Honda to revive the Insight as a Prius-fighter

[WriteDown]

Source: cnet

Honda introduced the first gas-electric hybrid for purchase with the Insight in 1999, then came Toyota's Prius and everyone forgot about Honda's little hybrid that could. We all knew that Honda was working on a larger Prius-fighting, dedicated hybrid vehicle, but Honda has denied that they'd be reviving the Insight moniker for this new vehicle. On Thursday, Honda released the first official information and images of their Prius-killer concept and it's called, you guessed it, the Insight.

The Insight Concept carries over the styling cues of Honda's fuel cell vehicle, the FCX Clarity. It looks to us that Honda has been taking lessons from the "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" school of thought, as the five-door, five-passenger hatchback configuration of the Insight is the same as that of the Prius. Squint your eyes and you'll see that the proportions from the a-pillar back are decidedly Prius-like. It's almost as though someone slapped the nose of the FCX Clarity onto Toyota's hybrid and called it a day.

Under the hood, the Insight will be powered by an evolution of Honda's Integrated Motor Assist hybrid technology, which powered the original Insight and the current Civic hybrid sedan. Honda is making almost as much of a big deal about the cost-efficiency of this power train as it is the fuel-efficiency and it's no secret that Honda is planning on winning the hybrid wars by undercutting the price of the incumbent Prius.....

Read more: http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-10032865-48.html?tag=TOCmoreStories.0

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I won't even consider this with the Volt coming out soon, but I imagine that other posters will have a moral dilemma between Toyota and Honda.

[Ian David]

1. All things being equal, I will buy from the company that employs the most American Union workers.

However, I will not now or ever buy from General Motors.

They are dead to me.

So, if Insight and Prius are just as good, I'll pick the company that's the less evil of the two.

[flyingfysh]

5. I will never buy from General Motors

My wife used to own a Chevrolet. It was constantly breaking down, and the dealers tried every trick they could think of to avoid warranty repairs. Finally, the car collapsed completely, at 70K miles. I spent many thousands of dollars on repairs for that car.

Now people wonder why General Motors is losing customers?

I used to own a Ford, Ford's attitude wasn't much better. The attitudes of their dealers kept me from ever going back.

Now I am the very happy owner of a Prius.

[PatGund]

10. I like my Saturn.....

....but it was made when Saturn was a semi-independent company that wanted to make cars that could compete with Japan.

Now it's been turned into Just Another GM brand, and everything that I liked about it is gone.

I'll go back to Honda when I retire my Saturn.

[Ian David]

13. Be sure to sell your Saturn before it hits 100,000 miles or else Saturn won't buy it back. n/t

[LeftyMom]

23. Same here.

If they made another just like mine, I'd buy it, but I have no interest in the newer models. They're flashier, but not half as reliable.

[WriteDown]

15. Used to?

When? I've owned various cars from various manufacturers over the year and many have had problems. I had a Subaru Forrester that had its transmission go bad at 60K which was common on those vehicles.

[flyingfysh]

24. the Ford is gone

It was totalled while I was at a stop light, hit from behind.

[flyingfysh]

6. dupe, delete this

Hit the submit key twice by accident.

[WriteDown]

14. Huh?

Why on Earth would you say that? Especially since GM employs the vast majority of union workers.

[Ian David]

20. I have no problem with the Union workers who work for GM. However, I will not forgive the owners...

... for actively funding Global Warming deniers and working against the best interests of the country and their employees.

The ownership of General Motors has been downright evil, and I will not reward them with my business.

Ever.

Period.

[WriteDown]

25. Sooo...

The only manufacturer who is coming out with a 100% electric car next year is the one you are boycotting. Keep burning that gas I guess. :eyes:

[catzies]

2. Yay, yay and double yay. Was the best hybrid on the market at the time.

I'm a Honda loyalist anyway so it would be no contest for me but I already have a 2008 Accord.

[Dr.Phool]

3. I've got my Prius, and I'm keeping it!

But, my wife drives it most of the time, so in a couple of years, I might have to get another one.

[Jersey Ginny]

4. I've heard the Volt is going to cost in the mid 30's. Too much for me

I hope that's not the case but the last I read it was being priced as more of a sports car.

[Kablooie]

9. I heard recently in the 40's.

It's not being made to be a big seller.
It is just a publicity grabbing vehicle for GM.

They still aren't taking the gas efficient thing seriously.


And they are run by Republicans.

[WriteDown]

17. You are wrong on all accounts..

I guess you've been in those high-level GM marketing meetings? :eyes:

[WriteDown]

16. It always amazes me...

how little people are willing to pay for groundbreaking, environmentally sound technology. We are talking about a zero emmission vehicle priced in the 30's. Seems like an absolute steal to me. People are willing to pay 25K for a gas using hybrid, but not 35K for an all-electric. Boggles the mind.

[tridim]

7. I'll buy one if they fix that damn wheel cover in the back.

My 91 CRX was the best car I ever owned. Hondas are great cars.

[Nobody]

11. Former CRX owner here!

I had a 1990 CRX and now I proudly drive a 2005 Insight. I loves me my 70+ mpg! I loves me my rolling video game (as the car has been referred to on an Insight message board I belonged to, we had competitions on who could get the best gas mileage and there were tons of hypermiling tips) and I loves me my high score of 90.1 mpg.

[Kablooie]

8. They discontinued it just after the new Prius was introduced. Not a smart move.

[ShortnFiery]

12. This is Excellent News! I love the Honda Insight ... this time I'm buying one.

Ford and GM need to learn that "slapping on Hybrid capabilities" to huge SUV shells is not the way to increase sales. :(

[WriteDown]

18. Thread proves once again...

That GM could come out with a car that runs on water and emits sunshine and rainbows and there would be people who would rather buy a Japanese product.

[ogneopasno]

21. Yup.

Sickening.

[JVS]

26. That's because knowing GM it would still be a rotten piece of shit that breaks down before 100K

[mainegreen]

19. Honda is planning on winning [...] by undercutting the price of the incumbent Prius

Praise Jesus!
About time market forces started coming into play to work on those prices a bit.

[InvisibleTouch]

22. I loved the look of the original Insight...

...like a sleek little spaceship, with fantastic fuel efficiency. Sadly a 2-seater with no cargo space just wasn't practical for me, but if I'd had the means to maintain 2 vehicles, the Insight certainly would have been my second.