Revealing the Hidden Truth: How Sony and Honda’s Afeela 1 EV Fails to Live Up to its Electric Hype
The Futuristic Sony Honda Afeela 1: Worth the Wait?
The Sony car is almost here, finally. After its creation via a joint venture with Honda in 2022 and two years of prototypes, the electronics giant’s Afeela brand, which made its debut with a concept car at CES 2023, is now taking reservations for its first electric vehicle, with deliveries scheduled to start in 2026.
But is it worth the wait? Sony Honda Mobility brought updated prototypes of the Afeela 1 to CES 2025, giving me the chance to experience some of the tech features that set this car apart from other EVs.
A Luxury Vehicle for the Tech-Savvy
The Afeela 1 maintains a rounded, computer-mouse shape, which has remained unchanged since its debut at CES 2023. It features a "media bar," a projection surface where the grille would normally be, with the ability to display cute messages like "Have a nice day" or PlayStation video game wallpaper. The car also has a bump in the center of the roof for a lidar unit, just like other high-end luxury vehicles.
A Screen-Dominated Interior
The interior design remains largely unchanged since the last update, with a long, horizontal screen across the dashboard and doors. The cabling keeps it high, keeping the driver’s attention centered. The yoke-shaped steering wheel further maximizes visibility.
A Unique User Experience?
The interior truly comes alive as you engage with the features on the screen. Changing the background changes the ambient lighting, and the audio system utilizes Sony’s 360 Spatial Sound Technology to create an impressive 3D effect. Unfortunately, without more information on the navigation system and voice assistant, it’s hard to gauge their effectiveness.
Is Driver Assistance the Differentiator?
The advanced driver-assistance system should create a safer and more reliable driving experience, but it’s not revolutionary. The system, developed by Sony and Honda, has 40 sensors, including radar, lidar, cameras, and ultrasonic sensors. This creates redundancy and overlaps, ensuring reliable operation. The goal is to graduate to Level 3 automation, where drivers no longer need to keep their eyes on the road in certain situations.
What Does it All Add Up To?
The Afeela 1’s features, like advanced driver assistance, connectivity, and multimedia capabilities, are already available in other cars. The question is, does it offer anything significant that justifies the $89,900 base price? A road test is needed to determine if this car lives up to its hype, or if it simply lags behind competitors.
