Honda announced their intention to introduce the American spec all-new 2010 Honda Insight Hybrid at the Detroit Motor Show, and they did so by releasing the photo seen here. The new Insight quickly went from theory to reality, having been originally introduced as a concept at the Paris Auto Show this past October.
The five-seat, five-door Insight motors along on a lightweight, compact version of the Honda IMA hybrid powertrain. Indeed, Honda added some style to the new car by pulling the nose forward and shortening the back, giving it a much more driveable look than was previously expected. Now, instead of looking like the younger brother of the ugly-but-unique first generation Insight, the new model appears to be its sporty cousin.
Confirmation of the car's fuel efficiency were not released. Reports range from a respectible 40 miles per gallon up to 67mpg. We expect the car to be priced in the $20,000 range.
That price puts it in a position to outsell the Honda Civic hybrid, as well as the more expensive Toyota Prius. Honda anticipates "annual global sales of 200,000 units per year," according to a press release. Over 280,000 Prius models were sold in 2007, which makes us wonder if Honda will ultimately need to boost output of their new gas sipper.
Expect the all-new 2010 Honda Insight Hybrid to make a big splash next month.
Honda Insight Hybrid to Make World Debut at the Detroit Motor Show
Honda has today given the first glimpse of the American specification, production version of the all-new 2010 Insight hybrid will make its world debut in January 2009 at the Detroit Motor Show.
This first image of the US version of Honda's latest production hybrid shows how the Insight Concept, first shown at Paris in October 2008, will be transferred into an aerodynamically inspired, athletic looking road car. The new five-passenger, five-door Insight is powered by a lighter, more compact version of Honda's IMA hybrid system and will go on sale in the spring.
The Insight is expected to have annual global sales of 200,000 units per year and will utilise a new interactive, driver-focused fuel economy enhancement technology named the Ecological Drive Assist System. The new feedback system gives the driver real time information about their driving performance, to help them reduce their fuel consumption and Carbon Dioxide Emissions.
A leader in the development of cleaner, more fuel-efficient mobility products, Honda introduced the first low-emission gasoline vehicles; first petrol-electric hybrid car in Europe and North America, and the world's first EPA-certified hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle, the FCX. In 2007, Honda was named "greenest automaker" by the Union of Concerned Scientists for the fourth straight time.
Eh, I hate to say it, but I'm a little disappointed in the production version. The final product has been tweaked just enough that it doesn't quite have the same futuristic, sleek look. Now it looks a bit more like a Prius or just some regular hybrid. This is a case where I think all the bright work actually helped the car before it was removed. Still probably a great car but just not as dynamic as the pre-production photos we saw.
I agree with rcw that the futuristic feel of the concept was pretty spectacular, but I guess it shows how far we've gotten that you can say "just some regular hybrid." I kinda like the toned-done version, though I'm wondering what color the bumper insert below the grille will be on non-silver models. Hopefully body color.
The wheels are quite nicely styled (a relief considering the nasty shiny multispoke wheels every uplevel Civic got for '09, and the Martian wheels on the Civic Hybrid), and seem proportional to the car (unlike the Prius, even with the Touring model's 16s).
I think this will age very well, which says a lot about a car with an unusual shape. It's elegantly proportioned, without the bent-roof look of the Prius and with clean, simple details (even the Ford 3-bar grille, which Ford could take a lesson from here on how to do it tastefully). And for under $20k, sign me up!
the concept looked pretty cool, but now they have made it a production model it kinda suks, especially the rear end it looks like something from the 90's
woww this is even uglier than a prius:O i really liked the prototype but the door handles are just hideous and the back also... i think the most good looking car with a design like that is the volt
ahhhh, the whole point of hybrids is being unique right...? (cough cough...fad) so why'd they replicate the prius?
People don't realize that this is just a fad, and the mega-corporations hope to capitalize on it. That's why they're introducing it, not to better the world and such.
Production tweaks were expected, no surprises there. I bet an average person will not be able to differentiate between a Prius and an Insight from 250 feet. Honda played it very safe in copying the Prius almost verbatim. Toyota must be feeling proud, after all 'Imitation is the best for of Flattery'.
haha all those ppl ditching the prius a few days ago for this bad copy! the new prius looks infinitely fresher, eventhough that shape is kinda necessary due to aerodynamic premises
I'll have to see both on the road and see more pictures of each, but there is a chance that I might actually like the redesigned Prius more. I DID not like the previous style but the new one looks a little sharper and less awkward now.
