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    14 September 2017

    The Honda Urban EV Concept is JC's Frankfurt favourite

    By James ClearyJames Cleary

    Merc-AMG can keep its megabuck Project One, and Bugatti can stick its 0-400-0 in 42 seconds Chiron where the sun don’t shine.

    The star of this year’s Frankfurt motor show is Honda’s Urban EV Concept, a perfectly proportioned hot hatch that will make you want to plug in and hook up on your favourite driving road.

    If you still think electricity is for toasters, this car will surely change your mind. Echoing the original Civic from the early ‘70s, the tough little concept gives away 100mm in overall length to the minuscule Jazz, yet rolls on fat 20-inch rims shoved out to each corner.

    • Hopefully the rear 'suicide' doors will be on the production version. Hopefully the rear 'suicide' doors will be on the production version.
    • There's been plenty of discussion in the Oversteer office about what car the Urban EV reminds them of. There's been plenty of discussion in the Oversteer office about what car the Urban EV reminds them of.
    • Honda's global boss says that a production version is set to be launched within two years. Great! Honda's global boss says that a production version is set to be launched within two years. Great!
    • Like a La-Z-Boy, but with a quartic steering wheel. Like a La-Z-Boy, but with a quartic steering wheel.
    • Even the indicators are a thing of beauty, with their weird translucent tips. Even the indicators are a thing of beauty, with their weird translucent tips.

    And the good news is Honda’s global boss, Takahiro Hachigo, says a production version is set to be launched within two years.

    Hopefully some of the concept’s cool features make it through to the production line, especially the backlit blue badges, rear hinged ‘suicide’ doors, and a configurable LED display in the grille that lets you send custom messages to the outside world.

    There’s also an external charge indicator, the dashtop multimedia panel is the widest wide screen in the history of cars, and the side rear cameras relay images to colour screens in the doors.

    Roll on 2019!

    What was your pick from the Frankfurt crop? Tell us what you think in the comments.

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