Fuel level, battery charge and the IMA’s ‘Charge’ and ‘Assist’ indicators reveal whether the system was being recharged or being used to send energy to the electric motor, much like the more sophisticated displays in electric vehicles and hybrids today. How economical was it? Just 3% of new cars sold in the UK have a spare wheel as standard, leaving more drivers stranded after a puncture, analysis finds Inside, the garish digital instruments are as space-age as the exterior looks, and the low‑slung driving position as sporty as any other two-seat coupé, which is in effect what the original Honda Insight is. While the Honda 125s’ popularity also means there’s a thriving aftermarket for accessories – particularly for the cult and longer established – Grom. But it's not unsual to see a Honda Monkey custom with twin exhausts, painted tank or frame and a tuned engine.

Given the Monkey’s so light, the braking is good, too. Although there’s just a single 190mm disc upfront grasped by meagre twin piston caliper with a matching set up at the rear, they’re powerful enough with plenty of feel.When in neutral, the engine is shut off, just like most contemporary cars of 2018, restarting when first gear is selected. The ride is a strange mix of both firm and soft, the two-seater feeling soft when cornering and more hard-riding when the road surface turns a little less smooth. But that’s missing the point. Honda has built a bike that not only looks good but also functions in the modern world. On some retros that isn’t always the case as, frustratingly, styling so often takes priority over ride-ability. But, as the electric motor only assists the VTEC-E petrol engine, it’s smaller and lighter than traction motors in other hybrid vehicles, a key point in the Insight’s make-up.

Dinky’s real popularity grew postwar and these are the toys they are most recognized for today. A new series of toys was introduced in 1938, series 36. The majority of these models were produced post WW2. Models in series 36 included, a Rover Saloon, a Bentley 2 seat sports coupe, an Armstrong-Siddeley limousine, a British Salmson 4-seater convertible, a British Salmson 2 seat convertible, and a Humber Vogue coupe. The only downside to this soft ride is that the Monkey has a max permissable weight limit of 105kg, which you could easily reach if you’ve got all your gear on and a bag full of ‘swag’. EM90 is a business class electric people carrier with a 458-mile range - but is it coming to the UK? With news that a new US version of the hybrid-powered Insight will appear in 2018, Richard Gooding drives the first generation of Honda’s pioneering petrol-electric car Out on the road, Honda’s weight‑saving and efficient way of thinking means the 838kg Insight doesn’t feel underpowered, despite its meagre power output. It’s not fast (0 to 62mph takes around 12.0 seconds), thanks to its long, eco‑minded gearing.With fewer seats and therefore less usable space, the price was quite a big ask at the turn of the millennium. But again, just like the Prius, the hybrid technology that both were pioneering was in its infancy, and the prices reflected this. They’d set off two days earlier from Land’s End, taking turns on John’s bike and one from the Honda press fleet, and wearing bright orange Alzheimer’s Research T-Shirts over their bike kit.