Honda Insight to go head to head with Toyota’s Prius

September 5, 2008 by Terence

Reusing the name from Honda’s first hybrid car, the Insight, this new Prius killer is based on the new Fit/Jazz platform but is around 3″ longer and 1″ wider and has styling much carried over from the FCX.

Though utilizing the same 1.3l IMA (Integrated Motor Assists) engine from the Civic Hybrid, new developements in the field has yielded a 50% reduction in cost. This not only means the new Insight be will one rank cheaper than the Civic, it will be much cheaper than its arch rival from Toyota. As expected the fuel consumption is out of this world, with rumors from Japan citing around 71MPGs.

The new Insight is expected to debut at the Paris Motor Show, but Honda could also wait until November’s Los Angeles Auto Show. Whatever the case, the new five-door hybrid will hit the U.S. Honda dealers next April. Honda hopes to build 200,000 units annually, with half of that production to be sold in the United States.

One can only hope it will be sold on our shores…

Posted in Honda, International News