Best Car for City Driving: Honda Insight

Rank: 1
Turning Radius: 15.7 feet
Length: 155.1 inches
Width: 66.7 inches
City Slickness: Parks in half the space of a large SUV; turns on a dime; sips less gas than many motorcycles; gives you high-occupancy vehicle lane access

The Insight may look like a prop from a science-fiction movie or something assembled with a kit, but it is a real car. It’s a geeky little hybrid two-seater that gets the highest EPA fuel economy rating of any new car — 60 mpg city/66 mpg highway with the manual transmission. The little Insight is extremely maneuverable and will fit into just about any available parking spot. On urban expressways, Insight drivers are entitled to the high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane even if it’s just you aboard.

2006 Honda Insight + click to enlarge | view slideshow >

The Insight won’t appeal to everyone, though. Ingress/egress is rather difficult, as is rearward visibility, due to the unusually low seating position and aerodynamics-over-function shape. Comfort inside is quite compromised, and production of this vehicle will be discontinued this year. But if you want to be frugal and fit anywhere, the Insight is the ticket.

Published 05/24/2006