Really surprised here:
With all due respect, Price was not a major factor in my purchase of my I2. I had already saved to pay cash for whatever I bought.
These were:
1. Styling: If one were to look at the first years of Prius production one would find a very standard looking sedan body style. It was in 2004 I believe that the Prius changed to body lines
very reminiscent of an First Gen Insight. Granted, aerodynamics dictate much of this shape. To my eye the 2010 Prius body lines are horrendous. They remind me of the old guy with his pants pulled up around his armpits. I prefer the earlier versions much more. But even those have weird 'bumps' all over. If you look at one head on check out the roof line.
2. Ride: I kind of like to 'feel the road'. The I2 can actually be 'fun' to drive. I used to own 2 1976 Triumph TR7s. The I2 is every bit as much fun to drive as they were, even more so.
3. Interior Controls: The I2's controls give me everything I need, where I like to see it. The Prius's center oriented dash just simply doesn't work for me.
4. Technology: "New design"? Really? It is essentially the same CVT design as the first gen Insight and other Honda hybrids. I liked the idea of the IMA over the Prius system. After reading the service manual I am even more convinced.
5. MPG: I use 1/3 of what my last car used for the same driving pattern. When weighing 1 to 4, a little more on MPG didn't come close.
Less than spectacular advertising, falling gas prices and coming on the heals of what may be called the Great Correction at best or Depression II at worst, the introduction could hardly been more poorly timed. The hyperbole in some of the reviews didn't help much either. For me, the I2 is as close to perfect for my use as I could possibly imagine. If it were not for the I2 I'd still be driving my old car because there just isn't anything else out there that has really caught my eye.
Did I mention I really love my I2
, but to each his own.
Honda is dropping the production of insight again
