Autoblog

2010 Green Car of the Year finalists announced, diesels vs. hybrids

Sebastian Blanco — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:58:00 EST

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Hybrid, Diesel

Last year, Volkswagen's new Jetta TDI was named the 2009 Green Car of the Year at the LA Auto Show, which means that the Volkswagen Golf TDI has a bit of baggage if it wants to win the 2010 award. Regardless, the Golf was named one of five finalists today, along with the Audi A3 TDI, the Honda Insight, the Mercury Milan Hybrid and the Toyota Prius. Odd that the Mercury would be chosen above the Ford Fusion Hybrid, but so it goes. That makes it two diesels and three hybrids vying for top spot.

The Green Car of the Year award is given out by Green Car Journal, which narrows the field of green cars down to five and then turns over picking the winner to "jurors such as Jay Leno, Jean-Michel Cousteau, Carroll Shelby, Matt Petersen of Global Green USA and the Sierra Club's Carl Pop." The winner will be announced in LA on December 3, so stay tuned.

Gallery: 2010 Green Car of the Year Finalists

[Source: Green Car Journal]

Continue reading 2010 Green Car of the Year finalists announced, diesels vs. hybrids

2010 Green Car of the Year finalists announced, diesels vs. hybrids originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exclusive Zeus gets down with Honda's new Insight

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 19:01:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Hybrid, Hatchback, Honda

Exclusive Zeus Honda Insight -- Click above for image gallery

Japanese tuner Exclusive Zeus has done a job on the Honda Insight, so that now you can be green and still be a badass. Part of the company's GLMRS Line, the kit consists of front and rear spoilers, grille, and side skirts fabricated in aluminum - but you'll have to take care of the wheels and lowering on your own time. You can buy the pieces individually or get the whole bunch for ￥134,400 ($1,418 U.S.) unpainted, or ￥207,900 ($2,194 U.S.) painted to match your car. We're not sure about those wheels, but Zeusified Insight definitely has a certain "angry vacuum cleaner" quality going for it.

Gallery: Zeus Honda Insight

[Source: Zeus]

Exclusive Zeus gets down with Honda's new Insight originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Aug 2009 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: 2010 Honda Insight EX, familiarity breeds discontent

Sam Abuelsamid — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: In the Autoblog Garage, Hybrid, Green, Hatchback, Honda, Reviews

2010 Honda Insight EX - Click above for high-res image gallery

First impressions can be problematic, even more so when reviewing a vehicle. When the media gets its first shot at a new offering, the automaker typically invites journalists to a location of its choosing to drive under conditions that show the car in its best light. Such was the case with the 2010 Honda Insight. After our First Drive, we came away with the impression that Honda's hot new hybrid was an engaging alternative to the Toyota Prius, but we quickly came to realize the Insight's limitations and flaws after a week behind the wheel on our home turf.

Get our real-world impressions after the jump.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Honda Insight EX

Continue reading Review: 2010 Honda Insight EX, familiarity breeds discontent

Review: 2010 Honda Insight EX, familiarity breeds discontent originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda likely to miss U.S. sales targets for Insight?

Chris Shunk — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:29:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Budget, Hybrid, Green, Hatchback, Honda

2010 Honda Insight - Click above for high-res image gallery

We had to wait years for someone to give us a hybrid-only alternative to the Toyota Prius, and Honda finally gave us some choice with born-again Honda Insight. Initial interest in the under $20,000 40+ mpg vehicle has been high, but it's not necessarily translating into as many sales as the automaker would like. Honda was initially hoping for 90,000 sales in North America in its first year, but it looks like the Japanese automaker may not hit its sales goal. American Honda Vice President John Mendel has reportedly told Bloomberg that the Insight isn't going to hit 90,000 units, but that the company "will be just fine" with 50,000 to 60,000 sales. Honda expects global sales of the Insight to hit 200,000 units, and it was hoping for about half of that volume to come from North America.

The revised sales forecast comes as Honda is keeping more Insight units in Japan due to brisk demand and unfavorable exchange rates in the States. Lower gas prices are also likely to be hurting sales of Honda's new hybrid, though the price of petrol has been steadily heading north over the past few weeks. The economic recession is also likely hurting Insight sales, as U.S. sales for almost everything with four wheels has been very poor so far in 2009.

Gallery: 2010 Honda Insight

[Source: Reuters]

Honda likely to miss U.S. sales targets for Insight? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda celebrates Earth Day by giving away a 2010 Insight

Frank Filipponio — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:17:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Green, Marketing/Advertising, Honda, Lifestyle

Click above for our gallery from the Earth Day Honda Insight event at the Honda Center

What better way to spend Earth Day than with Wild Wing and the new Honda Insight. Wild Wing, as you might know, is the mascot for the Ducks of Anaheim, the Southern California hockey team that plays in the Honda Center. Get the connection now? To help introduce its new hybrid to the public, Honda chose Earth Day to throw a little coming out party at the Honda Center, complete with food, games and prizes. They even set up one part of the parking lot for demonstration drives.

When we first got there we thought we might have been in the wrong place. There were about a dozen Insights lined in a row, but they were the last generation two-seaters. It seems the best place to look for prospects is among owners. After checking out the old ones, we decided to sample the new one. We took a spin around the cones, trying out the ECO mode and paddle shifters along the way. The car is really pretty normal once you get used to the CVT, gauges and teardrop shape. The drive was short but confirmed the car feels like a Honda, with a bunch of tech thrown in. It was a fun event that wasn't very well publicized so the odds of winning a new Insight were really good.

Gallery: Earth Day at the Honda Center

Honda celebrates Earth Day by giving away a 2010 Insight originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Nissan has no plans to introduce gas-electric Toyota Prius/Honda Insight competitor

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Hybrid, Green, Hatchback, Nissan

Nissan EV-02 - Click above for a high-res image gallery

As you read this, Japanese rivals Toyota and Honda are in the midst of a knock-down, drag-out fight for global hybrid supremacy with their two latest gas-electrics, the standard-bearing 2010 Prius and the revived-for-2010 Insight, respectively. Might Nissan, Japan's other major automaker, get involved in the fuel-saving games?

Not exactly. According to Senior Vice President Andy Palmer, Nissan would rather stick to fully electric vehicles and is content to let other automakers battle it out on the hybrid front, at least on the smaller end of the spectrum. As quoted in Automotive News, Palmer says: "We think it's a more persuasive technology... that's where we're directing our efforts. In the small cars, it's clear we're going to make the EV happen." Nissan does offer a hybrid version of its Altima sedan, but the technology is licensed from Toyota.

Nissan and corporate partner Renault have announced aggressive plans to launch small electric vehicles starting in 2010 and in a slew of countries, including the United Kingdom, United States, Monaco, Ireland, Switzerlan d and China. According to Nissan's plan, these EVs will be priced to compete with mainstream vehicles like the company's own Altima and the Toyota Camry.

Gallery: Nissan EV

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

REPORT: Nissan has no plans to introduce gas-electric Toyota Prius/Honda Insight competitor originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota reportedly expects 40,000 pre-orders for new Prius

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:29:00 EST

Filed under: Trends, Hybrid, Green, Toyota

2010 Toyota Prius - Click above for a high-res image gallery

The well-publicized battle for hybrid sales supremacy between Honda and Toyota has taken yet another intriguing turn. According to Japan's Nikkei newspaper, Toyota is saying that it expects to take 40,000 preorders in Japan for its new 2010 Prius hybrid ahead of its official rollout in May. For the sake of comparison, the Japanese automaker sold a total of 73,100 Prius hybrids in all of 2008.

More importantly, rival automaker Honda managed to sell about 18,000 copies of its latest Insight hybrid in its first month on sale. By all accounts, Honda was delighted to move that many Insights - the automaker had predicted that it would only sell about 5,000 units for the first month the hybrid was available in Japan.

A few months ago, Honda made a big splash by pricing the smaller, slightly less fuel efficient Insight a few million yen (or a few thousand dollars) below the starting price of the standard-setting Prius. In response, Toyota announced it would keep the previous generation Prius around for at least another year and dropped that model's price to match the Insight.

But that wasn't enough for Toyota - earlier this month, the automaker set the starting price for the new 2010 model at 2.05 million yen ($20,750), which is just about the same as the mid-level Insight. The next chapter: U.S. pricing for the 2010 Prius has yet to be announced. Let the games continue.

Gallery: 2010 Toyota Prius - First Drive

[Source: Reuters]

Toyota reportedly expects 40,000 pre-orders for new Prius originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda CEO says Insight price won't be reduced further

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Budget, Hybrid, Green, Hatchback, Honda, Toyota

2010 Honda Insight - click above for a high-res gallery

Honda's new Insight went on sale in hits homeland about a week ago, and already it's under attack. Before it hit the market, there were rumors that it would be much cheaper than the Toyota Prius. Toyota, however, has other ideas. The Insight is 1.89 million yen ($18,853 USD) in Japan, which is the same price as the current Prius. Toyota then priced the coming third generation Prius at 2.05 million yen ($20,437 USD) to keep it close to the Insight. Then Toyota said it would keep the second-generation Prius on sale in Japan, and there have been rumors that Toyota is also working on a cheaper Prius costing around 30% less than the current one. That would pit three Prius models against one Insight, all similarly priced.

In response, Honda CEO Takeo Fukui said Honda will not lower the price of the Insight. Said Fukui, "I think that is something we can't do right now. We have to carefully examine the new Prius to know whether it is necessary for us to take certain measures. We have to think about the balance between cost and effectiveness." If Toyota does come out with three Japan-market Priuses, Honda will be thinking long and hard about those issues.

Unlike Toyota, though, Honda does have the CR-Z hybrid coming, which could give Honda some sporting hybrid credentials that Toyota doesn't yet have. Honda also said it is expanding its research and hybrid push into large sedans instead of counting on clean diesels for its bigger cars. Fukui feels that clean diesels are too expensive to develop be practical.

Gallery: ABG First Drive: 2010 Honda Insight

[Source: Automotive News, sub req'd]

Honda CEO says Insight price won't be reduced further originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Apr 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Honda builds giant LED display out of Insights for commercial

John Neff — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:58:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Honda

Click above to watch commercial after the jump

The new Honda Insight, while not technically a full parallel hybrid like the Prius (it can cruise on electric power alone but not accelerate), will nevertheless be cross shopped heavily with the heavy weight from Toyota. The Insight's main selling point is its price, which starts under $20,000, but you wouldn't know that from Honda's first Insight ad.

The commercial, called 'Let it Shine', was created by the Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam and uses a bank of Insights parked in a grid near the mountains as pixels in a giant LED-like display. When the sun goes down, the headlights begin flickering on and off to create a cutesy animation to the tune of "This Little Light of Mine".

It's the same kind of creative marketing we've come to expect from Honda, which scored its biggest commercial hit with a Honda Accord commercial that showed a Rube Goldberg-like machine created entirely out of car parts. The Insight commercial won't actually air in the U.S., so you're best chance to see it is after the jump. We've also included a Making Of video that shows just how difficult it was to produce.

[Source: Honda]

Continue reading VIDEO: Honda builds giant LED display out of Insights for commercial

VIDEO: Honda builds giant LED display out of Insights for commercial originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ABG First Drive: 2010 Honda Insight, 63.4 mpg!

Sam Abuelsamid — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Hybrid, Green, Hatchback, Honda, First Drive

Click above for high-res image gallery of the 2010 Honda Insight

2009 is shaping up to be a big year for hybrids as Ford launches the Fusion and Milan hybrids, Toyota brings us the third generation Prius and the new Lexus HS250h and Honda revives the Insight brand. The original Insight was the first hybrid to make it to the US market but it was never very commercially successful. Honda only managed to sell about 18,000 Insights worldwide over 6 years. The new Insight is a whole different story.

This time around, Honda has created a five seat hatchback that it says will be the most affordable hybrid in the world. Honda is targeting world wide sales of 200,000 Insights a year with half of those going to North America. AutoblogGreen spent a day driving the new Insight in and around Carefree AZ just before the holidays. Unlike the Prius which is efficient but has never been particularly appealing to drive, the Insight makes good use of its Fit based chassis for fun steering and handling and still manages to get outstanding fuel efficiency. ABG managed to achieve an average 63.4 mpg on an efficiency drive and 44 mpg on a mountain road pleasure drive. Read all about the new Insight at AutoblogGreen.

Gallery: ABG First Drive: 2010 Honda Insight

Gallery: 2010 Honda Insight

Live Photos Copyright (C)2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: AutoblogGreen]

ABG First Drive: 2010 Honda Insight, 63.4 mpg! originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 11 Jan 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Leakage: Euro-spec 2009 Honda Insight

Damon Lavrinc — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 19:01:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Hybrid, Europe, Green, Honda

Click above for a gallery of the Euro-spec 2009 Honda Insight

We're still six days away from the official unveiling of the 2009 Honda Insight at the Detroit Auto Show, but the crew at Carscoop just couldn't wait to release images of the European-spec hybrid ahead of its debut.

The Euro model shown here won't differ too much from the U.S. version, but the stylistic differences between the production version and its conceptual predecessor are obvious at first glance. As we've seen before, the front fascia carries over largely unchanged, although the technorific LED headlamps, deeply recessed fog lamps/air intakes and gaudy brightwork are all left on the designer's desk. The side mirrors have grown in proportion to the door handles, and the C-pillar is noticeably thicker than the concept that bowed in Paris. The rear has also been smoothed over, with the Prius-esque (or is that CRX-inspired?) hatch losing a bit of glass, along with the contoured cut-out for the license plate, which is now mounted lower on the bumper, with a prominent "H" badge floating on a body-colored panel.

Although the interior hasn't been revealed in full, we get a brief glimpse of the central-mounted tach, "eco" gauges and second tier speedo, which benefits from a backlight that transitions from green to blue when the driver mashes the accelerator and unleashes the full fury of the small-displacement engine through the CVT gearbox.

Sales will begin in the U.S. and abroad this spring, with a starting price rumored to hover around $20,000.

Gallery: 2009 Honda Insight (Euro)

[Source: Carscoop]

Leakage: Euro-spec 2009 Honda Insight originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Leakage: Honda Insight coming to Japan with Sporty Modulo trim

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 10:28:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Hybrid, Green, Honda

Click above for more shots of the leaked 2009 Honda Insight brochure

As is so often the case these days, some early details regarding Honda's upcoming Prius-fighter have leaked out before the hybrid's official unveiling at the Detroit Auto Show. Included among the surprises is a Modulo-trimmed Insight featuring a full set of body mods from Honda's accessory catalog in Japan. We can't be sure if any of those bits will come Stateside (we're not betting on it), but it wouldn't be surprising if we got three trim levels similar to what's slated to be available in Honda's home market of Japan. We could get a base DX trim along with an up-level LX edition and a sportier EX model with such tasty bits as a paddle-shifted CVT automatic transmission and navigation system with 7-inch screen.

With just 88 horses underhood along with an additional 14 from the hybrid's electric motor, don't expect the Insight to be a tire scorching performer, as its true calling with be in delivering the best fuel economy possible. In Japanese testing, the Insight has scored over 70 miles-per-gallon, which may be lower than what the Prius was able to register, but the Insight is also expected to cost several thousand dollars less than its rival.

Gallery: 2009 Honda Insight leaked JDM brochure

[Sources: Temple of VTec, Insightman via Carscoop]

Leakage: Honda Insight coming to Japan with Sporty Modulo trim originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 29 Dec 2008 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Paris 2008: Honda Insight LIVE REVEAL

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 04:53:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Green, Paris Motor Show, Hatchback, Honda

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Honda Insight

The Honda Insight concept took a hushed bow under the lights of Paris today. It's Prius-esque, but in person the car is less evocative of its Toyota challenger. The Insight's width and rather low height give it a substantial presence, and there's a bit of attitude out back with the hatch sliding into a flick of a tail. We imagine some of the more complex elements, such as the headlights reminiscent of shards from Superman's home planet of Krypton, will not make it to production. We hope the interior, however, is left untouched -- it is just the right blend of tech and common currency. The production version will be introduced to the public at the Detroit Auto Show in January and pricing is rumored to be just under $19,000 when it goes on sale. In the mean time, enjoy the gallery of high-res photos below, and check out the press release after the jump.

Gallery: Honda Insight LIVE

Gallery: Honda Insight Concept

Continue reading Paris 2008: Honda Insight LIVE REVEAL

Paris 2008: Honda Insight LIVE REVEAL originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Oct 2008 04:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Prius fighter: Honda reveals details about new global hybrid

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 11:01:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Green, Paris Motor Show, Honda

Click on the image for more shots of the Honda FCX Clarity

Honda's upcoming dedicated hybrid model is expected to debut at the 2008 Paris Motor Show, and a recent interview with Honda CEO Takeo Fukui revealed that the car will look similar to its hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, the FCX Clarity. Although many upcoming hybrid models use lithium ion batteries (including the Chevy Volt and Honda's own FCX), Honda plans to stick with the tried-and-true nickel metal hydride technology for its new machine along with an engine derived from the Civic's, though smaller, lighter and with newly programmed electronics. Also like the Civic and Accord, the new hybrid model will use the same nameplate the world over; what that nameplate will be remains a mystery. Insight, anyone?

Expected to be priced below the Civic Hybrid, Honda hopes to sell 200,000 of its new hybrid model per year. We expect that the new machine will start an epic battle between Honda and Toyota for supremacy in the entry-level hybrid market, much as they already duke it out in the midsize sedan range with the Accord and Camry. Consumers only stand to benefit from the competition, so we look forward to more information as it becomes available.

Gallery: LA 2007: 2009 Honda FCX Clarity

[Sources: Hybrid Cars, Automotive News (sub. req'd), AutoblogGreen]

Prius fighter: Honda reveals details about new global hybrid originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 29 Mar 2008 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Prediction: US auto market grows, Big 3 market share shrinks

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 29 May 2007 11:06:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Chrysler, Ford, GM

According to Global Insight, the US auto market will grow next year. From 16.2 million cars sold in 2007, the mark will reach 17 million by 2010 and 17.7 million by 2012. Imports will move 4.4 million units that year, up from 3.7 million now.

But by saying that The Big Three have "have lost the baby boomers," Insight predicts five straight years of declining market share for the American makers, eventually losing seven percentage points by 2012. And before they can think about getting that back, they'll have Chinese imports to worry about. With oil expected to remain above $60 per barrel, and competition coming from all sides, the Detroit boys and girls have their work cut out for them. But we would think that a Volt here, a Jeep JT and awesome 300 replacement there, and some of Ford's brilliant Euro product brought over here, could begin to stem the tide... no?

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

Prediction: US auto market grows, Big 3 market share shrinks originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 May 2007 11:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Prius hits 500,000 mark

Erin Mays — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 09:55:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Green, Toyota

Normally, Toyota wouldn't be thrilled taking nine years to move 500,000 of one of its models globally, but it seems to be making an exception for the Prius -- the company is ecstatic about that timeline concerning its halo hybrid. According to the automaker, 504,700 Priuses were sold cumulatively by the end of April, making up the lion's share of the over 600,000 hybrid vehicles Toyota has sold so far. Honda Motor Company hasn't even come close, having sold just over 150,000 units cumulatively. Toyota attributes its success to the redesign of the Prius in 2003 to include that gave the car better mileage and a more "normal" look. Surging gas prices over the past few years didn't hurt, either.

[Source: Reuters via Automotive News]

Prius hits 500,000 mark originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Jun 2006 09:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda considering cutting Accord hybrid production

Joel Arellano — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 17:05:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Trends, Hybrid, Sedan, Green, Plants/Manufacturing, Honda

According to Dick Colliver, executive vice president of Honda, the automaker may dial back production of its mid-sized Accord hybrid later this year, due to slow sales. He has declined to give specific figures.

Reportedly, Colliver believes the reason for low consumer interest in the model could lie with the fact that it pairs its electric power with a larger six-cylinder powerplant. The executive believes that buyers may feel that such a package doesn't optimize fuel economy in the same way as a smaller four-cylinder hybrid might. Colliver notes that sales of the hybrid Civic remain strong as proof of this. Even the Insight, Honda's smallest hybrid, enjoyed a sales increase of 15 percent last year.

What do you think... why are consumers souring on the Accord Hybrid? Speak your mind in the 'comments.'

[Source: Associated Press via Detroit Free Press]

Honda considering cutting Accord hybrid production originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 14 Apr 2006 17:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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