The obvious reason to visit ElReg.

I get better fuel economy figures from my A4 Avant 2.0 TDI. The emissions may be a bit higher, but that's about it.

So.. we have the motor's torque described in imperial (lb-ft), its power expressed in both metric and imperial, and the battery capacity in metric (Wh). Mixed units and then some.

I very much doubt that Honda design in Imperial (or English units as the yanks like to call them (despite the fact that nobody in the UK in science or engineering would be seen dead using them).

So, I'm left wondering: where is that imperial torque figure in the article coming from?

"while the average during our week with the car was 49.8."

I also get better economy in my Volvo 2.0D, and that comes with twatting up and down the M1 every week at around 80mph...

Reviewing electric cars - or the closest you can get at the moment - seems reasonable enough, the site has been covering electric car news for the best part of a year and they always seem to be near the top of the 'Most Read' column. As for mixing metric and Imperial, so you want all fuel consumption numbers as KPG or KPL and MPG? Looks to me like the Reg's policy is choose the system that will make the most immediate sense to the reader and quote both for electric motor output. Not the Reg's fault you Brits have yet to embrace the metric system in its totality!

I wonder if it comes with a fish sticker or Green Peace membership as standard?

I used to have a 12 year old Ford Galaxy Diesel. It's ability to remove the skin from a rice pudding was probably the same as the Insight's and the average MPG was 45 - and that's for a big bus with up to 7 people inside.

Gosh, hasn't technology moved cars forwards since then

...after considering the Honda Insight and the Honda Civic Hybrid and the Toyota Prius.

Note: The following is from the U.S. perspective, though I'm not a Yank - I just live and work there.

Prius: +best fuel economy of any Hybrid.

- butt ugly. 'nuff said.

- Hybrid tax credit (goes by manufacturer) already exhausted.

Insight: + least expensive Hybrid on the US market.

- interior small

- base trim (LX) does not include cruise control. Excuse me - no cruise control?!?!?

- Hybrid tax credit (goes by manufacturer) already exhausted.

Civic Hybrid: - I already have a Civic (natural gas GX) and it's time for a change

- more expensive than the Insight

- Hybrid tax credit (goes by manufacturer) already exhausted.

Altima Hybrid: + 200 hp (when gasoline engine and electric motor work together)

+ $3250 factory rebate

+ $2350 Hybrid tax credit

+ a bit larger than any of the others

Thus, for me the Altima Hybrid was the logical choice.

It's roomy, fun to drive and not as pious as the Prius.

I have a 2003 Insight. The battery died after 70K miles and after the extended warranty expired. If it hadn't been covered by a recall I would have been out $5000 dollars. Spending that much money on a six year old car instead of using it on a down payment would have been silly.

No more hybrids for me.

My 2.2 CRV will do from 39 to 50+ mpg depending how I drive it.

With all that technology why is the Insight MPG so poor?

or put another way - why are they petrol-hybrid and not diesel-hybrid.

When there's a hybrid that does 80..100 MPG I'd buy one. Not before.

As so many have already commented, some pretty standard (and more practical) everyday cars produce better fuel consumption figures than all of these hybrids. Diesel start-stop systems, and initiatives like VW's Bluemotion all completely wipe the floor with the hybrid figures, and don't have the added burden of the nasty environmental impact (or cost) of battery manufacture and disposal.

It appears then that from a European perspective the smug "holier than thou" factor is the only reason left to market such a vehicle!