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Honda Insight 1.3 SE: Test Drive
Date: 22 April 2009 | Author: Tristan Young
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Persuading employees to drive more efficiently is one of the most difficult things for a fleet manager to achieve, but Honda thinks it has a solution in the shape of the new Insight hybrid.
Following our first drive when we tested the higher spec 105g/km car, we've now driven the 101g/km entry level SE model.
As we showed in our recent fuel cost-cutting feature we needed no special training to get the Insight to return 56.1mpg in mixed road conditions. This result was partly due to the hybrid technology but also to the way the car coaxed the most efficient approach from the driver.
The Insight's dash glows green when you're doing the right things and blue when you're not. Also, plants 'grow', in the dash read-out the more green driving is achieved. It all sounds gimmicky, but it works.
So that cuts your fuel bill, but what about the whole-life costs of Honda's new hybrid?
Kwik CarCost figures show the Insight, in SE trim, comes in at 31.4 pence per mile. That's a good 5ppm better than the current crop of eco-branded lower medium diesel hatches for no extra initial outlay.
What's more, the driver's tax bill is helped because as a petrol-hybrid with CO2 below 120g/km the Insight qualifies for the lowest 10% benefit-in-kind banding.
As we said when the car was revealed, this could be the most important fleet car of the year.
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VerdictA real-world costs winner |
8/10 |
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