Honda Prius-Fighter Caught Testing
Edmunds Inside Line has dropped some cash for spy photos for Honda's new Prius-fighting dedicated hybrid model. And it seems that IL and Honda are in the same boat: they've both dropped good money on something that looks identical to a Prius. Go ahead and follow the link for actual photos, or you can just feast you eyes on any image online of a current Prius, because you're basically getting the same thing either way. KGP photography caught the forthcoming Honda Hybrid undergoing hot weather tests in California's Death Valley, going head-to-head with Honda's Civic Hybrid and a current Prius. They say the new Honda is larger than a Prius and will be a global model, though its name and performance details remain under wraps. Expect its finalized looks to be very close to the fuel-cell FCX Clarity, itself something of a dead ringer for the Prius. It's obvious that Honda wants a model that screams "saving the planet" as it drives by. Still, one can't help wondering whether a hybrid Fit (the standard version of which faces high demand from eco-types) wouldn't have achieved a similar statement with a more flexible package and more familial resemblance.
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Dang, it is about as ugly as the Prius.
It is definitely a Honda. As others noted, the shape of the badge, also there is a Honda emblem on the front passenger window (lower left corner), and the wiper blades are from a company I previously worked for which doesn't supply to Toyota.
Peeps curious about any 45mpg non-hybrids might be interested in the Alfa Mito and Fiat 500, both of which are making their way to our shores: http://www.latimes.com/classified/automotive/highway1/la-hy-alfa9-2008jul09,0,1320097.story I think the Alfa's dead sexy. I'm definitely going to take a look.