-cylinder naturally-aspirated engine in Original & Premium models that generates 57hp of power and 65 Nm of torque. The turbocharged unit in the Premium Tourer and RS produce 63hp and 104 Nm. Both engines are paired to a CVT gearbox with either front- or all-wheel drive. For the first time however, the RS is available with a 6-speed manual gearbox and is front-wheel-drive only, making it the only car in the segment to be offered in such a configuration which also gets benefits from adaptive cruise control and lane centering assist.
A computer animation professional with over 23 years of industry experience having served in leading organizations, TV channels & production facilities in Pakistan. An avid car enthusiast and petrolhead with an affection to deliver quality content to help shape opinions. Formerly written for PakWheels as well as major publications including Dawn. Founder of CarSpiritPK.com
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