Hatchback Reviews

There's more to the Hyundai i20 than a nice price. It's the first toddler from the Korean carmaker not being built on a bargain-basement bottom line, although a starting sticker of $14,990 is still good value in 2010.The i20 follows the line from Excel and Getz but goes a new way with more style and substance, picking up everything from ESP stability control and anti-skid brakes to Bluetooth connectivity. It's part of a plan to bring younger owners to the brand, as well as weaning Hyundai buyers from the price-first strategy which dominated its business until the arrival of the latest generation of i-badge models.The i20 has an easier start-up because the Getz runs through until sometime next year, with the smaller i10 already on standby to take up the price slack in the sub-$13,000 bracket. Hyundai is playing conservatively at first with the i20, only forecasting 5000 sales by the end of the year - against 20,000 for the Getz in 2010.Hyundai Automotive believes the i20 will bring sub-35 buyers to its brand, in contrast to the older bargain hunters who go for the Getz, and sees it as a better introduction to a company with i-car aspirations."You cannot be retrograde about new entries. i20 will sit by itself in the mainstream. It will be against Toyota Yaris, Honda Jazz and Mazda2," says Damien Meredith, director of sales at Hyundai Automotive.The i20 is not a typical Korean car because it was designed in Germany and is built in India, at a Hyundai factory in Chennai. It is aimed primarily at Europe. It's been tweaked for Australia in the suspension, with changes to the front springs, dampers and steering.Around 60 per cent of the sales are expected to be the base model, a three-door, 1.4-litre called the Active. There is also a five-door model, with Elite and Premium specifications, as well as a 1.6-litre engine and a four-speed automatic gearbox that puts an extra $2000 on the price of the five- speed manual. The top-line Premium auto - with trip computer, 16-inch alloys, auto aircon, folding electric mirrors, leather trim and more - tops out at $23,490.The engine options open with 73.5kW/136Nm from the 1.4-litre engine, and economy from 6.0 litres/100km and CO2 from 142grams/ kilometre, jumping to 91.1kw/156Nm and 6.1/144 for the 1.6-litre motor.Safety is handled by the ESP and ABS, with twin airbags in the $14,990 car - to be upgraded in September - and six airbags for five-star safety in the rest of the range. The car has independent front suspension and four-wheel disc brakes, while Hyundai touts its long wheelbase and a cabin package with more space than the Getz. And improved quality in every area.The i20 is a significant step forward from the Getz, but you expect that. It's much more stylish, there is more space and substance in the cabin, and safety is finally more than just an afterthought. The big surprise is the engines. The latest Gamma-series motor is the best yet from Hyundai, with real pep and the sort of efficiency that brings great economy and good emissions. It's an engine you can enjoy revving, while retired rally ace Ed Ordynski proved its miserly qualities with a 4.2 litres/100km run from Sydney to Gladstone, Queensland.The new look of the i20 is right in line with younger buyers, as Hyundai proves with a pair of cars that have been painted by two of Australia's brightest young artists. Even the basic car has a classy look that's way down the road from the boxy Getz. Inside, the design is smooth and integrated, although Hyundai has not moved to soft-touch plastics on the dash. The instruments are clear and effective, the trip computer in upscale models is worthwhile, and even the Active has more than enough standard equipment.The flagship Premium opens my drive and is light and response through inner-city Sydney. It gets along well, the suspension is well controlled, and the car is comfy and quiet. Switching to a 1.4-litre Active shows how well the Gamma engine performs, although there is more suspension noise and some thump from the tail end - perhaps thanks to different tyres on the 15-inch steel wheels to the 16-inch alloys on the Premium.It's good that Hyundai tweaked the suspension for local conditions, because its alright but not great. Without the work it would have been in trouble, particularly against the Ford Fiesta. The i20 is not a great car, but it's good enough for the price and its job in Australia. It's not a revelation but it moves the story forward with all the improvements you expect.

As a shopping trolley, the Honda Jazz got it all - looks, function, features, price and frugal manners.  But insert the word ‘performance’ into any of these descriptions and you'll erase the words that have become firmly embedded in the Honda Jazz.Adding a supercharger to a Jazz appears like a giant overkill, like adding an instruction label to a cup, but there is method in the move.  Perth-based Sprintex Superchargers - a division of publicly-listed Automotive Technology Group Ltd - let a current-model supercharged Jazz lose in my hands this week with the clear instructions that it wasn't a high-performance machine.Sprintex's business development manager Jay Upton says it is one of five trial cars to test the supercharger's benefits of lifting performance while lowering fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.DrivingThe Jazz starts like a Jazz and outwardly, the only difference is the subtle whine of the supercharger.  It feels a little more lively directly off the mark but won't reveal any power band surprises as the tacho needle hurries its way around the dial.In fact, such is the conventional power delivery, it could just be a bigger-engined Jazz.  But it's definitely quicker, with 100kW heading towards the bitumen as compared with the standard model's 72kW - as measured by Sprintex.What I expected, and didn't get, was a noticeable jump in torque. Given other Sprintex-equipped cars I've driven in the past, the low-end torque should bite hard and that leads to short-shifting the gearbox - which is one of the reasons for supercharged engines being so economical.But it feels a little soft. Upton says it's a trial unit and the problem - to do with engine mapping and not the supercharger - was being addressed. Though there's a bit of work to do at the lower end of the rev range, there's no doubting this Jazz's strong midrange delivery.  Fifth gear can be held down to 1000rpm and the car will pull away smoothly. Corners can be taken in fourth and all this makes the drive easy and the engine similarly easy on petrol.The trip computer shows 6.9 litres/100km which, after some heavy footwork, was pretty good.  Nothing changes inside the cabin or to the bodywork.  It's all under the bonnet where the weeny alloy-bodied supercharger sits just in front, and above, the cam cover.It appears to be a snug fit and close to the Jazz's tiny bonnet, but the exposed drive belt shows it can easily be replaced without too much work.  Upton expects to continue to hone the unit before sales start into next year.

Doing 100km of general running about for less than five bucks in fuel makes motoring pretty affordable. As manufacturers bring out more models with increasingly-amazing frugality, motorists are laughing all the way from the pumps. A generation ago, the 30 miles per gallon mark (9.4 litres/100km in metric speak) was a

Another piece of the Audi's performance puzzle has slotted into its ever-growing ranks. The German carmaker's S5 Sportback has arrived to join the S4 and S5 Cabriolet. The sports-tuned road rocket shares the same supercharged 3.0-litre V6 as the S4 and S5 cabrio and is mated to Audi's quattro all-wheel drive system.PRICING AND MARKETAt $129,300, it has the Mercedes-Benz CLS and BMW 5-Series GT firmly in its sights. Not surprisingly, Audi Australia managing director, Uwe Hagen, reckons the newest S5 is a great addition to the range."It is not only practical enough for daily use, it is also sporty and fun to drive," he says. Customers are always looking for a benchmark experience, he says. "And we intend to fulfil this with emotional, technologically-advanced products," he says.The S5 is the latest in a long line of new models - 42 in all - destined to hit the roads by 2015. With a projected 10 sales a month, Audi believes S5 Sportback sales will make up a third of S5 sales locally and around 10 per cent of all Sportbacks. It joins the S3, S4 and S5 cabrio as an exclusive niche performance car.FIT-OUT AND EQUIPMENTLike the rest of the Sportback range, the S5 gets a coupe-like silhouette and four frameless doors. Inside, there are electric S-design sport seats covered in Silk Nappa leather, the choice of black or silver roof lining and brushed aluminium inlays.The pointers in the instrument cluster are illuminated white and the ‘S5’ logo flashes up on the dashboard when the car is started.Xenon-plus headlights and LED daytime driving lights are standard, along with the usual S markings like the alloy exterior mirrors, sports steering wheel with paddle shifters, tyre-pressure warning system, 18-inch alloys, quad exhausts and discrete S5 badging. The front mudguards are also light-weight aluminium.Buyers get a a comprehensive safety kit, high-grade navigation system with voice control, keyless entry and start, parking sensors and a premium stereo along with Bluetooth and the multi-media plug ins.DRIVETRAINThe potent 3.0 TFSI engine packs 245kW/440Nm and is mated to a seven-speed DSG gearbox. It will hit 100km/h in 5.4 seconds and has a top speed of 250km/h. The V6 consumes 9.4 litres/100km and emits 219g/km of CO2.DRIVINGThe A5 Sportback has finally found its mojo. The car had the looks but now its performance matches those looks, courtesy of the sweet-revving supercharged V6. Although we miss the brutal sound of the 4.2-litre V8 of previous S models, the V6 is muscular enough to keep things interesting.In place of the burbling V8 is a linear, slightly mechanical whine of the V6. It is efficient and reasonably frugal but without the manic urgency of the V8. If you do select the S5 quattro we'd also tick the options box for either the $2800 active dampers or the top-end Drive Select system, which costs $6900.In the S5 Sportback it adds an active suspension, dynamic steering and sports differential, which may not sound much but it's how it works that impresses. Working in conjunction with the all-wheel drive, which splits drive 40/60 front to rear, Drive Select makes the S5 more precise and a more enthusiastic point-to-point drive.In slippery conditions or hard driving, the all-wheel drive system can push as much as 85 per cent of the drive to the rear wheels. Throw in the sports differential, which works on the rear axle to shift torque across the axle, it helps reduce understeer and oversteer. Think of it as a sophisticated limited slip differential.We drove an S5 Sportback without the system and would suggest that if you're planning to spend $129,300 on the car, an extra few thousand will deliver a far better driver's car. The supercharged V6 has plenty of punch low down and the seven-speed gearbox is lightning quick but Drive Select transforms the car.The S5 also deserves more communicative and slightly meatier steering, but that's a problem with most Audis. However, the S5 treatment of the Sportback is a perfect fit.AUDI S5 SPORTBACKEngine: 3.0-litre supercharged V6Price: $129,300Power: 245kW at 7000 revsTorque: 440 from 2900 to 5300 revsEconomy: 9.4 litres/100km0-100km/h: 5.4 seconds

It's all very well presenting punters with a niche model - vive la difference and all that - "rationale'" French brands more or less rely on in this market. The problem for this particular Peugeot is that its "niche'' is getting very crowded.The 207 is an amiable, if not especially engaging, hatchback. With its enhanced size and "offroad-inspired'' grey protective panels, the latest variant - the Outdoor HDI Touring - is a very useful diesel hatch/wagon.It's pretty neat in a Gallic way: distinctive design, full-length sunroof and 438 litres for luggage (1433 back seats down), more than ample for a basket of baguettes and several crates of Cotes du Rhone.DRIVETRAINThe Outdoor's 1.6-litre turbo diesel is a willing 80kW/240Nm but throbbing unit matched to the non-choice of a five-speed manual, a match that would be happier still were its action not so typically Pugly: rubbery and long-throw. There's a four-speed automatic petrol alternative, but it's diesel-addicted, manual-able Euro families for whom this bebe was envisaged. With 5L/100km possible in combined conditions, that's no surprise.DRIVINGThere's little relief in ride and road noise, though handling (via numb steering) is adequate for the type and likely owner's intent. They may be less taken with the tinny sound of its doors shutting, an underwhelming interior (no steering-wheel buttons is a bit '90s in a $30K car) and an ambience the Koreans are surpassing.Yes, the Koreans. At least two are crowding the Outdoor: the closely related Hyundai i30 CW and Kia Soul - both with 1.6-litre diesels, as it happens. And knocking with Germanic assertiveness on the door (even though it's made in Mexico) is Volkswagen's Golf wagon, an expanded version of the class-leading hatch.As singularly, and in some respects endearingly, French as the Pug is (for the faithful, that's the point) these three competitors offer automated transmissions: an old-world but effective four-speed torque converter auto in the case of the Koreans, a state-of-the-art, seven-speed, twin-clutch DSG in the VeeWee.I came to like this 207 over the course of our 400km acquaintance, thought it a decent device for the urban family, but was always conscious that its niche is getting bigger and its competitors cleverer.Outdoor, mini-people mover, urban utility vehicle, soft-roader, compact wagon - call 'em what you will, there's a whole segment derived from hatchbacks. All offer elegant solutions for the urbanite who wants the hatch's fuel economy and ease of manoeuvre, but who needs a little more - whether it's extra seats, a more versatile load space, all-wheel drive or an elevated driving position.Even Mini is getting in on the enhanced-hatch thing with its first four-door version, the Countryman, due 2011.For now, there are hatch-derived people-movers (Citroen C4 Picasso, Renault Grand Scenic, Volkswagen Caddy Life); wagons (Golf, the 207 Outdoor, Hyundai i30 CW, the outgoing Skoda Roomster); shopping trolleys that resemble SUVs (Kia Soul, Toyota Rukus); and an SUV that looks a bit like a wagon (BMW X1).RIVALSKia Soul: from $20,990Hyundai i30cw: from $21,890VW Golf wagon: from $26,990Toyota Rukus: from $27,490VW Caddy Life: $35,990Renault Grand Scenic: $41,990BMW X1: from $45,700Citroen C4 Picasso: $45,990PEUGEOT 207 TOURING OUTDOOR HDiPrice: from $27,990Safety: six airbags, ESP, anti-skid brakesEngines: 1.6-litre petrol or turbodieselOutput: 88kw/160Nm (petrol), 80kw/240Nm (diesel)Economy: 6.4/7.3L/100kmEmissions: 130/173g/km

Deceptively spacious inside, with a big effort put into workmanship, it punches above its weight in its class for styling and is a real performer. Pricing is from $21,490. Engine The five-door manual Zetec runs on an in-line 1.6 litre, four cylinder DOHC engine that puts out 88kW of power at 6000rpm and 152Nm of

The hybrid car world is about to receive a big wake-up call when Honda's new Insight arrives in November priced from an expected $30,000. It seriously undercuts Toyota's two hybrid offerings, the expensive Prius and the locally made Camry hybrid.But that's only half the story because Honda's hybrid range going into the latter part of 2011 will include a new hybrid sports coupe called CR-Z. Like the CR-X sports coupe from the early 1990s the CR-Z has striking styling and a truncated, three door body wrapping its petrol/electric powertrain hooked up to the front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission.But first cab off the rank is the long-awaited Japanese-manufactured Insight, a big hit in Japan to the point where the rest of the world has had to wait its turn to buy one.Insight runs a relatively simple parallel hybrid powertrain based around a 1.3-litre, petrol, four-cylinder engine with a 10kW electric engine tacked onto the end. Total power and torque outputs are 72kW and 167Nm. It's all electronically controlled with the electric motor basically an engine assist for acceleration or moving heavy passenger loads.Insight is a five-door hatchback built on a Honda Jazz-based platform with modifications at the rear to accommodate the battery pack and electricals. This was done to control costs and make Insight more affordable. The same applies to the powertrain where Honda has shied away from a more complex hybrid set up like Toyota favouring what it calls the IMA system (Integrated Motor Assist).Honda has a fairly pragmatic attitude to mainstream automotive engineering rarely lashing out with unnecessary technology. It places more importance on reliability and in Insight's case, economical, low emissions driving -- almost guilt-free driving for want of a better description.Some regenerative energy capacity is provided  through the brakes and electric motor but there's none of the efficiency optimizing trickery you find on Bluemotion cars from VW for example. That's due next time around.It does have simple but effective ways to minimise fuel use such as a driver educating function called Eco Assist that prompts drivers to use less throttle and to drive more smoothly. The system challenges drivers to use less fuel "rewarding" them for economical driving by growing a tree icon on the instrument panel. It makes a measurable difference for drivers with a competitive nature.The CVT (Constantly Variable Transmission) helps reduce fuel use as does the dual ignition system and engine shut down under deceleration.Honda has determined that it isn't efficient to make your hybrid car move off under electric power and nor is it efficient to lug around a large battery. Insight has engine stop/start to cut fuel use around town and in Econ mode, limits the air conditioner, throttle response and cruise control.This is the second Honda Insight with the nameplate first appearing in 1999. That car was an unwieldy thing that offered barely adequate performance, minimal accommodation and a style that attracted the wrong sort of attention. New Insight is a more mainstream effort and is quite an attractive car from some angles. It looks pretty good sharing a family resemblance with other models in the current and forthcoming Honda range.It's not as big as Prius but clever packaging allows Insight to take five at a squeeze and their luggage in the big boot. In practical terms, Insight is a mixed bag with limited rear seat headroom an issue if adults are going sit there. But the load space is expandable to huge proportions thanks to split folding rear seats. There's even underfloor storage.We will get Honda's ‘affordable’ hybrid Insight in two spec' levels offering generous equipment even in the base model. Safety equipment provided includes six air bags and stability control along with what Honda refers to as its ACE body structure_code for reinforced passenger cell.As a drive experience, the Insight is like your average family small/medium car. It goes OK and has adequate acceleration when you floor the throttle. Ride and handling are much the same too with a relatively supple ride ensuring you arrive in good shape.  But a sporty car it most certainly is not.

YOU may not be familiar with the name Fritz Tscherneg. In fact, unless you live in Graz, Austria, he is to the world an anonymous collection of 14 letters.  But Mr Tscherneg's name is under the bonnet of an Aston Martin Rapide in Perth, carrying on Aston's tradition of identifying the engine builder. So you can ring him up and go off your nut if anything goes wrong, presumably.But the Rapide breaks Aston's tradition in one important way: it's not made in England like its ancestors but in Graz, hence the sudden prominence of Mr Tscherneg.A handful of trainspotters picked up on his name in the tiny Benedictine town of New Norcia, 120km from Perth and 13,246km from Graz, as Australia's first Rapide opened itself up in WA's countryside.Body and appearanceThis is Aston's first four-door for almost four decades – and it is everything you expect from Aston but with a slightly different spin.  For those who go weak at the knees at the sight of an Aston Martin, they will be similarly enamoured by the Rapide. The most striking and unexpected - feature is the integration of four doors within the familiar and beautiful C-pillar, flanks and boot line.  It is a remarkable job and at first glance, could be mistaken for a two-door Vantage or DB9 coupe. The style leads to comparisons with the Porsche Panamera that, side by side, looks bustle-tailed, awkward and heavy from the same rear three-quarter angle.The Aston is all about aesthetics. The Porsche is about purpose.  Porsche applies a clinical technique to its products. There is almost an arrogance in its relationship wit the buyer, captured in the 1970s by serving up its 911s is a rather uncomplimentary colour palette from baby-poo brown to Kermit green and traffic light orange. Later, it unveiled the Cayenne SUV.Aston Martin doesn't share its rival’s philosophy. It is, by comparison, a very small company that is privately held. It is acutely aware that the risks of travelling the less-worn path in car design could wipe it out.So, like Jennifer Hawkins, its look is its fortune. For that reason, the nose cone and the forward section of the turret are DB9. The signature C-pillar and shoulders that brood over the massive 295mm wide Bridgestone Potenza rear tyres are also lured from the pen of the DB9 designer.  The boot lid is long, creating a hatch as in the Panamera, though its yawn isn't as obviously large when snub tailgate is closed.It would be easy to say the Rapide is a DB9 that has been stretched. It isn't. It sits on a new platform incidentally about 250mm longer than the DB9 - that shares its extruded aluminium design and some suspension components.Interior and fit-outBut sit in the driver's seat and what is ahead of you is all Aston DB9.  The push-button selection for six-speed auto gearbox is above the cente of the dashboard. Minor switchgear is similarly familiar, as is the gauges and console.Turn around and there's a repeat of the front cabin. The seats are the same deeply scalloped buckets, though the backrest is split halfway to fold to boost the modest luggage capacity.The centre console extends, rising between the front seats to create individual vents for the rear passengers. Those in the back get separate airconditioning controls and volume for the Bang and Olufsen Beosound 1000-Watt audio, cupholders, a deep centre storage bin and DVD monitors with wireless headsets - set within the head restraints of the front seats.More importantly, they get room. The shape of the Rapide doesn't accurately reflect the available headroom good enough for a 1.8m passenger and though the legroom is at the whim of the front seat occupants, only tall people may feel constrained.  Rear seat comfort, however, is unlikely to be top criteria for owners.Driving This is a car to drive. The doorstop-heavy glass key slides into the gap in the centre console, just below the gear selector buttons. Press hard and there's a pause, like a conductor's hesitation before his baton is struck down and the orchestra erupts in full noise.There's 12 angry pistons sliding in 12 honed cylinders and their concert puts out 350kW and 600Nm of torque and lots of booming, staccato bass background.  You select either the D for drive button or pull on the steering wheel's right-hand paddle shifter.And despite the near two-tonne mass, the Rapide jets to 100km/h in a respectable five seconds in a blur of exhaust roar.  That's not as quick as the DB9's 4.8 seconds and the specs show that while they share power and torque, the Rapide's extra 190kg trims back its acceleration just a touch.p>Not that you'd really notice or care.  It's a beautiful power delivery, full of noise and torque. The speedo and tacho needles swing in opposite directions, so it's not an easy set of gauges to glance at and get a feel of what's happening beneath the bonnet. It's that mix of engine and exhaust noise that'll guide the driver.But it's not just the engine. The gearbox is a simple six-speed automatic unit no clutchless manual here that gets the power down smoothly and relatively quickly.The steering is well weighted, so it transmits the feel and contours and all the irregularities of the road to the driver's fingers, so the driving experience becomes tactile.And the brakes are colossal, firm to press but responding with confidence.  It doesn't take long to dismiss this as a four-door, four-seater express car. It feels like a two-seater coupe.The balance is lovely and the ride is surprisingly compliant and except for tyre roar on coarse-chip road sections very quiet. Communication with the rear passengers is absolutely no effort, even at the legal road speed.Where it shines on the open road there are some dull points in the city. It is a long car and it's low, so parking requires patience and familiarity. The turning circle is large, so it's not a nimble car.Live with it. For a car that bore snickers and sneers when showcased as a concept, the Rapide shows that simple, traditional cars can find a place and that bespoke manufacturers can win the throw of the dice.ASTON MARTIN RAPIDEPrice: $366,280Built: AustriaEngine: 6-litre V12Power: 350kW @ 6000rpmTorque: 600Nm @ 5000rpm0-100km/h: 5.0 secondsTop speed: 296km/hFuel economy (tested): 15.8 l/100kmFuel tank: 90.5 litresTransmission: 6-speed sequential automatic; rear driveSuspension: double wishbone, coilsBrakes: front - 390mm vented discs, 6-piston calipers; rear 360mm vented discs, 4-piston calipersWheels: 20-inch alloyTyres: front - 245/40ZR20; rear 295/35ZR20Length: 5019mmWidth (inc mirrors): 2140mmHeight: 1360mmWheelbase: 2989mmWeight: 1950kgScore: 90/100RivalsMaserati Quattroporte GTS ($328,900) 87/100Porsche Panamera S ($270,200) 91/100Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG ($275,000) 89/100

Debate is raging over the relative merits of diesels and hybrids, and while both are considered an economical choice, they also have their drawbacks. Hybrids, such as Toyota's Prius cost more to buy and the fuel savings are not necessarily that great.The Echo replaced the Starlet as the smallest model in the Toyota range in 1999. It was a trendy little car and brought a touch of style and class that had generally been lacking in small cars, particularly the bland Starlet.There were three models in the range: a three-door hatch; a more practical five-door model that would better suit a small family looking at downsizing; and a four-door sedan.Compared with other small cars, the Echo was fairly sparse when it came to standard features. South Korean rivals had standard airconditioning, a CD player and power steering, but you had to pay extra for them in the Echo.Build quality was something that didn't cost any extra and for many that made up for the lack of frills. Power steering was added to the standard features late in 2002, and airconditioning came in 2003. Despite its size, the Echo is quite a big car inside, at least given its external dimensions. It has a short but tall stature, and Toyota was able to conjure up some useful interior space.The upright seating is comfortable, provides good legroom and makes it easy to get in and out.Toyota offered the choice of two engines, a 1.3-litre in the hatch and a 1.5-litre in the sedan and sporty Sportivo hatch. The 1.3-litre pushed out 63kW at 6000 revs and 122Nm at 4400 revs. Its larger cousin had 80kW at 6000 revs and 142Nm at 4000 revs.Though the small engine gave adequate performance and was the most economical, the 1.5-litre is the better engine all round. A five-speed manual was the standard gearbox on offer, but there was also a four-speed auto.Toyotas are renowned for their reliability and owners have few troubles with their Echo. Some report a few squeaks and rattles that seem to come from the body. They're not necessarily a big deal, but can be annoying. Check for clicking sounds while making turns. It could signal trouble from the CV joints.If you want to save money at the bowser, here's one way of doing it.

If we need any more proof that the world is addicted to gaming, it's in the instruments of the Honda hybrid Insight.  All hybrids have gauges to tell you how economically you are driving. In the Insight, they're joined by a row of five 'twigs' that spout leaves and - we swear we're not making this up - flowers, when you're doing well. And they wither and die if you get lead-footed.This apparently so entranced the buyers in the US market that they were texting, tweeting and facebooking to each other about their daily results and the levels they'd reached. We managed to get a first sapling to sprout during our brief drive - apparently it takes time to get a full forest - but even though we spent a bit of time trying to kill it off as well, it stayed with us.  The Insight will arrive in November after a launch at the Australian International Motor Show in October.Appearance and fit-outThe Insight was first launched in Australia in 2001, but was discontinued a few years ago in favour of promoting the Civic Hybrid.  Built on a Jazz platform, the Insight now returns to Australia as Honda's refreshed attack on the hybrid market with a car that is identifiable straight away, unlike the Civic - which is distinguished from the normal model only be discreet badging.The Insight's styling has an echo of the Toyota Prius around the rear - dictated under the same aerodynamic laws.  It looks modern and sharp, both front and back, and the nipped lines and accents like the blue headlight clusters are eye-drawers.Cabin space is workable for drive and first passenger, but it's cramped in the rear seat for large adults. However there's enough space in the boot area for a fair bit of luggage at 350 litres, which expands to just over 400 with the use of underfloor storage compartments.The cockpit is attractive enough, with the signature mesh-accented steering wheel fronting a deep instrument binnacle, but there's a sense of the utilitarian in the hard plastics.  Equipment lists for the two spec levels we will get haven't been finalised, but it's been confirmed we will definitely get the front, side and curtain airbags and stability control as standard.Pricing and marketThe lack of luxury is intentional. "Honda wanted to create a car that was affordable for everyone," says the Honda Australia senior director, Lindsay Smalley. "Assuming a favourable exchange rate, we're confident we can come in around the $30,000 mark.  The principle is affordable hybrid."DrivetrainUnder 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 is estimated at about 4.4L/100km, with CO2 emissions coming in at 101g/km.  The Prius, by comparison, has an official economy figure of 3.9L/100km with emissions of 89g/km.So Prius driver saves 0.5 litres ever 100km - and save the planet by 12g/km - but the Prius starts at about $10,000 more than the Insight, which means at least a generation to make up the price difference.DrivingThe car feels light and nimble, and it zips around the city streets quite happily at undemanding speeds.  But we couldn't awaken any sense of urgency in it when we hit the autobahn. It will do the higher speeds, but it can take a while to wind up to them.But having said that, the Insight is not intended for racing. While there wouldn't be any problem in having an unhurried cruise on the highway, it's primarily an urban dweller.The CVT transmission will take a bit of getting used to, as the continuous band system it doesn't have the 'feel' of gear changes. But it's smooth and aids the economy.  But when you push the speed to the limit, the engine replies with a bit of noisy protest, and it grumbles a little - but eventually does the job - if you want to tackle a steep slope with a load of two large adults and minimal luggage.The steering feels vaguely wooden, but it responds adequately for normal driving - and buyers of this car won't tend to get too enthusiastic around corners . it's not that type.  The ride on the highways was quite good, but over more pockmarked back roads we could hear and feel the surfaces.Honda InsightPrice: from around $30,000Engine: 98kW/123Nm 1.3-litre, 10kW/78Nm electric motor,Transmission: CVT; front-wheel driveEconomy: 4.4L/100km (95RON)RivalsToyota Prius from $39,900)Honda Civic Hybrid (35,990)