Plus the Prius battery is not strong enough to go over a mile of EV anyway... so engine/charger must spin up or the lights go out.

 

Peter, if you were if you were in my neighborhood this wouldnt be a problem. Across the pond is another story.

Jazzyjeff, if you want the data of the hybrid system as you drive, you got 2 choices. Buy a prius 1,2,3,4,5,c and get s scan gauge 2, make sure its the latest version. Or you can get a first generation insight and the meter sold on this site, its an odb2 c&c as it can send commands down the odb2 plug to make the car do stuff.

 

Understood Cobb, so as I have the Insight Gen II, I guess we are out of luck with scanners with exception of Honda's Proprietary Scanner (for like 600 bucks).
Many thanks for the answer of the question. I did put a separate post out to see if anyone is using the Autotap Scanner with the Insight II. That's not like the scan gauge which is made for real time scanning while driving, its a diagnostic connector that has software connected via laptop. I like it and it has worked very good for me for the last 4 years.

 

Understood Cobb, so as I have the Insight Gen II, I guess we are out of luck with scanners with exception of Honda's Proprietary Scanner (for like 600 bucks).

Can you actually buy those? Got a link? Seached the web but could not find it yet.

 

You can buy a generic "Made in China" Honda HDS off ebay. I wrote a seller once he said it had a section for IMA and would be willing to accept a return if I paid shipping if it didnt work out and told him the results if it did. I was going to go in with 3 other people 100 each to play with it, but the other 2 guys got cold feet.

Some of this stuff is fun, but Im still on a budget.

 

Maybe I over looked it, but how are you limited to the Prius C and Insight? Ive come to find the short comings of an intermediate sized vehicle and think next vehicle will be larger. Looks like the Prius V maybe my next vehicle. Ive known larger people to have an accord and I know they make a hybrid accord, but I think that is performance oriented vs mpg.

 

I know they make a hybrid accord, but I think that is performance oriented vs mpg.

50 City, 45 Highway. Higher than the I2. The hybrid system is very interesting, and something that I hope Honda will use for other hybrids in the future.

Sam

 

The Accord hybrid drive train excels in simplicity: no gearbox, just a clutch for the engine and a fixed gear with clutches for the EV motor and generator.
The Accord has both a (edit)big 3.0??? 2.0! (thanks Rainsux!) L engine and a sizeable hybrid battery so it can easily accomodate for the transition modes.
Explaining the Honda Accord's Shrewdly Designed New Hybrid System – Tech Dept. – Car and Driver

I like the new Fit Hybrid much more. 7 gear DSG double clutch gearbox and an EV motor that can select a gear from the other gear train to maximize efficiency.
See

The new Fit is larger inside than the old Fit despite being slightly shorter; and the old Fit is already more roomy than the Insight...
Might buy if it ever comes available.

 

I like the new Fit Hybrid much more. 7 gear DSG double clutch gearbox and an EV motor that can select a gear from the other gear train to maximize efficiency.
See 2015 Honda Fit Hybrid Animation and Drive Modes - YouTube

The new Fit is larger inside than the old Fit despite being slightly shorter; and the old Fit is already more roomy than the Insight...
Might buy if it ever comes available.

That video makes me even more angry that stupid Honda won't bring that hybrid system to the US in the form of the Fit or an updated Insight.

Civic touring hatch... in hybrid form with that system? You can't have that.

Come on, Honda. Every car you make that I want isn't available here.

 

Our Accord Hybrid gets a 2.0L 4 cylinder.

Sam

 

My bad! I was sure I read it was a 3 liter, did not check it again.
You are right, absolutely. 1993 CC displacement. Makes more sense than a 3 liter hybrid anyhow.

 

Cobb, take note

Found this on Ebay and it might have come way down in price? No nothing about it but looks interesting. Just wanted to share it with you.

Professional Auto Scanner for Honda Him Diagnostic System Kit HDS | eBay

 

Wow, that Fit does look wonderful. Although I work for the gov, most of the jobs over seas I can transfer to are in the Middle East.

The accord with the fancy 2 motor hybrid system is still for sale? I thought they canned it along with the phev accord and gen 2 insight? :-?

 

The accord with the fancy 2 motor hybrid system is still for sale? I thought they canned it along with the phev accord and gen 2 insight? :-?

It's in the 2015 lineup.

Sam

 

Stupot, this thread should help you decide also. Lots of good info!

 

That Toyota Auris wagon/estate even looks good. Hybrid version. Nice interior. Near perfect car for those of us who travel with gear and don't want a big car. Prius Whale... I mean Prius V wagon is truly nasty looking by comparison inside and out. Auris wheelbase is 102.3", so it's a good size 168.3" overall length car. Not too big.

We'll never see the Auris wagon here in the USA. Not a tall Cross Over or SUV. Seems we're stuck with those.

Honda Civic Tourer is a sleek unit. Wonder how it compares with the Auris wagon inside, volume wise? Honda touts "Class - leading boot space". Overall length of Tourer is 178.5" or about 10 inches more than the Auris wagon. There's no wheelbase info on the site that I could find, but imagine it's pretty standard Civic 103" to 104"?

Honda and Toyota need to bring these cars to the US. Given their size and efficiency, they should be good sellers here.

And Holy Crap, Batman... take a look at the interior picture! That's a great Civic dash. I may have to move

 

To make it easy... another picture I snapped up off the Honda site...

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You can't buy it here! So, there.

 

And this is the Toyota Auris Hybrid wagon you can't buy here in the US either...

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Would probably take Prius c sales off the map, if Auris wagon was available here. Prius c is a good little car, but not much space inside... Auris has a real car interior and it's still a reasonably small car on the outside.

 

I think in the UK there isn't really a demand for having cars that 'look like' hybrids. The Auris is outselling the Prius and there's a reason why we have a "Yaris HSD" instead of a Prius C.

I think a lot of UK buyers think of the Prius brand as being a bit sanctimonious.

 

Here here!

 

Wow! Sanctimonious! Guess that's why I call our Prius the Pious.

Maybe owners might feel sanctimonious about getting excellent gasoline mileage? I've had a Prius since 2005, so almost 10 years of travelling in a car that yields 50 to 55 mpg. That was an improvement of 10 to 20 mpg from my previous cars. Great for the wallet, or at least keeping it from being drained as rapidly at each fuel stop.

Same reason I bought my Insight... excellent fuel mpg. So now I have to think that Insights are "sanctimonious" too! Give me a break!

Teslas, electric Focus, Leaf, i-MiEV, Spark, Smart and whichever other electrics that I may have just left out are even more efficient than our Hybrids, so they must be even more "sanctimonious"? Super Sanctimonious?

Too bad people think about cars sanctimoniously. They are transportation. Just that some cars do it more efficiently than others.

The "look" of a Hybrid car is a compromise between optimized aerodynamics for generating the least air resistance and interior packaging for every day usefulness. The Honda Element is one of the best boxes on the road for carrying stuff, but it would not do that great with a hybrid power unit at highway speeds. All cars move through an ocean of air, so they have to have some good aero shaping if they want to keep 'em efficient at speed.

I see a lot of the Prius shape when I look Honda's from the past, like the CRX, and First Gen Insight (second Gen Insight goes without saying). Were those sanctimony inducing cars?

The Civic Tourer and even the Auris hybrid wagon are probably fairly aero units that won't we won't get to buy unfortunately... sanctimony or not.

 

Looks like the Venza or a Japanese answer to the Dodge magnum. :evil:

 

Auris does look like a smaller Venza. Good eye Cobb!