At $19,310, Honda Fit Becomes Japans Cheapest Hybrid
When Honda first launched its current Insight hybrid, it was the cheapest hybrid on the Japanese market, and it quickly became the best-selling car in the country. Then everyone realized that the Prius was infinitely better for not much more cash, and the Insight dropped off. Now, Honda is trying to recapture its budget-hybrid mojo by releasing the car it probably should have made instead of the Insight: the Fit Hybrid. And they’ve priced the 1.3 liter IMA hybrid Fit at just $19,310 (1.59 million Yen), according to Automotive News [sub]. But this time, Honda’s not trying to take on the Prius directly. Says Honda CEO Takanobu Ito
They are totally different cars. Their price ranges are different and they look different. So I don’t consider the Prius as the Fit’s direct competitor. We just want many more people to own the Fit by expanding our line-up.
No word yet on possible US-market availability.
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Honda has been talking about a "new generation" of hybrids, but so far they haven't shown anything on the level of Toyota's hybrids. Hopefully the Fit is well done, but I wonder if and when they are going to up their game. IMA is not looking like the best technology right now.
I find myself wondering how Honda has buggered this latest try at a hybrid. Already-obsolete design goals, technology, and components? Cheapthink? Taking the customers for fools? Introducing a new car that from the getgo badly lags the competition, or that offers no real benefit?
A Fit hybrid should be successful. The Honda Fit is already a better car than the CR-Z (similar fuel economy, FASTER, more cargo space, would be just as much fun to drive with the CR-Z's steering rack), a Fit hybrid would make it obsolete. A Yaris hybrid would simply be too small. Even if it had a superior drivetrain, it simply can't match the Fit for utility or fun.
Yeah, the Civic and Accord Hybrids were such big successes that we should expect the Fit Hybrid to knock it out of the park :).