Honda Insight 1.3 IMA SE

On paper, the Honda Insight looks like an attractive proposition with a claimed combined mileage of 64.2mpg, CO2 emissions of 101g/km and P11D prices starting from £15,627.

However, it was the 100% discount for the London congestion charge that wooed Peter Bonney, fleet controller at The Salvation Army, who has an ES version on his fleet.

The Insight replaced a Vauxhall Astra 1.4-litre Dualfuel, which was also selected for its congestion charge status.

“I managed to run the Astra on LPG for 99% of the time and the Insight seems to respond when I need it more than the Astra ever did on LPG, despite the Astra being a manual and the Insight having a continuously variable automatic transmission,” Bonney said.

“Cost-wise, it’s little different to the Astra Dualfuel, LPG costs 40%-45% less than unleaded, but the Astra only ever returned 25–30mpg.”

Our Insight achieved 45.2mpg, while Bonney’s is returning around 50mpg.

However, if it wasn’t for the congestion charge discount he says the Insight probably wouldn’t have made it on to his fleet.

That’s not to say it doesn’t have its plus points.

It’s a roomy hatchback, which boasts a spacious boot, good equipment levels and a benefit-in-kind tax rate of just 10%.

Those qualities alone make a compelling case for the Insight; just don’t rely on it living up to the fuel economy hype.