The 2011 Honda Insight is the Japanese manufacturer’s second hybrid model in its local passenger car line-up, after the sporty CR-Z coupe. The first-generation Honda Insight of 1999 was fun and frugal, but was pretty hopeless, however, the new Insight I tested recently appeals to economy-conscious mainstream buyers and ardent tree-huggers.

The new Honda Insight boldly takes on the Toyota Prius, aping its five-door hatchback packaging, bluff nose, sharply raked front screen, with its coupe like roofline and cut off rear end. The Insight is appreciably cheaper than the Prius too, which must make it a good contender for your green Rands. Similar to the first Honda Insight and every Honda hybrid since, the current Insight is powered by Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid system. What is it? It’s a small petrol engine, an electric motor, a compact battery pack and a regenerative braking system. The Insight’s IMA weighs only 38kg, so it’s a very well packaged addition to the petrol driven drivetrain. Honda reckons that the Insight’s IMA allows for fewer batteries (84 D-cells rather than 132 in earlier versions) and that it has 30 percent greater durability. Under the floor of the boot lies, what Honda likes to call, the ‘Intelligent Power Unit’, which consists of the battery pack, the power control unit, the electric motor and a cooling system.

Unlike the Toyota Prius, which moves away from a stop with eerie quietness exclusively on electric power, the Honda Insight draws on its internal combustion engine from the beginning, so driving it is a very conventional experience. The 1.3-litre VTEC four-cylinder is mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and produces 65 kW, plus another 10.3 kW from the electric motor when required. Fuel economy? Simply select the ‘economy mode’ – which diminishes the air-con, throttle response, optimises the CVT for improved fuel economy and employs the idle-stop feature for longer - then be gentle with your right foot and you’ll be rewarded with satisfying fuel economy of 4.4 L/100km or even better. If you are looking for a spirited driving experience, however, look elsewhere. 0 – 100 km/h comes up in 12.5 seconds, so you won’t be leaving many cars in your wake away from the lights. No, the only fun to be had in an Insight is trying to stay in the electric mode for as long as possible in urban situations, for which you’re rewarded with leaves on a tree in the instrument panel’s eco display.

Inside, the Insight is pretty similar to any other small Honda. The ergonomics are very impressive. Interior materials are not exactly sumptuous, but they’re not lacking particularly either. The Insight has a decent-sized cabin for what is, essentially, a small family car. There’s loads of legroom in the front and back, and the flat floor offers rear-seat passengers have plenty of room for their feet. There is enough room for two adults to sit happily in the back for short city runs. After that, they will start to express a desire to leave the car.

The aerodynamic shape of the Insight, which is one of the major factors in the styling of the car’s exterior, means that headroom is limited, notably in the back. If you are over six foot you will find your headroom compromised. The boot space is compromised as the result of the positioning of the fuel tank and the batteries for the electric motor, but at 408-litres it’s still reasonable, beating competitors such as the Ford Focus (385-litres) and Volkswagen Golf (350-litres). Need more space and you’ll have to fold the rear seats down for a maximum of 584-litres.

The electric power steering is a little lifeless around the straight-ahead position, but it tightens up as speed increases. You get no real idea of how much grip there is, especially in the corners and sharp bends, which does not inspire confidence as you press hard. Chassis rigidity seems good, but this did not translate through to good ride quality, which is barely adequate. Potholes and cracked road surfaces show up a complaining front suspension, which makes itself felt right through the seats to the passengers. The handling isn’t as inspiring as I expected, even though it does respond to measured steering inputs okay. The brake pedal has good feel and is commensurate with the quality we have come to expect from Honda.

There’s all the usual safety benefits fitted, including six airbags (front, side and curtain ‘bags), anti-lock brakes (ABS) with electronic brake force distribution (EBD) and emergency brake assist, side impact protection beams, front seat belt pre-tensioners, three-point seat belts for all five seats, active head restraints, Isofix mounting points and Honda’s Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), which is fitted as standard on all models. Security comes in the form of deadlocks, central locking, remote keyless entry, locking wheel nuts and a perimeter security alarm. So it should still be left where you parked it.

So, should I buy one? Yes, if you like to advertise your green credentials, or if you’ve been waiting for a cheaper hybrid. Though, if you want a reasonably priced and economical family run-about, you could always buy a Honda Jazz and send the almost R85 000 saving to the ‘green’ charity of your choice.

What we like…

• Auto stop/start is very cleverly packaged.
• Playing the economy game is addictive and you are rewarded with extra leaves on your eco-meter.
• Usual quality Honda workmanship feels unbreakable.

What we would like…

• CVT gearbox is an antidote to fun driving, so we’d like a manual box please.
• Delete the paddle shifts. They are a waste of effort.