By Robert Farago
January 6, 2009
Carscoop! is breaking European brochure pics of the 2009 Insight, Honda’s rival to the Toyota Prius, the gas - electric hyrbid that’s gone from hero to zero [percent financing] in less than six months. Coincidentally enough (if only just), the Priusalike makes its appearance a few days before the denuded Detroit Auto Show (”Now with 100 percent less Nissan“). That’s where the 2010 Prius also makes its debut. Unfortunately, we only get the pics from Honda brochure; the text would have provided welcome insight into the Insight’s marketing angle. Will HoMoCo promote the Insight on price or performance? The green hot rod angle is not entirely inconceivable; the now extinct Accord hybrid was the fastest of its breed. Carscoop! has three pictures of the Insight’s speedo; at 20, 24 and 42mph. So, no, then.
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January 6th, 2009 at 11:02 am
It’s odd how the brochure pics have a front number plate on them. You never see front plates in advertising here.
And if this car looked any more like a Prius, Toyota would have to sue.
January 6th, 2009 at 11:08 am
I’m surprised that Carscoop! didn’t include any interior shots. If anyone wants to see the interior and loadspace, go to Honda.com.
January 6th, 2009 at 11:10 am
The Prius shape is there in the roofline, but that’s to be expected for aerodynamics. Airplane manufacturers don’t sue each other over wings have the same general shape. If you look at the Volt they’ve been dragging around it has some of the same Prius line in the roof too, but GM uses better body lines and windows to mask it and make it look better.
This car seems to have more rear overhang than the Prius, although the butt looks very similar with some queues from the previous Insight.
January 6th, 2009 at 11:57 am
Does that light on the speedo indicate how “green” you are driving?
If so, the green police are now laying guilt on us in real time. We’re doomed.
January 6th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
It’s obviously a Honda, and except in broad outline, doesn’t look like a Prius to me. To my eye, it’s much more attractive.
January 6th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
@ dean: I think that is because the front plate is required in all EU countries and most mainstream automakers design the car with that in mind, and thus show consumers the most final product. Of course this is thrown out with many niche automakers, there was a rant about this regarding Aston Martin front design in the December EVO magazine. A front plate with brackets end up messing the lovely design.
January 6th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
There are only so many ways to make a car with low drag that will seat four, have decent cargo capacity, and can be produced for under $20k.
I’m all for a real Prius fighter.
I assume that Civic-esque speed indicator turns red when you floor it.
As for the indicator being digital, which is controversial , it’s the tach that’s undergoing the most movement and that’s what is getting the majority of my attention on the dash.
January 6th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
@Casual Observer
If so, the green police are now laying guilt on us in real time. We’re doomed.
It goes from green to blue to orange to red to an icon of a baby penguin on a melting iceberg.
January 6th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
CoffeeJones
All you need is the HAL computer voice: “Sorry Dave, you are driving too fast”.
January 6th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
They should have added some cues from the svelte FCX Clarity, instead of using tracing paper over a Prius and adding some horizontal headlamps and a different grille. The Prius is much more handsome now that it ditched the dopey vertical headlamps that gave it a sort of smiley face when combined with the slit of an eggcrate grille it had. And the new Prius has a cool looking cockpit that clearly divides the passenger and driver’s sides. The original Insight was so mind blowingly different to all other cars that this Prius wannabe shouldn’t carry the Insight moniker. Seeing how it copies the previous-gen Prius, it should logically be called the Hindsight.
January 6th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
Ya, what happened to the Clarity? This thing really is a prius clone.