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socaltypes
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With the ECO button being a touted a key feature on the Insight, I predict the Insight will surpass the Civic Hybrid in the MPG sector. Honda has been silent about MPG specifics, but with this magic button, it has to get atleast 50MPG. What do you guys think?
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Insightman
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Both Takeo Fukui at the Paris Auto Show and Dan Bonawitz at the LA Auto Show stated that the new Insight would offer about the same fuel economy as the Honda Civic Hybrid. I'm hoping this is just the corporate line to keep Toyota from learning the target for the next Prius as long as possible.
With its more aerodynamic shape, lighter IMA system, and the more advanced ECON mode, the new Insight just has to get better gas mileage!
Somewhere within Honda, an engineer emerged from a meeting with the marketing people, walked over to a computer, and clicked on a button that defined the variables to be burned into the ROM that controls the Insight's Engine Control Unit. The selected values determined how much performance Honda decided to trade off for fuel economy.
The question is: how much did it hurt to surrender the top spot on the EPA fuel economy list to Toyota when the Insight Classic went away? Does "ignore the fuel economy numbers because the car so much less expensive" constitute a successful marketing ploy? It might. I don't know.
If the new Insight was designed max out at only 45 mpg, I hope Honda will find a way to create a limited-edition hypermiler model (using a special ECU, cameras in place of the rear-view mirrors, aggressive aerodynamic body enhancements, and, yes, even add back the fender skirts). I get excited just thinking about it.
The two-version approach would give Honda both a sub-$19K hybrid and the top spot on the EPA list. I'm sure they could easily sell more of the hypermiler editions in a year than the 13,500 US Insight Classics sold in 7 years even if they charged $22K for it (ie, as much as the Insight Classic).
If Honda doesn't do it, maybe the aftermarket will take notice of this Insight based on Honda's projected 100K per year sales target and turn it into a 70 mpg (new EPA tests) wondercar.
But if gas is down to a buck a gallon when Earth Day arrives next spring, it won't matter much. Maybe I'll dump my Insight Classic and get an SUV ;^)
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Turkle
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The new Insight seems to be Honda's 180 degree response to how poorly the Accord Hybrid did both in sales and in the response it received from the auto press. It would be obvious to say that the new Insight is an answer to the Prius, but it goes beyond that. Honda has out-smarted Toyota by slipping a model that offers all of what the Prius does (same # of seating, equivalent storage capability, hatchback, unique styling) while undercutting it in price. This also happens when the Prius seems to be moving a little up-market with their future model. It will be interesting to see if Toyota tries to respond by excreting a Scion version that competes in the same price range.
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Insightman
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Even without the difference in the battery packs, Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive is more expensive to build and heavier than Honda's IMA system. The HSD's larger battery pack not only adds yet more weight, but a lot more cost. So it seems to me that Toyota will have a tough time creating a profitable sub-$19K hybrid car that can match the new Insight's fuel economy.
I frequently thank my lucky stars that Honda sold me two Insights for less than it cost them to build one--if I lived in Australia, I would have had to pay more than twice as much. I wonder if Toyota is willing to subsidize part of the price of 200,000 hybrids to keep pace with the new Insight?
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Honda-D
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Insightman wrote:
I frequently thank my lucky stars that Honda sold me two Insights for less than it cost them to build one--if I lived in Australia, I would have had to pay more than twice as much. I wonder if Toyota is willing to subsidize part of the price of 200,000 hybrids to keep pace with the new Insight?
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The next Prius seems to have more outlandish interior than Insight. An I think Toyota is closer to build Prius in NA than Honda. That may be able to off set the price difference for Toyota to compete.
But the point is moot. We are in a depression that may be bigger than the last one and gas is now as low as $1.40/gallon again. Asking people to ditch what they got for a hybrid or ANY CAR will be harder than ever.
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