Honda scraps the Insight

01 November 2005

Petrol-electric hybrid no longer on sale
Few buyers for ultra-clean car
New Civic Hybrid arrives in 2006

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Honda has stopped selling the unusual-looking Insight hybrid petrol-electric coupe. The cleanest car in Britain cost too much and was too impractical for widespread appeal, and is being replaced by the Civic Hybrid in January.

The £17,225 Insight was the second production hybrid launched after the Toyota Prius, and looked wildly futuristic with its partly covered rear wheels, wedgy aerodynamic shape and minimalist two-seater cabin.

Combined with its lightweight aluminium construction, it made the Insight the cleanest and most economical car on sale: fuel economy averaged 83mpg while it was the only car to emit less than 100g/km of carbon dioxide, at just 80g/km.

Honda will replace the Insight with the £16,000 Civic Hybrid at the start of next year. The new model is based on a more practical four-door saloon, but is still capable of 61.4mpg and its emissions stand at a lowly 109g/km.