Hybrid replacement coming in 2009

gomarlins3 · 07-14-2006, 10:26 PM

According to Motor Trend. There is a better write up in the magazine. Here is the internet link:
http://www.motortrend.com/features/auto ... 12_news33/

james · 07-15-2006, 12:31 AM

I dunno about that. A "hybrid subcompact" is not necessarily going to be a replacement, at least in the sense of having any of the features that make the Insight attractive to me.

Martini · 07-19-2006, 05:59 PM

One of my best friends used to work for Honda Canada, and at the risk of getting in BIG trouble, he told me of their plans. When he left, Honda was considering A) turning the Insight into a sub-compact 2-seat convertible or B) building a replacement that would seat four, yet is much smaller than the Civic.

james · 07-19-2006, 11:37 PM

Put me down for an A!

VinceDee · 07-20-2006, 03:13 PM

I'll take a B!

Lee · 07-20-2006, 07:00 PM

Making a halo high mileage car that is a convertible would be quite the trick. Convertibles have a notoriously poor aerodynamic shape, top up or down (it’s better with the top up but not good). Also convertibles carry a lot of extra weight around, especially if you want to have good crash performance.

A ’replacement’ that is smaller than a Civic and seats four sounds like a Fit with a hybrid drive.

The more interesting question, to me, would be what branch of the company did your friend work in? I had thought that those types of decisions would be made at the corporate headquarters in Tokyo. I have heard that they are very tight lipped, more so that any government official in the US.

dfiore · 07-24-2006, 06:52 AM

I also heard of the hybrid plan for 2009. That's public info. They haven't said anything else. I'm torn. I keep customizing my baby, I won't want to trade it in, but someone told me the other day that they saw an article in Motortrend claiming the new one will get an advertised 80mpg

imagine the hypermilers driving this one!

stevenvillatoro · 08-20-2006, 04:37 AM

Got this tidbit from channel4.com:

Honda hybrid
An all-new model, probably a standalone product to succeed the Insight. Not a hybrid version of the Fit/Jazz (although there will be one) but it could be based on the new city car (200

. Smaller than the Jazz, it'll be built in Japan for worldwide sales, with half of production destined for the US market.

Here is the link:
http://www.channel4.com/4car/feature...?id=157&page=2

b1shmu63 · 08-20-2006, 09:18 PM

If it gets 80 MPG it will be a divine miracle. Not that I'm against that sort of thing.

Of course they are talking about the new Prius getting 100 MPG.

I still wouldn't trade in the Insight for one. Just my bias.

Martini · 08-22-2006, 03:06 PM

Lee... he was a Product Planner