2026 Afeela 1.
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Sony/Honda just unveiled the production version of the new Afeela EV sedan we saw last year as a prototype.
These photos show the US version. the new car will be available next year in 2 trims, Origin and Signature. Priced at, wait for it, $90,000 and $103,000. This spells DOA if you ask me.
I saw the Afeela in person a few months ago (see video below), and was not very impressed. It seems to me the result of a ridiculous idea, to begin with. having 2 very well-respected companies Sony and Honda create a third, unknown one to sell a new product. That is both ridiculous and a huge waste of resources.
The car itself felt very gimmicky and didn’t seem to know who it was for. An automotive lost soul.
the design resembles many, many current Chinese EV designs. It is not ugly but has zero personality.
The production model pictured above looks to me exactly the same as the prototype I sat in a few months ago. Which had a fine and roomy interior. However, that dashboard full of “entertainment” was awful. And so was the front screen instead of a grille.
At least it’s a hatchback, like the Mercedes EQS. And speaking of the EQS, the Mercedes EV starts at about the same price as the more expensive Afeela trim.
The specs aren’t that great either. You only get 3 colors to choose from. Which is even worse than Tesla. The EV range is projected to be 300 miles. Which is unacceptable for a $100,000 EV sedan going on sale in over a year.
I know the EQS is unloved. But it is a Mercedes and comes with a range of over 350 miles. And let’s not even mention the much cheaper Lucid Air sedan with its over 400 miles of range for $70,000.
I really want every brand to succeed but I really hope this misguided project doesn’t cost Honda too much money. This and merging with Nissan could end up sinking a huge amount of their budget.
The Afeela brings nothing new to the table and is actually behind in some specs. All for that crazy starting price of $93,000.
Here is a short video where I share my experience with the Afeela. Not driving it of course, but inside and out.
A very confusing car indeed. A disaster waiting to happen…
This looks so bland and generic imo, and this from the combined $$ and designer/marketing teams each have.
completely agree with you, Vince. Why would anyone pay that kind of money for this generic-looking vehicle. There’s nothing “special” about it and in that price range it’s the special that sells. The wall-to-wall screens are just silly and a distraction, I suppose when you’re stuck in traffic in congested cities you need to entertain yourself somehow… I’m surprised there’s no “Vegas” edition with the screens displaying video poker or a slot machine…
and the poor integration of the sensors makes the car look like a taxicab, take a look at the pic of the 3 cars side-by-side, they look like taxicabs with that center raised pod
Another white elephant vanity project that manages to be exorbitant yet completely languid at the same time, aimed at those who couldn’t care less about cars and they want a two-ton roomba to shuttle them around while they have all their location data and personal info “legally stolen” by whomever is willing to pay for it, and the owners will be jUsT FiNe WiTh tHaT.
It looks like an electric Gen7 Civic. Who in their right mind would pay $100k for that. Go home, you’re drunk, Honda.