Focusing on environment, Honda joins the list of manufacturers bringing hybrid technology forward as the future of low-emissions, higheconomy cars.

Honda's hybrid technology comes to the Civic. The company's first application of their new petrol-electric system known as Integrated Motor Assist (IMA), it has sold over 150,000 models in Japan and the US and was awarded World Green Car for 2006 by a jury of 46 international motoring journalists at the World Car of the Year Awards.

The Civic IMA is now on the market at 27,995 exworks . . . a steep price but the economy and power output are impressive. The car comes with Continuously Variable Transmission, a form of automatic transmission, and has a good level of specification.

Frank Kennedy of Universal Honda says, "The new Civic has been a tremendous success across Europe since its introduction last year. The arrival of the Civic IMA adds another dimension not only to the Civic range."

The Civic Hybrid combines distinct styling with a new 1.3 litre 3-stage i-VTEC engine in combination with the IMA system. This new system achieves approximately 20 per cent greater output, with a new electric motor and redesigned intelligent management system that switches between the three stages of valve control and determines the degree of motor assist.

Its performance equals a 1.8-litre engine while improving fuel economy and attains very low levels of emission performance.

The advantages of driving the Civic IMA are:

>> It is economical . . . a combined fuel economy of 4.6 litres/100km;

>> There are fewer carbon emissions (109g/km);

>> It earns a 50 per cent reduction in VRT . . . a lower tax without losing out on power.

The IMA is different . . . as you drive, the electric motor assist is either powering the car (down hill) or charging up (as you accelerate). You can see which is working by a dial on the dash board. The engine disengages when in neutral and stopped, playing a significant part in reducing its air pollution.

Moving back into first gear immediately engages the engine.

The drive feels like an ordinary petrol car. It is smooth and the engine switching on and off at traffic lights is muted.