What’s new: Honda has made a number of tweaks to its upper medium hybrid to bring CO2 down from its previous low of 101g/km to a more fleet-friendly 96g/km.
Excellent: Emissions of that level are a big incentive, as is the average economy of 68.9mpg. Equally, a starting P11D price of £19,480 for the 96g/km versions is enough to tempt buyers away from the Insight’s chief rival, the more expensive Toyota Prius.
Good: You get a reasonable amount of kit for your cash. Standard stuff on the basic HE model includes cruise control, hill start assist and climate control with automatic air conditioning.
Average: Impressive as the economy figure looks, you may struggle to see it too often. Unlike the PRius, the Insight doesn’t run independently on electric power at low speed, and it revs high on the motorway.
Poor: Refinement’s poor, the ride just as bad, the CVT ‘box has a mind of its own and the handling is vague.
Verdict: Honda‘s fine-tuning to get below 100g/km is to be commended and it’s an affordable and well-specced hybrid. It isn’t a desirable one though, with the driving experience still proving a handicap.