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New Honda 0 Series prototypes hit CES with eye-catching looks

The first models from Honda’s new range of 0 Series electric cars will be an SUV and saloon

Honda’s bold electric-car future has been revealed in the form of two new, almost production-ready models that preview an SUV and a saloon hitting the road next year. 

Revealed together at the 2025 CES show in Las Vegas this week, both are described as prototypes rather than concepts, which in Honda-speak confirms their imminent arrival as two of seven models confirmed by the Japanese brand under its new 0 Series EV development plan.

First to arrive will be the Honda 0 SUV, a mid-sized crossover due to go on sale in America in the first half of 2026, before making its way into global markets including Europe and Japan, with the UK likely to be an early recipient. It features a distinctive sleek front end mated to a bulky square rear design with maximised interior space as the priority. Interior visibility and flexibility are further key strengths, according to Honda, while the new model will also feature the brand’s latest development in chassis control, using 3D gyro sensors to “enable dynamics at the will of the driver on various road surfaces”. 

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Described as the flagship for the 0 Series, the radical sleek 0 Saloon with its sloping nose and bold front end is a development of the concept car revealed at the 2024 CES event. Some of the less production-feasible elements, including the infinity mirror-style lighting across the front end, are toned down, and the headlights are smoother and more integrated. 

The concept’s huge single door turns into a more regular pair of doors on each side, while on the inside the minimalist steering wheel is replaced by a half-wheel. This has its upper section chopped off to enable a clear view of the full-width set of three screens, flanked by a pair of angled screens that replace traditional wing mirrors, as first seen on the Honda e supermini. 

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What does remain is the hulking angled rear overhang that now houses a pair of diffusers. Provided it carries over into the production version in a form close to the prototype, the design will make for one of the most distinctive rear ends on the road. 

Details like boot access and size are yet to be outlined by Honda, which also hasn’t talked specifics on powertrains or EV range for either of its forthcoming models. We do know that the 0 Series project is developing a range of rear and four-wheel-drive powertrains developing from 241bhp up to around 480bhp, with all likely to be made available on both models.

The full line-up of 0 Series models will eventually include an entry-level SUV below the 0 SUV, as well as a larger seven-seat SUV, a further compact SUV and a smaller saloon to sit below the 0 Saloon by 2030. 

Honda is also using CES to show off its new Asimo OS operating system, which will appear in the new 0 Series cars. Named after Honda’s famous robot first seen in 2000, the operating system will manage driving assistance, automated driving and entertainment systems, using over-the-air updates to ensure functions and services are "continuously advanced in accordance with the preferences and needs of each user”, according to the brand.

What do you think of the look of Honda's new 0 Series models? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section...

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As Editor, Paul’s job is to steer the talented group of people that work across Auto Express, Carbuyer and Driving Electric, and steer the titles to even bigger and better things by bringing the latest important stories to our readers. Paul has been writing about cars and the car industry since 2000, working for consumer and business magazines as well as freelancing for national newspapers, industry titles and a host of major publications.

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