Just curious what people here think about whether Honda is committed to supporting and continuing the Insight, given the apparently lackluster sales of the 2010 and 2011 models? (Not saying this to tick off members of this forum at all. I'm genuinely curious.)
I guess Honda felt it needed to at least try to lure Prius buyers to its own hybrid products and thought enough of the idea to revive the Insight name from 2000, so that's a good sign for a potential buyer.
With my luck, I would buy the Insight, and the following week, Honda would issue a press release saying it was discontinuing the model.
I agree Honda need to do some serious thinking about this car, why not fit a manual gearbox, the 1.4 Dsi or 1.5 Vtec engine, leave out the hybrid components and sell it at a price similar to the Jazz/Fit? Then I think we may see some real volume in sales.
I agree Honda need to do some serious thinking about this car, why not fit a manual gearbox, the 1.4 Dsi or 1.5 Vtec engine, leave out the hybrid components and sell it at a price similar to the Jazz/Fit? Then I think we may see some real volume in sales.
Hmm. Interesting idea, E27006. I'd be glad to be able to get a look at Honda's business plan for the next 10 years or so to see if the Insight is mentioned anywhere in it!
The next logical step is to start mass producing the FIT Hybrid, after all Toyota is now pushing the Prius "wagon". Most manufacturers will be producing "hybrids" with all the govt. requirements for mileage. Bigger cars, more "tec" features, smaller engines, etc.
It's what they call "evolution".
My opinion.
Willie
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01 5 speed. "Little Red Rocket"
The first "TURBOCHARGED" Hybrid, (01/2003)
296,000 mi. @ 58.0 LMPG
2007 Honda Fit, Red Sport AT
1998 Ford F-150, NASCAR "Limited Edition"
(3K made, possibly the prototype one)
The next logical step is to start mass producing the FIT Hybrid, after all Toyota is now pushing the Prius "wagon". Most manufacturers will be producing "hybrids" with all the govt. requirements for mileage. Bigger cars, more "tec" features, smaller engines, etc.
It's what they call "evolution".
My opinion.
Willie
That would be interesting, too, Willie.
I've long wondered why Honda hasn't produced a CR-V hybrid yet. That's almost a no-brainer. I would be all over that, as long as the mileage gain was significant. (If I remember correctly when I was looking at a Highlander hybrid a few years ago, its mileage was only marginally better than the gas Highlander's, and I mean like 5 or 6 mpg better. Yet it was still thousands more than the gas version. Didn't make any sense at all.)
Don't want to get off topic here, but have you had your Fit's AC condenser punctured by road debris, as seems to be common if you read the threads at FitFreak.net?
Indeed, the Fit Hybrid is absolutely the car I wish Honda would sell here... how come Europe gets the good stuff?
The second gen Insight is "ok," but my wife and I LOVE our fit, and them bringing over the hybrid model would be killer.
Just looking at the engine cutaway image here, it looks like it may bear a very similar engine to the 1.3L, dual plug SOHC 4 cylinder the first gen civic hybrid had, which is a pretty nice piece of work (aside from having 8! coil packs and Denso Iridium plugs).
Sam
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2004 Honda Civic Hybrid @ 53 mpg so far!
RIP 2000 Insight, 40k miles @ 69.2 mpg
I've long wondered why Honda hasn't produced a CR-V hybrid yet. That's almost a no-brainer. I would be all over that, as long as the mileage gain was significant. (If I remember correctly when I was looking at a Highlander hybrid a few years ago, its mileage was only marginally better than the gas Highlander's, and I mean like 5 or 6 mpg better. Yet it was still thousands more than the gas version. Didn't make any sense at all.)
A CR-V hybrid would be great! I'm not sure about the rest of the country but there are quite a few Escape hybrids sold around here, too. If you can squeeze 30-33 mpg out of a regular CR-V now, the hybrid version would probably do as well as the I2. I'd order one tomorrow.
About Honda's commitment to the I2, look at the sales figures compared to the I1. There's already 35,000+ I2's in the states and we know they're being marketed to more countries than the original. They're probably not thrilled that they didn't grab more of the Prius market. This time it's not being built with Aluminum parts or one of a kind electronics so I'm betting it could go for several years. It should last much longer than the CR-Z, IMHO.
Brian
A CR-V hybrid would be great! I'm not sure about the rest of the country but there are quite a few Escape hybrids sold around here, too. If you can squeeze 30-33 mpg out of a regular CR-V now, the hybrid version would probably do as well as the I2. I'd order one tomorrow.
About Honda's commitment to the I2, look at the sales figures compared to the I1. There's already 35,000+ I2's in the states and we know they're being marketed to more countries than the original. They're probably not thrilled that they didn't grab more of the Prius market. This time it's not being built with Aluminum parts or one of a kind electronics so I'm betting it could go for several years. It should last much longer than the CR-Z, IMHO.
Brian
Yeah, the presence of the Escape Hybrid, a vehicle similar in size to the CR-V, has me scratching my head as to why Honda wouldn't want to compete with Ford in that segment. Who knows; maybe Honda has been working on a hybrid CR-V for years and hasn't been able to get it right, so it hasn't released the product yet.
Are there 35,000 I2s on the road here? That's interesting. Where can you find sales figures? I'd be glad to take a look at them.
That would be great if Honda did commit to the Insight for several years.
There was a story in yesterday's New York Times about discontinued models from various manufacturers, including Honda, that got me thinking about this:
The Jazz/Fit is a well regarded car for fuel efficiency in non-hybrid format, I vouch for my 2006 1.4 dsi Jazz, which I am convinced has the same basic engine as installed in the G2 Insight, all the Jazz needs is a simplified Autostop to cut emissions, should not be hard to implement.
The Jazz is very easy to drive having a "real world" power delivery where everything happens low to mid-rpm, it is very easy on the nerves and wallet to drive, the Jazz hybrid price tag in the UK features a major hike over non-hybrid, you need to do a lot of miles to recover that difference.
Honda has lost the battle to Toyota, in similar fashion, references to household vacuum cleaners are "Hoovers", irrespective of origin, hybrid means Toyota Prius in the public mind. The sales figures support that.
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Is Honda committed to the Insight model?
