IN these straitened financial times, everybody is trying to keep out of the red.

It should be the same with Honda and its dashboard traffic light system to show how economically you are driving. But instead of red, amber and green, its red, blue and green - and red spells danger to your wallet or purse.

Honda's stylish hybrid coupe is the sports car that makes you think about how you are driving with colour-coded dials to which go through the colours and eventually into the red the harder you depress the accelerator.

The CR-Z has always been a stylish car, but revisions for 2013 make it even better looking. With a new front bumper design and grille and headlights with daytime running LEDs and new diffuser at the rear. Added to its sleek coupe profile and smart alloys it's a car that attracts plenty of attention.

It gives drivers who like a sporty drive the option of being able to still save fuel while enjoying plenty of grunt when called for.

Power has also been boosted in the hybrid system with combined petrol engine and electric motor now pumping out 137ps, more than enough for a sporty drive, while at the same time delivering a claimed 56.5mpg.

The car's 1.5-litre petrol engine has been updated to boost power by 7ps from 114ps to 121ps and the addition of a Lithium Ion battery, replacing the previous nickel-metal hybrid version, gains an increase in power from 14ps to 20ps.

The power boost allows the car to complete the  0-62mph sprint time in 9.1 seconds, with a top speed of 124mph. Not mind blowing but acceptable enough.

For that extra bit of kick on the accleration Honda has introduced the Sport Plus (S+) boost system which is activated by pressing a button on the steering wheel.

Once the button is pushed, an electric boost kicks in when the accelerator is pressed to give up to 10 seconds of increased acceleration. It is mated to a five-speed manual gearbox.

The interior also has minor revisions with changes to the colour scheme and improvements to the cabin storage, as a result of revisions to the door casing.

The sporty look of the exterior is mirrored inside and the array of instrumentation allows the driver to switch between three modes - Economy, Normal and Sport - and while driving the dials glow green when driving economically, blue when accelerating harder and then red, when the power's full on.

Other switchgear and instrumentation is handily placed with nice chrome touches throughout a small, sporty steering wheel and stubby, smooth-shifting gear lever.

The finish is more plastic than soft touch but by no mean feels cheap and is pleasant place to be.

As a 2+2, space is very much at a premium with the rear pair only really suitable for children and the coupe styling does compromise all round vision, as does the rear spoiler that splits the rear screen, but both front seat passenger get decent head and legroom.

On the road the ride feels firm and the car can feel unsettled on inferior road surfaces, but it does mean that the handling is excellent with a grippy feel on corners and responsive steering.

Road noise can be intrusive, but wind noise is a minimum usually except at higher speeds.

The car is packed with standard kit including the usual electrics, a good quality sound system, parking, rain and light s climate control, electric windows, parking sensors, cruise control, a multifunction steering wheel and an audio system with a USB socket.

All Hondas are safe cars and the CR-Z has the lot, from airbags, to stability control and assisted hill start.

At a starting price of £20,550 it's not cheap, but its fun motoring that won't cost an arm and a leg.