Honda knows a thing or two about hybrid cars, starting with the Insight a few years ago.
Its latest foray into the petrol- electric drive market is the new Accord Hybrid.
An elegantly styled sedan with clean lines, the Accord takes over from the old Legend as the company's flagship.
And it's a technological tour de force as you'd expect.
The electric motor and petrol engine combine to give more than adequate pulling power.
On startup there's no whirring of a starter motor, just a "ready" to drive indicator that appears in the dashboard.
Disengage the anachronistic foot operated park brake and your're away in almost whisper silence until you reach about 20 kmh and the petrol engine kicks in to add to the forward thrust.
On steady throttle on a flat surface at urban speeds, the electric motor does most of the driving until you need more urge and the petrol motor joins in. The electric motor provides an instant 306 nm of torque, and when combined with the petrol engine's 104 kilowatts acceleration is quite brisk.
Downhill runs or braking sees the battery recharged through regeneration.
The whole system works flawlessly and the changes to mode of propulsion go largely unnoticed from the drivers seat unless you are checking the dashboard icon showing what's happening in the drivetrain.
Engage B for engine braking down hills and the car will hold the selected speed without surging any faster.
Ride comfort is okay on most surfaces but can get a little jittery over patchwork tarmac in the suburbs. Overall it's a very relaxed and quiet environment inside.
The Accord Hybrid offers almost diesel like fuel economy..
I averaged around five litres per 100 kilometres in a week of mixed highway and urban travel. That's a range of around a thousand kilometres from its 60 litre tank.
The Accord's cabin is large and airy.. with good visibility all around. Seats are quite comfy and the front pair are electrically adjusted and heated.I found the armrests in the doors a bit too low to be of much use, but apart from that, the ergonomics of the cabin are spot on.
Bright bi xenon headlights are a real plus.. there are four of them nestled in the front array. There's not much room in the boot thanks to the battery pack and the rear seats don't fold down as a result.
A rear view camera is also welcome and shows up well in the large info screen. While not a digital setup, the quality audio system will satisfy most buyers.
At just over 58K the Honda Accord Hybrid is good value for money considering it's fuel saving, comfort and technological prowess.
Peter Sellen
Yes folks this is the car most likely to replace the current Holden Commodore, unless GM comes up with a larger version after 2017.
It's the European built Opel Insignia. Slightly narrower than the current Commodore, but about the same length. The boot is enormous and the interior has room to spare for a family of five.This is the top of the range Insignia VXR.. Powered by a feisty 2.8 litre turbo V6.. with 240 kw and over 435 nm of torque plus AWD is a great package.
Smooth at idle and right up to the highest in the rev range, the Insignia is equally silent on the highway, except for some whine from the Pirelli tyres on some surfaces.
Acceleration is brisk but not outstanding..zero to 100 kmh in six seconds.. it's a tad lethargic getting there because of its bulk of almost two tonnes...accompanied by a smooth sophisticated burble from the twin exhaust pipes. However it's quite thirsty, averaging over 11 litres per 100 kilometres.
The VXR has plenty of grip in corners but it's not in the same league as others from for example BMW and Jaguar.
Seat comfort is good, and while the sporty front seats snatch some width from the interior they are excellent in holding the passengers in place. The sound system is very very good... and there's a large easy to use central info /entertainment screen.Other goodies include, active cruise control, lane departure warning, satellite navigation,brilliant bi xenon headlights with corner turn in feature, heated front seats and rear view camera.
The suspension is adjustable from comfort to sport, and surprisingly in the standard setting the Insignia's 20 inch wheels and 35 series Pirellis make the ride quite comfortable even over suburban ruts and potholes.Gigantic drilled Brembo brakes help haul the car down from speed.There's no spare wheel however.. all you get is a pump and seal kit.
Rear seat legroom is squeezy if front seat occupants are tall but the seats are comfy enough and there's reasonable head room.
At just over 51K the Insignia is well worth a look if you're after a classy, midsized cruiser with all the fruit, it could be for you.
Peter Sellen
