Honda's cute electric hatchback bags 2020 Red Dot Design Award

Retro-chic, modern tech helps Honda e win Red Dot award

When Honda pulled the covers off the E Concept back in 2017, it caught a lot of attention for its retro-chic design. What was more surprising is the fact that the look didn't change much when it transitioned from concept to production.

The E hatchback may be retro-inspired from the outside but it packs a whole lot of tech too, which is why it was recently awarded Red Dot: Best of the Best 2020 in automotive design. It's not only because of the way it looks but also because of its packaging and innovations that helped it get that title.

Despite the small dimensions of the EV hatchback, the awards body praised it for its lounge-like atmosphere, a tough feat to achieve for subcompact vehicles. Its simple, human-centric design is also one of the reasons why the Honda E won over the judges of the Red Dot. There's also its connected infotainment system and services which allow the driver and occupants to benefit from connectivity on the go, while stationary, or charging.

As for the car itself, there are large round headlights that are a nod to the first-generation Civic which are then encased in a solid black panel. It's the same story at the rear featuring the same design albeit with round taillights instead. Keeping the car looking clean and minimalist are cameras instead of bulky side mirrors.

That minimalist theme is followed through to the inside. The driver and occupants are greeted by a full-width digital dashboard lined with a blend of wood and leather. There are are two 12.3-inch LCD touchscreens that stretch across the dashboard. These act as the primary infotainment display, as well as a gauge cluster showing useful driving information together with navigation and music, along with the aforementioned connected concierge services.

The Honda E was released in Europe late last year with other markets following soon. However, it isn't likely that we'll see it in the country in the coming years due to the lack of infrastructure. Then again, with a new president on board, Honda Cars Philippines might just give us a little surprise in the future.