Following the Honda 0 Saloon and the Honda 0 SUV, introduced at CES 2025 in January of this year, the Honda 0 α will be added to the lineup as a “gateway model” for the world of Honda 0 Series, featuring a refined design and a spacious cabin that offers outstanding occupant comfort.
The SUV is equipped with technologies that embody the Honda 0 Series development approach — “Thin, Light, and Wise.”
By applying a packaging design based on the “Thin” approach, the styling with a low vehicle height was achieved without compromising ground clearance, creating a thin cabin that still offers a spacious and comfortable space for occupants.
The is expressing stability and dynamic characteristics unique to SUVs.
The exterior design features a wide stance and a sleek and sophisticated look unique to Honda 0 Series. There are screen areas in both the front and rear ends of the vehicle.
At the front, components that are conventionally separated — such as the headlights, charging lid and illuminated badge — are integrated into the screen area.
At the rear, the U-shaped lighting that combines the tail lamps, backup lamps and turn signal lamps, accentuates the contour of the rear screen area, achieving a design that is visually and functionally refined.
The Design
The goal was to create a vehicle that fits both first-time EV buyers and those prioritizing a smart lifestyle. The model name “α” embodies “first” and “beginning” – reflecting Honda’s aspiration to be accessible to many people.
Taku Fukui, Exterior Design Project Leader, and designer Park Sungjin discuss the design of the Honda 0 α Concept
The Honda 0 α targets first-time EV buyers. This includes younger generations who are first time purchasers. To satisfy this vibrant demographic poised to shape the future, the team shared the ambitions: “Simply being compact is not exciting enough” and “wanting to exceed user expectations.”
To kickstart the design process, Exterior Design Project Leader Taku Fukui first headed to India, one of the target markets. “We couldn’t base the design of a global model solely on Japanese values.” He conducted local research to gain a deeper understanding of India’s rapidly growing cities and the people living there.
In India, economic growth has led to an explosive increase in vehicles. However, public transportation and road infrastructure development have not kept pace, and the less-than-ideal road conditions are a significant concern. Amidst the dense traffic of cars and motorcycles, the team considered that a size visually conveying a sense of security was crucial for the driver. As a result, the team explored adding a tough and strong character to the Honda 0 α design without compromising the refined design identity of the Honda 0 series.
Fukui also visited several young households working in IT companies in Indian cities to study their lifestyles. In India, there is a custom of taking family and wedding photos with a personal car in the background, indicating that cars still serve as tools for status and self-expression.
“I wanted to propose a design that felt like condensed power, embodying an energetic presence. Specifically, I constantly focused on a structure where the mass of force emanating from the interior is firmly met by the mass of the fenders and bumpers on the exterior. I aimed for a form that conveys tension and strength from every angle.”
After bringing these crucial insights back to Japan, development of the Honda 0 α began with the deliberate direction of presenting it through the aesthetics of subtraction. The aim was to offer minimal, refined beauty, delivering a fresh impact to the aesthetic standards of a market that favors ornamentation.
From the initial concept sketches, designer Park Sungjin consciously aimed for a coexistence of subtraction and condensation, striving for an exterior that was easy to handle yet possessed solid strength.
Park’s concept sketches emphasized strength through minimal character lines, taut surfaces, and a sense of mass, even while keeping the overall length restrained within the Honda 0 series. Having this vision from the start allowed the entire design team to share a common goal.
To express youthful energy and SUV strength, we paid particular attention to the rear fender design. During development, when we were struggling to match the sketch’s vision, he advised “Why not add more volume to the rear fenders?” After trial and error and consulting with the design team, we ultimately achieved the desired appeal by widening the tread.
“We also paid close attention to adjusting the surface quality and highlights specific to the Honda 0 Series on the exterior sides. The Honda 0 α has a shorter overall length within the Honda 0 Series, so creating surfaces with the same approach would not produce the desired highlights. We therefore shifted the points where highlights appear forward and further utilized the rear fenders to move the surfaces in a wider direction. This creates the dynamic surface movement characteristic of the Honda 0 Series.”
Surface texture and handcrafting: The fusion of digital and clay modeling
The design process progressed using both digital and analog approaches. Honda recognizes the effectiveness of digital tools but also values physical judgment – the process of translating designs into three-dimensional forms by hand.
In a workshop where adjustments of mere millimeters can alter the entire impression, collaboration between design and engineering professionals is key to creating high-quality design. This Honda 0 α is one model that symbolizes that approach.
Park: “The surfaces and lines of the Honda 0 α are intricately intertwined. Differences of just a few millimeters significantly impact the body’s volume, so the team redrew the lines on reworked surfaces repeatedly, day and night. The subtle highlights and rhythmic lines sketched in the concept drawings possess a texture that digital tools alone cannot replicate.”
Park: “Today’s advanced digital tools allow us to create forms without clay. However, this car was refined through repeated fine-tuning, leveraging both the expressive power expanded by digital and the delicate craftsmanship inherent in analog, hand-built work. It was challenging, but ultimately, I believe we successfully expressed the power of a mass radiating outward from its core, just as intended. From both a design and practical standpoint, I expect the Honda 0 α to play a role in conveying Honda’s value proposition to many people.”
The prototype was created through the fusion of fresh sensibilities of young designers and the expertise of experienced members, with the entire team striving for a high level of completion. Design and engineering domains collaborated closely, faithfully translating the nuances of sketches into three-dimensional form. The moment the shape materialized exactly as intended, a profound sense of accomplishment spread throughout the entire team.
The Honda 0 α is a vehicle Honda wants many people to experience, embodying the creativity realized through the fusion of digital and analog techniques. At the Japan Mobility Show 2025, it will be exhibited as a model symbolizing future mobility.
The Honda booth is designed as a space embodying the company’s people-centric philosophy and vision for the future.
(Source: Honda)