Economical – with the truth

It's a reliable sign that a bandwagon is rolling full pelt when Esther Rantzen can be seen hauling herself aboard. Any suspicion that the green lobby might be losing some of its intellectual credibility will have been substantiated by the news that ER has taken delivery of her second new Toyota Prius hybrid car.

"I love its economy," gushed Esther. "It's clean, quiet and comfortable. And of course it's green!"

A talent for making questionable declarations in a tone of absolute moral certainty has always been a Rantzen

characteristic. In this particular case, she may be just about half right.

When it's running at low speed on its electric motors, the Prius is undeniably quiet and clean. It is also comfortable.

But when it comes to questions of economy and greenery, the dear old thing is spouting more than her usual volume of tosh.

Toyota has done a brilliant job in selling the hybrid Prius as an aid