Honda Insight

Despite the huge publicity that surrounds it, petrol-electric hybrid engine technology is still in its infancy. And although the number of cars on the market that feature such engines is growing, choice is still limited to just a handful of cars. Honda's petrol-electric-engined Insight is one of them. It goes head-to-head with the Toyota Prius and Honda's own Civic IMA Hybrid saloon. However, the Insight is cheaper than both of those cars, if not quite as economical or technically advanced. Despite headline-grabbing economy and emissions figures, the Insight will not suit all drivers. It is compromised in a few areas, such as road and engine noise, and most modern diesel cars will drive in a more familiar manner to buyers. It should prove to be very cheap to run and ultra-reliable, though.