Foo - My next car.

2010 Honda Insight Hybrid. The press boys got their hands on one and it got written up in the new Road & Track. EPA mpg estimates are going to be 40 city/43 highway, but the Road & Track writer saw 54 mpg the other journalists all consistently got 55-65+ mpg, with one guy getting 70 mpg. Wow. If the car can deliver that and is reasonably comfortable/safe and comes in at the projected MSRP of <$22K, they will sell a ton of those bad boys. That will put huge sales pressure on the Prius, which strikes me as pricey, even though Toyota reportedly makes very little or loses money on the car at the moment.

A 5 passenger hatchback that gets 55 mpg? That's off the hinges. That's similar fuel economy to a smaller engine motorcycle (500-800cc).

http://blogs.edmunds.com/greencaradvisor/HondaInsight1500.jpg

or similar fuel economy to a VW lupo, hatch back diesel which gets up to 78mpg.

I liked the old Insight, really. Not so much the hybrid drivetrain, but the neo-CRX styling, two doors, two seats, and small exterior were pretty neat. Unfortunately, I'm one of the few, and it died a sad, lonely death.

I just can't get over how much the new Insight looks like a badge-engineered Prius. I doubt it is, but geez.

I wonder what the battery bank costs to replace

I wonder what the battery bank costs to replace

I wonder how much damage the manufacture of the battery bank does to the environment. Nickel smelting is a dirty proposition (http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&q=Sudbury&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=39.371738,93.164063&ie=UTF8&cd=1&geocode=FchtxQIdni4s-w&split=0&ll=46.507845,-81.221924&spn=1.071811,2.911377&t=h&z=9).

Motorized egg on wheels!

(Whoops - thought this was the like/dislike thread :p )

-Kurt

rather get something like a honda fit

Very cool. That is much more stylish than your fugly SUV.

By the time I can afford to buy one, it'll be about 20years old.:eek:

must be what... $50,000 NZD?

rather get something like a honda fit

+1. Have an '08 (well, it's the family car and the wife drives it 99% of the time) and it is awesome.

The Honda Fit is good for 30-35 mpg. I like the new Insight because it's slightly larger. But it will be a Fit, Civic or Insight. I'd like to keep it as close to or under $20K as possible.

Really, If anyone can build something like this for around twenty grand, I wouldn't be surprised for it to be Honda.

Really, If anyone can build something like this for around twenty grand, I wouldn't be surprised for it to be Honda.

Yeah, it definitely helps to have no lower limit to quality when trying to achieve a cost target.

I liked the old Insight, really. Not so much the hybrid drivetrain, but the neo-CRX styling, two doors, two seats, and small exterior were pretty neat. Unfortunately, I'm one of the few, and it died a sad, lonely death.

Nah, you weren't the only one, I liked it too. I even thought it was pretty ugly, but for some reason I liked it. Maybe because I also owned a CRX. Best car I ever had, without question.

must be what... $50,000 NZD?

Despite our peso's worth, it will probably be only mid $40,000s here. We have an unregulated market and get shiploads of used Japanese imports every year. It won't take long before someone brings in a few and sells them cheaper than whatever the list price will be.

I liked the old Insight, really. Not so much the hybrid drivetrain, but the neo-CRX styling, two doors, two seats, and small exterior were pretty neat. Unfortunately, I'm one of the few, and it died a sad, lonely death.

I just can't get over how much the new Insight looks like a badge-engineered Prius. I doubt it is, but geez.

I liked the look of the old Insight, not because it looked like a honda, but because it looked more like a small Citroen.:D

Yeah, it definitely helps to have no lower limit to quality when trying to achieve a cost target.That's what I'd say about a GM/Ford/Chrysler product, but Honda seems to have, you know, standards.


Nah, you weren't the only one, I liked it too. I even thought it was pretty ugly, but for some reason I liked it. Maybe because I also owned a CRX. Best car I ever had, without question.The old Insight and the Toyota Yaris two modern cars that hit that "completely ugly, but I kind of like them anyway" sweet spot. I'd love to find a nice-condition, non-pimped first- or second-generation CRX someday.


I liked the look of the old Insight, not because it looked like a honda, but because it looked more like a small Citroen.:DHeh, it did. It had that same narrow rear end, wheelcovers thing going on that the Citroen DS did.

my Honda gets better than 31 mpg in town. and it's paid for.

must be what... $50,000 NZD?
Despite our peso's worth, it will probably be only mid $40,000s here. We have an unregulated market and get shiploads of used Japanese imports every year. It won't take long before someone brings in a few and sells them cheaper than whatever the list price will be.

Here are the prices you pay for a new Honda here per Honda New Zealand's website. Jazz 1.5 (Fit) $28,700, Civic Hybrid $40,800, Civic 1.8 Sport $34,600, plus on-road costs of about $800. You can't get a discount on new Honda's here. They have decided to have one price for everyone, including fleet buyers, on the basis that that will help maintain the resale value and it seems to be working.

I'm pretty excited to see Mazda will be bringing the Mazda2 to the states. 2008 World car of the year. Industry rags are saying we'll get the 1.6 gas and no diesel, but Mazda isn't saying.

I'll take a 5-speed 1.4 turbo diesel (54 mpg). 114g/km of CO2 emissions is the lowest production car ever sold in Europe. And I'm guessing substantially less than $40k. zoom zoom at no extra cost.

If Honda says they can do it, they can. I have never seen a vehicle model from Honda that is absolute junk. Individual lemons, maybe, but not a model as whole.

That's too nice a car for you. ;)

I would rather be dead than have somethingg that freaking ugly in my driveway

I wonder what the battery bank costs to replace

$800. I have 92,000 on my Civic hybrid and the battery is fine.

I would rather be dead than have somethingg that freaking ugly in my driveway

Ya, not nearly as nice an an AMC Eagle... :roflmao2:

I'll wait until the Volt comes out, thanks.

I'm pretty excited to see Mazda will be bringing the Mazda2 to the states. 2008 World car of the year. Industry rags are saying we'll get the 1.6 gas and no diesel, but Mazda isn't saying.

I'll take a 5-speed 1.4 turbo diesel (54 mpg). 114g/km of CO2 emissions is the lowest production car ever sold in Europe. And I'm guessing substantially less than $40k. zoom zoom at no extra cost.

I get 40mpg on the highway in my gas 2.0L Mazda3... and it was $16k... for $40k I can have that and enough gas to drive 550,000 miles.

Jetta diesel is my next car- maybe the wagon, which is actually kind of sharp. I have heard some crazy mileage reports on the VW's too.

I get 40mpg on the highway in my gas 2.0L Mazda3... and it was $16k... for $40k I can have that and enough gas to drive 550,000 miles.

$40k was a previous poster's estimate for the Honda... not the Mazda2. I expect the 2 to be priced below the 3.

I'm on my 4th honda 2nd honda accord....I'm on the fence about what my next econobox DD will be. but it must get at least 33-35mpg.

Yeah, it definitely helps to have no lower limit to quality when trying to achieve a cost target.

What ARE you talking about? By every objective measure, Hondas are arguably the highest quality vehicles you can buy. That's why we own two Acuras and a Honda motorcycle. That's why they have such high resale value.

Get a clue.

Was driving a Prius this past week in San Jose as a rental car. Averaged 46 mpg around the city 200+ plus of city driving and 57 mpg on the highway (round trip to San Fran, maybe 90 miles total). The only thing was I felt that the braking was poor. Had to brake hard once and it was scary.

What ARE you talking about? By every objective measure, Hondas are arguably the highest quality vehicles you can buy. That's why we own two Acuras and a Honda motorcycle. That's why they have such high resale value.

Get a clue.

ehidle's still pissed about his boy McBush losing and he takes every opportunity he can to disparage anything liberal, green or progressive. :roflmao2:

Was driving a Prius this past week in San Jose as a rental car. Averaged 46 mpg around the city 200+ plus of city driving and 57 mpg on the highway (round trip to San Fran, maybe 90 miles total). The only thing was I felt that the braking was poor. Had to brake hard once and it was scary.

I've always thought the braking on my Prius was quite good but then I've never had to make a panic stop. The best mileage I've gotten on a long trip, 2000 miles rt WNC to Cape Cod, is 47.5 mpg. That's 3 people and gear at 70-80 mph most of the way. Shorter trips I've averaged as much as 52 mpg over 400 miles. The new model should get 4-5 mpg more than that.

More more fuel efficient cars here without the hybrid $%$£

http://www.vcacarfueldata.org.uk/search/fuelConSearch.asp

edit: for example 3.7 l/100km or 76.3mpg (http://www.vcacarfueldata.org.uk/search/vehicleDetails.asp?id=21952)

Big Dummy. (http://www.bowcycle.com/bikes/blogs/viks-picks/2008/12/22/surly-big-dummy-review/)

My wife wants a diesel Passat wagon (http://www.vw.com/passat/en/us/?sem=208416580;)though.

y'all drive too much, sounds like many of you are driving 20K miles a year or more

:eek:

What ARE you talking about? By every objective measure, Hondas are arguably the highest quality vehicles you can buy. That's why we own two Acuras and a Honda motorcycle. That's why they have such high resale value.

Get a clue.

patentcad got this right. I personally only buy Honda/Acura. Same with my brother and most people who see what we drive and how reliable and nice they are. I have had 2 Honda cars ('99 and currently '08) and my brother has had 2 Honda cars (91' and 91'), 1 Honda Street Bike ('06), 1 Honda Dirt Bike ('05), 1 Honda ATV ('04) and currently drives an Acura TSX ('09). None of them have ever had any problems. Just basic maintenance. We love them so much we even imported one Honda from Japan (right hand drive '96).

Whatever you get you will love it. The insight is great along with the fit and the civic. Pick the one that fits your budget, MPG and interior room and you can't go wrong!

I feel the same way about Toyotas. Never any problems. Only basic maintenance.
But now that I drive a Benz? What a nightmare.