2010 Honda Insight EX

Pros: Low price, great handling and gas mileage, more cargo space than Prius, and great looks, carrying forward the great Honda designs of the 1984 CRX, 2000 Insight, and 2008 FCX Clarity fuel-cell vehicle.

Cons: No satellite radio option and the US is denied the European Insight's heated seats, foglights, rear disc brakes, and 16-inch wheels.

Summary: Tthe CNET review is incorrect: the Insight CAN run on electric-only power--but only after you're under way, not from rest. The low pricing of the new Honda Insight should make it a viable option for anyone who believes that the low-price gas bubble will pop as soon as the economy recovers.

I've owned two Insights and loved them. Fortunately, the true fuel economy of the new Insight is much greater than the EPA tests reveal. None of the testers of this car have been able to drive it hard enough to get their gas mileage DOWN to the EPA-test ratings of 40 city and 43 highway mpg. Some have achieved greater than 70 mpg. Unfortunately, due to the packaging requirements of the hybrid electronics and batteries, there was room for a gas tank holding only 10.6 gallons, so the new Insight will not be able to match the astounding 700+ mile range of the original Insight.

It's a slick car with great handling and Honda quality. The Prius may get better gas mileage in stop-and-go city driving, but on the open highway, no car you can buy will exceed the Insight's fuel economy.