Rising gas prices, topping $2 per gallon in some areas, have apparently been good for sales of Honda's gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle, the Insight. Insight sales reached record-breaking levels in May, according to company officials. Sales of the two-door Insight coupe last month were up 138 percent compared to May 2000. The sale of 903 Insights last month also broke the previous single-month record of 573, set in April. Honda executives and auto industry analysts say buyers are interested in the Insight's fuel efficiency -- pitched by Honda as reaching as much as 68 miles per gallon on the highway -- along with the vehicle's sporty look and feel. "With all the attention rising gas prices have received there has almost been as much attention on the Insight," said Art Garner, a Honda spokesman. The average retail price of gasoline in a national survey June 15 was $1.73 per gallon, down 3.48 cents from its May 18 price. San Francisco had an average price of $2.02 per gallon. The Insight debuted in December 1999, but it took awhile for both consumers and dealers to get used to it, according to industry analysts. Drivers also had to learn about the vehicle's hybrid technology, which doesn't require it be plugged in to recharge like the General Motors electric vehicle. Hybrids, which combine an electric motor with a gasoline engine to produce better mileage and less pollution, are receiving more and more attention. The Insight is one of two such vehicles currently available. Toyota sells a four-seat hybrid called the Prius that gets 45 mpg on the highway. The Prius, which started selling overseas in 1997, went on sale in the United States in July 2000. Toyota sold 872 Prius in April 2001 and 1,126 in May, according to company officials.