Honda's Prius-killing hybrid gets a date: April 2009
Click above for high-res gallery of Honda Hybrid spy shots
Hybrids are hot and Honda is anxious to get in on the action that Toyota's been unable to fully quench with its Prius hybrid sedan. We expect to see the production version of Honda's new hybrid, which will apparently not be called the Insight, to debut in October at the Paris Motor Show. Fortunately, Honda won't make us wait too long to buy its new hybrid, as the five-door hatchback is rumored to show up in dealer lots by April of 2009. Toyota also plans on showing off its new third-gen Prius at the Detroit Auto Show in January, so it will be very interesting to watch these to tangle in the marketplace. Honda plans to undercut its rival in the pricing wars with its hybrid coming in at a base price of less than $19,000, a few thousand less than the larger Prius. Both models will use nickel metal hydride batteries (for now) as opposed to the latest lithium ion units in an effort to keep their costs down. Both should also score fuel mileage numbers somewhere in the 50-60 mpg range. For its part, Honda is planning to build 200,000 units of its new hybrid annually, with 100,000 earmarked for the U.S. Let the (fuel-saving) games begin!
Gallery: Spy Shots: Honda Hybrid
[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Gary Blomquist 3:33PM (8/13/2008)
Kudo's to Honda for keeping the exhorbitant price down on their Hybrid.
Ever go in and price a Prius. They nickel and dime you for a multitude of options.
I've noticed on Carsdirect.com, that the current Honda Civic Hybrid basically comes adequately equipped, and doens't really offer any options to boggle one's mind. Also the current Civic Hybrid is priced in the low $20k's.
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nastinupe1 3:49PM (8/13/2008)
Looks like I will be headed to the Honda dealership to put down a deposit on the first one tomorrow morning.
Good for Honda.
I'm going to miss my 2005 TL, but I have a world to save. (As I look up into the glaring sun above and put my fists on my waist)
Benfolio 3:33PM (8/13/2008)
Volkswagen called, they want their nose back.
If you chrome that, Honda, I'll be very disappointed.
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2007RC46SP2 3:49PM (8/13/2008)
its gonna look like the FCX,
wont be as bad as the Power Plenum
Brent 3:38PM (8/13/2008)
Two new Honda hybrids for the price of a Volt? Yikes.
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Epyx 3:41PM (8/13/2008)
May as well say two Fits for the price of a Volt. The Volt and the Honda Hybrid dont do the same thing.
Nice to see the Prius will have a direct competitior. Excited to see how they differentiate themselves.
Tai 6:37PM (8/13/2008)
Will definitely sell out quick.
TJ 3:38PM (8/13/2008)
like a fish out of water....
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Neil 3:40PM (8/13/2008)
The perfect April fools joke. It's looks like a turd on wheels.
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Big Rocket 3:52PM (8/13/2008)
A turd has more flame surfacing, and is less aerodynamically efficient.
Benfolio 4:22PM (8/13/2008)
Depends on who's turd you are comparing.
I've had some tear drop shaped ones, even some with subtle rifling.
Didn't even hear the plop.
2007RC46SP2 4:42PM (8/13/2008)
but how many couric's was it?
Dondonel 3:49PM (8/13/2008)
Is it because Prius looks like cr@p the reason why its competitors should look even worse? what's with this monachal, excuse-me-I-am-breathing, fashion trend among hybrids?
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Torrent 3:50PM (8/13/2008)
Go to roadandtrack.com. com, and everybody's in denial:
"The badge on the front is round like Toyota's." (LMAO) or
"You can clearly see that the tires on the car are Dunlops. Honda OEM tires are supplied by Michelin. Dunlop is the OEM tire for Toyota. That's the 2010 Prius."
*NOTE* The Civic Hybrid has Dunlops, also. Duh.
But my favorite is: "This car is just as ugly as the Prius, and like the Prius, looks a lot like the Chevy Citation, one of the uglier cars ever to be mass prooduced"
*OK that may be true, but the Prius' shape is one of the most aerodynamic shapes, so no doubt Honda would go in that design direction.*
One more thing: Why does it look like they're using a tiny version of Ford's 3 bar grill?
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Jorge 3:51PM (8/13/2008)
Should "watch these to tangle in the marketplace" be "watch these two tangle in the marketplace."?
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Epyx 3:59PM (8/13/2008)
Yes and to think English is your 2nd language.
gareth 4:00PM (8/13/2008)
Is that a Prius based mule with a random Honda/VW front bumper?
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Red 3:52PM (8/13/2008)
I read somewhere that Toyota was considering adding hybrid to the Scion line or a smaller Prius hybrid to combat this car? Is that confirmed? I wonder what Honda will do to deal with the Prius directly, because while this sounds like a Prius fighter, the second Prius is going to wind up (based on early speculation) a bit larger, which may appeal to people not looking to buy a small car, but thinking the next Prius is large enough for their needs. As we've seen in the last week, small car interest has gone down (sales still up 11%) and interest in small CUVs and SUVs have gone up a bit, according to Edmunds. The size could be this car's achilles heel in America, unfortunately.
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Zane 4:01PM (8/13/2008)
Why the eff can't Honda build a normal looking car? That shape makes me puke.
The Civics of the 90s had a low Cd and looked perfectly normal, so it's not as if Honda needs to hire some design engineers.
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LCN 4:16PM (8/13/2008)
The problem Honda has is that its current hybrid (the Civic Hybrid) is just about as good as the Prius, but because it looks just like the normal Civic is gets completely ignored in the media. Therefore they are giving it an unusual shape to develop an image like the Prius has.