Radical Honda 0 SUV prototype makes public debut, and you’ll never guess who was driving

A close-to-production-ready version of the striking Honda 0 SUV has made its public debut in Japan. And none other than Formula One world champion Max Verstappen was at the wheel of the future Tesla Model Y rival, which is set to launch in 2026.

Honda is the engine supplier for Red Bull’s F1 cars, and has been since 2019, which explains why Verstappen was driving the futuristic family SUV at a fan event ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit. 

The car was shown at the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show alongside the outrageous 0 Saloon, and the pair will be the first models in Honda’s pivotal new 0 Series sub-brand of electric cars. 

The name of the Honda 0 Series is a nod to how the company is developing the range entirely from scratch (or “zero”), under the approach of “Thin, Light, and Wise”. The first of those three words refers to the use of a new bespoke EV platform, ultra-thin battery pack and compact e-Axle drive unit that supposedly allow the 0 Series models to feature “unprecedented styling” with low vehicle heights and short overhangs.

The design of the 0 SUV features a distinctive sleek front end mated to a bulky square rear, designed with maximum interior space as the priority. Interior visibility and flexibility are further key strengths, according to Honda, plus the screens blanketing the dashboard will offer a new digital user experience thanks to the firm’s latest software. 

Named after Honda’s famous robot first seen in 2000, the new Asimo OS 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.

The 0 SUV will feature Honda’s latest development in chassis control, using 3D gyro sensors to “enable dynamics at the will of the driver on various road surfaces”. A new range of rear and four-wheel-drive powertrains is also being developed that’ll produce from 241bhp up to around 480bhp, with all likely to be made available on the 0 Saloon too. 

Production of the Honda 0 SUV is slated to begin next year, and the car will be introduced first in North America. It will then make its way into global markets, including Europe and Japan, with the UK likely to be an early recipient.

Flagship Honda 0 Saloon

The wedge-shaped yet sleek Honda 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, have been 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. 

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. The interior is heavily tech-focused, as it is in the SUV, although details like boot access and size are yet to be revealed.

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, all of which are expected to have arrived by 2030. 

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