Honda to Launch New Hybrid Model!

[deezle]

Honda has just announced that it will be launching a new low-cost hybrid in 2009 to go head-to-head with the Toyota Prius. Details here.

edit: fixed link.

Edited June 1, 2008 by deezle

[MikeT]

If it's low-cost, it will not go head to head with the very expensive Prius.

[Duck]

It says it will be like the FCX Clarity... but isn't that just a Civic, basically?I was hoping for something tiny and sleek, like the insight.-Iain

[biggreenbooga]

Don't they already have a Civic Hybrid?It's $31 000 in Australia... so does compete with the Prius. In fact it's cheaper

[Gent]

Link seems broken to me...

Here's another: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2315858,00.asp

I like the BMW...

[Nextourer]

3 Hybrids1 dedicated hybrid (the one mentioned in this thread)1 sports car hybrid (CR-Z?)1 Fit-sized hybrid (won't make it to NA.. probably because we'll get the dedicated hybrid)

[woolth]

cool looking~ but it looks expensive thou...looks like it has a camera there on each side, instead of conventional 'side mirrors'...cool... and cheap???

[deezle]

So apparently Honda may name one of it's new hybrid models an Insight, reviving the name of the discontinued model that is now a collectors item. story

[Snow_Dogs]

Wow that car in the picture make me think of Jimmy Durante..... Ha-cha-cha-chaaaaaaa!....

[Kitty]

Sexy! I'd drive that.

[spinner]

2010 Honda Insight spied:

http://www.leftlanenews.com/honda-insight.html

[Francesco]

That is a hint at just how ugly cars can get. Did they hire the Aztek designers away from floundering GM? What's with that? Either make it a wagon, or make it a hatchback. Or a coupé. Why an Aztek clone/super-sized CR-X?

[MikeT]

My my that IS ugly, and apes the Prius a little too closely. The rear headroom looks non-existent, just like a Prius.

[RichHelms]

I like it. I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder

[Francesco]

And what's with the popped airbag? Did they hit a Canadian pothole in Mojave?

[spinner]

Official press release from Honda today, with a couple teaser pictures (click the link below for the complete article):

Honda will reveal a concept version of its new small hybrid vehicle, to be named Insight, at the 2008 Paris International Auto Show, October 2, the company announced today. The new Insight Concept shares styling cues with the Honda FCX Clarity fuel cell vehicle and will provide an early look at the highly-anticipated five-passenger hybrid vehicle.Going on sale in the U.S. next spring, the all-new purpose-built Insight will come to market at a price significantly below hybrids available today. From this unique position in the marketplace, the Insight will advance the affordability and accessibility of hybrid technology to a new generation of buyers.

http://www.hondanews.com/categories/1097/releases/4722

[Francesco]

I like that in Europe, the new model launch dates are very specific, usually just before the Paris Auto Salon.

[booneylander]

They should have just put Toyota badges on it and driven it around without all the masking and veiling, no-one would have known the difference.*yawn*Well if they can bring a cheap hybrid to market more power to them but it'd be nice if looked like the first thing shown in this thread.

Edited September 5, 2008 by booneylander

[Duck]

I was about to say - it looks an awful lot like the Prius. But then I got to thinking about it - it probably looks that way for a reason. The Prius is sells incredibly well in the US (especially in the DC area), it's Kammback design produes the best interior volume to aerodynamic drag ratio, and is used on a lot of other economical vehicles...

Very curious about the mechanical setup of this economical/scaled down Hybrid system. Hopefully the comprimise for the lower price isn't a hurt in fuel consumption (ie, less economical than a Prius or Civic Hybrid). It is exciting to see a new player.

-Iain

[MikeT]

It's be hard for it to be less economical than the Civic Hybrid, which - despite the TC overall rating of 4.5 L/100 km, have typical lifetime averages of 5.65 L/100 km. If it was much worse, it'd be into regular car territory!

[booneylander]

5.65 L/100 km.

Wow that's rough. I can get within 0.5L/100km of that with my truck without really having to try that hard. And I can better that number if I really put my mind to it.

[herbie]

It's here!!!

[Francesco]

It's simpler and cheaper-built than the Prius, but slightly less efficient. The big question is whether Toyota North America will live up to the rumor that they plan to price-match the 2010 Prius to the Insight. What the insight has as an advantage right now is price (and marginally cleaner looks, IMHO), along with more driver involvement. Without the price advantage it will be tough to sell a smaller, cheaper-looking, less-efficient Prius clone.

[steveyfrac]

It's simpler and cheaper-built than the Prius, but slightly less efficient. The big question is whether Toyota North America will live up to the rumor that they plan to price-match the 2010 Prius to the Insight. What the insight has as an advantage right now is price (and marginally cleaner looks, IMHO), along with more driver involvement. Without the price advantage it will be tough to sell a smaller, cheaper-looking, less-efficient Prius clone.

If toyota Price matches the 2010 to the insight... that would represent a drop of about $5k. That's an awful lot. I doubt they can do that, considering i thought they were already losing money on the prius. That being said, i want to go take a good look at the new little guy on the block. Some complains are that it is loud on the highway. If that's true, then no thanks. I spend to much time on the highway, and my Cobalt is near silent.

[spinner]

Prius was way over-priced since day one. Its interior is nasty and inferior to the Insight. As a hybrid the Prius excelled, but as a car it was mediocre.