Wait’s over for hybrid

Say ‘hy’ to Honda’s new petrol-electric hybrid. As Auto Express closed for press, the firm announced that it would release the first pictures of its five-door Global Hybrid on 4 September.

It’s due to debut at the Paris Motor Show in early October, and the newcomer has been shrouded in secrecy. However, we can reveal that the production car will be launched at the Detroit expo in January.

Describing the new model as “significantly more affordable than any rival”, a Honda spokesman promised that the newcomer will compete with the Ford Focus and VW Golf on price, while offering all of the benefits of an advanced hybrid.

Log on to autoexpress.co.uk from Thursday to see the pictures and get the latest news.