Sony Honda Mobility revealed its first electric car, the Afeela 1, at CES 2025. Set to launch in 2026, this luxury EV is packed with technology and entertainment features but still has some issues to work out. Starting at $89,900, the car offers impressive features like Afeela Intelligent Drive and the Afeela Personal Agent, but these will require a subscription after the first three years.
High-Tech Features with Challenges
The Afeela Personal Agent, powered by AI, is designed to respond to natural voice commands for tasks like navigation and adjusting the temperature. However, during tests at CES, the system struggled with connectivity problems and failed to respond properly. Other issues included glitches with the digital key, lidar sensor display, and navigation system. While such problems are expected in a prototype, they show that more work is needed.
The car’s interior is filled with screens, including a panoramic display, driver display, and digital side mirrors. Despite the abundance of screens, the design feels organized and easy to use. Entertainment is a highlight, with passengers able to play PlayStation games or watch movies. Features like screen mirroring and a user-friendly menu worked perfectly, and the Sony sound system enhanced the experience.
A unique addition is the customizable front screen, which can display messages like “Happy Birthday” or game-themed visuals. This fun feature adds a personal touch to the car and even changes interior lighting and sounds to match themes.
The Afeela 1 is an exciting step for Sony Honda Mobility, blending advanced tech and entertainment. However, with some glitches to fix, the company has 18 months to refine its debut EV. Whether it can fully meet expectations will be revealed in 2026.
