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Honda's stand in Paris features the hybrid Jazz, the latest - and smallest in both size and price - to be added to their growing hybrid stable.
Joining the Civic, Insight and CR-Z, the super-mini Jazz hybrid shares their sIMA (Integrated Motor Assist) system, with an electric motor mated to a 1.3-litre four-cylinder engine, Under the bonnet, a 98kW/123Nm 1.3-litre four-cylinder engine is joined by a 10kW/78Nm electric motor, with the drive going to the front wheels via a continuously-variable transmission (CVT).
It has stop-start technology that temporarily cuts the engine when you halt, with variable cylinder management, which can shut down all the valves to reduce pumping losses when you're driving on the electric motor only.
The fuel economy for the Jazz hybrid is estimated at about 3.3L/100km, with CO2 emissions coming in around 85g/km. The Prius, by comparison, has an official economy figure of 3.9L/100km with emissions of 89g/km.
But the big difference for hybrid buyers is likely to be the price. The Jazz goes on sale in Europe early next year and is expected to come in at just $2000 more than the standard Jazz and about $4000 less than the Insight.
With a very rough calculation in our market, that would put it at about $21,000 if it came with the $18,000 base model Jazz spec, but with a ceiling of about $25,000 if it was closer to the $21,000 top spec petrol-only Jazz.
"It has a good chance of coming here," Honda Australia spokesman Mark Higgins says. "It's certainly a model we have under consideration and it would be a good addition to the expansion of our hybrid range, which starts with Insight this year and CR-Z next year.
"It's too early to talk pricing at this stage, but it would be a small premium for hybrid but obviously there would be long-term savings with that car as well.
"Affordable hybrid is what Honda is all about. And if the Jazz hybrid hits our shores it makes the technology available to even more people."
