A hybrid version of Honda's much-loved Jazz will make its world debut at the Paris Motor Show in September, bringing lower emissions and improved fuel economy to the practical supermini.
The introduction of Honda's petrol-electric IMA system to the Jazz, makes the car the world's first B-segment hybrid.
Honda's new CEO, Takanobu Ito, has announced plans to begin sales of the CR-Z hybrid car in Japan in February 2010. Ito also mentioned that details of a UK release date for the new hybrid will be announced towards the end of 2009.
The Honda CR-Z is the company's sportiest hybrid model yet, with Honda giving it more power and performance than the Insight in a bid to improve the image of hybrids.
Car Comparator is a fantastic industry leading new tool, available via the Honda website, which allows you to see just how well Honda cars compare against other manufacturers.
It allows you to compare any car on the market for not only price and specification, but other variables including Power, Torque, CO2 emissions, MPG, Annual driver BIK tax, Insurance group and VED band.
Honda will be boosting its hybrid line-up in 2010 with a petrol-electric Jazz.
The world's first hybrid supermini will be powered by the same mechanicals as the forthcoming Insight hatchback.
Britain's SUV buyers are making greener choices in the showroom, according to latest industry sales figures. Cars like Honda's CR-V are selling better than ever, as they offer a cleaner, smaller alternative to the traditional 4x4 stereotype.
Despite negative public feeling towards 4x4s – that influenced a drop of 4% in the sector – sales of the low emissions CR-V increased by 28 per cent over the first six months of the year (11,665 cars to the end of June 2007 versus 9,086 for the same period last year) – and the Honda continues to top the charts as the UK's favourite SUV.
Honda has developed a plant-based material to be used as a fabric in car interiors. The new fabric offsets all CO2 emissions produced during the disposal stage of the car, through the CO2 absorption that occurs naturally during the growth of the plants that are used as raw materials.
The new fabric will be first introduced into Honda's new fuel cell vehicle, the Honda FCX, which will be launched within the next three years. Honda says that the fabric could be used for seat surfaces as well as for the interior surfaces of the car.