Spotted for sale: 2013 Honda N-One - Honda's latest retro look Kei Car

There is a dearth of pretty interesting Honda as of late here in Malaysia. You see, now that Honda Malaysia cannot sell the Honda CRZ Hybrid coupe at a reasonable price due to the fact that the Malaysian government has decided to discontinue tax breaks for imported hybrid cars and only give such tax exempts for locally assembled cars. Aside from that slightly sedate, not that fast coupe, there are no interesting Hondas on sale today over here.



 Actually, there are no truly interesting Honda cars sold anywhere in the universe today as there isn't an NSX, Integra, Prelude, or any large Honda with an interesting coupe body or a large capacity super duper VTEC engine. The NSX is still in development. The Integra is now a large scooter. The Prelude is basically dead due to it falling in the same category as the USDM Accord coupe. Which in itself isn't a sales magnet anywhere around the world. So aside from that lukewarm CRZ (which only feels good with a supercharger in it or a total engine transplant) there is nothing interesting for Honda fans, or shall I say fanatics to buy. Unless you want cuteness, that is.

So lucky thing is that some grey importers have decided to bring in the Honda N-ONE. No, its not the Honda None. It's a Honda N-1. Or no wordplay. The Honda N-ONE was launched in 2011 (for the 2012 model year) and is part of Honda's  kei (small town car) car lineup in Japan. Its styling is reminiscent of the Honda N360 of 1969-1972 (which I have seen decades ago in Taiping and in Kuala Lumpur when I was a young lad). Nostalgia as well as classic car design sells - look at the new VW Beetle and the Fiat 500. But this NONE does not have the same cachet as the two mentioned. Well, maybe over in Japan.

 The NONE (as it is quite humorous calling it so) incorporates Honda's latest Twin Cam 660cc 3 cylinder engine and it runs a continuously variable transmission (CVT) launched in 2011 with the N-Box. It is supposedly marketed as a premium KEi car and incorporates a lot of kit as standard including ABS, Nav, stop start button and even an Eco function.

For RM75,000 it is a tad pricey. You could get a Suzuki Swift, a Kia Rio, a Proton Suprima or even the new Honda Jazz for the price asked. Of course, if you fancy one, it would be worth it. Or you could be seen as someone who just blew RM75K for a tiny car that is actually the same size as a Perodua Viva that costs less than half its asking price.

Original Advert here. While it lasts of course.

Honda N One Premium (658 cc) - (Unreg. 2013)

RM 75,000 ... NETT
( Existing Condition )

2013 ... YEAR
BLACK ... COLOUR

LIMITED ... UNITS

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MR. BC LEE
016 - 251 0xxx

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Photos: Mudah.my & others.