I met the next-gen Honda Miimo robot mowers – they even use the reversing sensor from a road car!

Honda surprised literally nobody with its announcement that the next generation of its Miimo robot mowers won’t need a perimeter wire. More surprising was the other tech, taken from its cars, in its upcoming models.

I was at the Frankfurt launch to see the next two Miimos, learn about Honda’s strategy and get a sneak preview of other future models.

Four new robot mowers

Miimo 1500i and Miimo 2200i will go on sale in spring 2026. They’re pictured bottom-left and bottom right, respectively. The top two mowers are the Miimo Large and AWD, slated for late 2026 at the earliest. All four are cordless robot mowers.

Miimo Large has the stamina for bigger lawns, while the AWD (all wheel drive) tackles steeper slopes and bumpier ground. Honda’s current, wired Miimo range includes robot mowers that performed well on large lawns when I tested them.

The 1500i (pictured bottom-left) only has a bump sensor for detecting obstacles but the other three mowers also boast ultrasonic sensors, trickle-down tech from Honda’s motoring arm.

The ultrasonic sensor is a technology taken from the reversing sensor in a Honda car. The sensor alerts Miimo to an object preventatively, without bumping it. This can only be good news for pets, wildlife and anything you forgot you left on the lawn.

The new robot mowers have no antennae, no SIM cards and no fees. They just use satellite signals to map the lawn.

The app, with a new user interface for 2026, lets users teach Miimo where to mow. Future models may even let you map out your lawn on screen in the showroom, so the mower arrives ready for duty.

Car showroom vibes

Again, the showroom felt connected to the rest of Honda’s business. The dealership sales displays I saw reminded me of a car showroom.

Prices have yet to be announced, but Honda said it’s not aiming for the bottom of the market, which is dominated by cheap Chinese robot mowers.

Honda has sold 170,000 Miimos worldwide, most of them in Europe. Like other Miimos, these new models will be assembled in France. Honda says building them near customers makes for efficient, quick production.

And you won’t find them for sale in your local DIY superstore. Like their wired predecessors, these Miimos will be sold exclusively by dealers and boast five-year guarantees.

Robot overlords

Honda announced the new models at the Honda Akademie in Frankfurt, where its European dealers go to train in everything from servicing to sales. It takes in Honda’s motor, motorbike, marine divisions and more.

I was reminded of Honda’s heritage, with exhibits including a sixties convertible car, as well as demos hinting at the company’s future. A humanoid robot could handle even delicate tasks and understand a good number of natural voice commands.

But what really got my attention was the giant red kill switch on the floor. I predict growth in the giant kill switch market as we cautiously train our future overlords.

Interestingly for a company with a long heritage in motoring, Honda is proud of its goal to be carbon neutral by 2050, for all products and corporate activities. It has already halved emissions.

Product electrification, moving away from fossil fuels, is key. So you can expect technology to trickle between divisions in all directions: its range already includes electric cars and bikes, but batteries and efficient motors will become central to all things Honda.

Zero fatalities

I was also impressed to hear that Honda’s 2050 goals include zero fatalities involving Honda vehicles. Not fewer, zero. So while I see Honda focussing on autonomous and intelligent cars, there should be no ‘move fast and break things’ recklessness to the innovation.

Back to robot mowers, I was impressed with the new tech. My main grumble isn’t price or specs, it’s colour. Why aren’t they green? I spent years telling the makers of ceiling-mounted projectors that they should be white, not black. They listened eventually. Mowers that live permanently in our borders should be green. Wireless, intelligent, safe, self-taught and carbon neutral, yes, but also green.

• The Stiga A4 has been mowing my lawn for two months and it’s never looked so good!