Honda Insight: Frugal and fair faced

Honda's Insight proves that hybrid is now a viable choice. Photo / Jacqui Madelin

It's tempting to write about Honda's Insight in relation to other hybrids on the market, but the car's biggest achievement is that it's just another Corolla-bracket hatch you might choose regardless of its powertrain.

It's a good-looker, with that swooping, aerodynamic profile, the only obvious compromise to fuel economy the 15-inch wheels fitted to this S Sport-spec car. Inside is a sculpted dash and an array of buttons that include those for the hands-free phone controls.

Less impressive is that the wide C-pillar obscures three-quarter view (parking sensors cost extra) and a tonneau cover for the boot is a $300 option.

And finding the right seat-to-pedal-to-wheel combo without hiding the speedo with the steering wheel takes some fiddling. But with that sorted, we were soon under way.

Insight's electric powerplant boosts the modest 1.3-litre petrol engine when acceleration is required, with the battery regenerating as you decelerate.

Insight feels brisk enough around town, where you get the best of the electric motor's low-rpm performance.

The car will make a decent fist of a brisk approach to bends despite more body roll than I'd like - the pay-off being a comfy ride. Thirst increases as you punish the go-pedal, but not by much. Hybrid nay-sayers point out that similar-size diesels are just as frugal - but the Insight doesn't involve any fiddling about with buying Road User Charges, a process that handicaps more frugal cars. Honda claims 4.6l/100km for the $35,600 Insight. We averaged 4.8l/100km after 160km of urban running and driving to and fro over the Waitakere ranges. At $2 a litre, that's $96 of fuel to travel 1000km. Toyota's $36,990 1.4-litre diesel Corolla claims 4.7l/100km; after 1000km that costs $111.52, including diesel at $1.43 per litre and $44.31 road-user charges.

If you need a compact car and hope to cut New Zealand's reliance on fuel imports buy a diesel; if your wallet's more important, a hybrid is a viable choice. Honda managing director Graeme Seymour is confident hybrids will soon overtake diesels. Meanwhile he'll have four hybrids in his line-up soon, with the CRZ before Christmas, followed by a new hybrid Civic and Jazz.

Honda Insight S Sport

We like
Frugal performance, smart looks

We don't like
Shallow boot, lack of tonneau, poor rear three-quarter view

Powertrain1339cc petrol motor plus IMA electric hybrid with stop-start, 72kW at 5800rpm and 167Nm at 1000-1500rpm, CVT auto drives front wheels

Performance
0-100kph in 12.6 seconds, 4.6l/100km (claim)

Safety
Six airbags, ABS brakes with brake assist and stability control

What it's got
Cruise control, climate control air, eight year battery warranty on top of three year car warranty

Vital stats
4403mm long, 40-litre tank, 408/584-litre boot