DRIVING down the A66 between Darlington and Middlesbrough is usually a joyless task.

Like a tarmaced version of a conveyor belt, its about as unchallenging a piece of highway as you can imagine.

This day, however, was different.

The reason? Hondas new CR-Z.

It was almost as if the world was in sync with my mood as the uplifting sound of Edwin Starrs Happy Radio came blasting out the speakers.

To those passing by, my grinning face might have appeared a little strange, but I didnt care.

The CR-Z is part street racer, part green machine - sporty looks allied to a hybrid engine.

In the past, hybrid has generally meant soulless. Think Toyota Prius, Honda Insight, both of which offer about as much excitement as an evening crunching the numbers with George Osborne.

This car breaks that mould.

Sure, it has its shortcomings. It tries to be all things to all people and doesnt quite pull it off, but overall it is a breath of fresh air.

From the outside, the CR-Z - which has clearly taken styling cues from the long lamented CRX - is all sports car.

Theres the dramatic front end with its vents and scoops, sculpted sides and smart alloys and bluff rear.

At times I thought it retro and at others futuristic - the truth must lie somewhere in between.

On the inside, theres no doubt which wins out. The cockpit layout is very definitely from years hence.

It is like being sat in something out of Buck Rogers.

There are fancy-looking buttons everywhere and the instrument panel is dominated by a speedometer/rev counter which glows a different colour depending on your style of driving.

The seats are snug and enhance the experience and there are curves and sweeping lines everywhere.

There is provision for four, but the rear seats, it has to be admitted, are largely useless. I managed to get my two kids in, but it left little room to adjust the seats in the front and when I was forced, through circumstance, to carry an adult in the back he emerged with a distinct curve to his spine.

Theres little in the way of vision out of the rear, which is obstructed by the split nature of the boot, and I found myself using the wing mirrors, which was adequate, but far from ideal.

While the CR-Z is not an out and out sportscar - a 0-60mph time of a shade over ten seconds and top speed of 124mph confirms this - there are sporty elements to the way it drives.

The steering is direct and kart-like and thanks to its relatively light construction, for a hybrid that is, it possesses plenty of agility making for an engaging drive.

Powered by a petrol engine and an electric motor, the CR-Z puts out a combined 122bhp. This may not sound like a lot, but thanks to some great engineering, it feels like a lot more. You can whiz away from the lights and the neat little gearbox means progression is smooth right through to sixth.

As I hinted at earlier, three driving modes are offered - eco, normal and sport.

The first makes you feel like you are driving through treacle, but bathes the instrument panel in green to let you know youre in the good books.

Normal is blue, but Sport is really where its at.

Push the button and you immediately feel everything get a kick up the backside. The panel glows red, but rather than being a warning, like a small child, it just made me want to depress the accelerator further.

Heres where the smile becomes a grin.

The ride is relatively firm, but not jarring and, being low, you can be tossed around a little if the road surface is particularly uneven.

With this car, Honda has proven that economic neednt mean boring. Its by no means the finished article, but it ticks many of the boxes - most importantly, the one marked enjoyment.

For while it might not appear on the equipment list, a smile comes as standard with the CR-Z.