Honda Insight

The Insight returned as our fuel economy champ among cars that don't have to be plugged in, thanks to its 54 mpg overall in our tests, which is two mpg better than the Toyota Prius. Based on the Civic sedan, the Insight has the same strengths and weaknesses. The ride is comfortable, its handling is secure but mundane, and the rear seat is relatively roomy. But the Insight suffers from a very low stance, which hurts getting in and out. The driver's seat is short on lower back support, and the controls are somewhat tricky, including the fussy, push-button gear selector. The car can loaf around on electric power alone at very low speeds but when the gas engine awakes when more power is needed, it's loud.

Honda directly targeted the Toyota Prius with their second-generation Insight hatchback. Introduced for 2010, the car was considerably less expensive than the larger Prius, but turned out to be a half-hearted effort. Gas mileage of 39 mpg overall isn't up to the standards of other small hybrids. Driving the Insight is no prize either, as it is slow and noisy. Base LX versions lacked electronic stability control; emergency handling was a handful. Stability control became standard for 2012 on all Insights.