Autoblog

It's the impending debut of the all-new Prius-assaulting Insight hybrid that's got our hearts all aflutter over Honda's booth at the upcoming Paris Motor Show, but that's not all the automaker will be bringing with it to the City of Lights. Along with the new dedicated hybrid we'll see the latest version of its older and somewhat less interesting brother, the Civic Hybrid, that along with the rest of the Civic line for '09, gets a small bit of freshening for the new model year. We do like the looks of the new front-end, but besides that, there's not much to see here... and so we move along to the CR-Z hybrid coupe that Honda's been showing off since Tokyo. Big H's other stab at saving the world runs on hydrogen, the FCX Clarity. Despite the fact that nobody in Europe will be able to buy it, it'll be there with bells on.

Honda will also use the Paris Motor Show to introduce the Continent to its new-for-'09 Jazz, known to us Yanks as the Fit. Something else that should be of interest to the Europeans is Honda's first automatic gearbox for its ubiquitous 2.2-liter diesel engine, dubbed the i-DTEC, which rounds out the new stuff that Honda has to show in Paris.

[Source: Honda]

Much has already been written about Honda's plan to introduce a fleet of new hybrid models to take on Toyota's dominance in the segment. It's strategy includes a new dedicated hybrid model, a sporty hybrid based on the CR-Z concept, and hybridized versions of the Civic and Fit. Yesterday Honda's President, Takeo Fukui, revealed more information about that dedicated hybrid that's destined to take on the Toyota Prius in the global marketplace. While an official name and specific details will come later this year, Fukui did say that it will be a five-door hatchback (like the Prius) and seat five people. It's styling will be inspired by the FCX Clarity fuel-cell vehicle, so expect a clean shape that's slippery through the wind. It will be produced in Japan alongside the Civic Hybrid at Honda's Suzuka factory, and the automaker expects to sell about 200,000 per year around the world, with 100,000 earmarked for North American markets. Honda also claims it has found new ways to reduce weight in the car and also lower the cost of its Integrated Motor Assist technology, though we don't expect any of these hybrids to be full parallel hybrids like the Prius, i.e. able to run on electricity alone.

Altogether, Honda hopes its four new hybrid models will reach global sales of 500,000 per year shortly after they're all on the market around 2010. Bully for them, but Toyota's already said that it will be selling a million hybrids annually by that time. Game on, people. Check out the official line from Honda PR after the jump.

[Source: Honda]

Hybrid folks, supposedly kinder and gentler people -- at least, to the Earth -- have been calling each other out like crazy lately. Next in line for the slamfest is Honda, making fun of the Toyota Prius "Yes" commercial. The Civic Hybrid "No" commercial argues, among other things, that just because you want to help the planet doesn't mean you have to drive a car that looks like a "wedge of cheese." BURN!!! However, the commercial is for the Honda dealers of Northern California, so it might not be the official company line.

Follow the jump to check out the video.

[Source: eGM Car Tech]

We knew Honda was capable of a lot, but we'd have never guessed that they'd start producing livestock. The bodacious bovine pictured above (no, the one on the left...sheesh) is a UK-market Civic Hybrid named Clover. It'll be on display at this weekend's Fruitstock festival in London, an event staged by beverage maker innocent to raise money for WellChild, a British charity.

Clover and another Civic Hybrid will be on hand to teach attendees about hybrid cars. According to Honda research, 75% of people don't know how they work, and 50% aren't familiar with them at all, hence the need to set up a hybrid educational display. After Fruitstock, innocent will take custody of Clover for one year, during which the company will use her to promote cleaner cars.

In addition to this weekend's hybrid awareness campaign, Honda UK also announced that it's introducing a program to offset carbon emissions produced by Civic Hybrid buyers who are waiting for their new cars to be delivered. To accomplish this, Honda is working through The CarbonNeutral Company and investing in wind power and forestry projects.

(Additional photos, press releases after the jump)

[Source: Honda UK]

Honda is calling back some 423,344 vehicles in its home market of Japan over faulty key interlocks which allow keys to be removed from the ignition when the gearshift is in positions other than 'park.' The problem affects a total of nine models, including the Fit, Stream, Civic and Civic Hybrid, CR-V, Mobilio, Integra. and Step WGN. Regardless of the model, all vehicles affected date from between April of 2001 and March of 2002, and all are packing automatic transmissions.

[Source: Sydney Morning Herald; Honda]

Guess what happens to fit perfectly between the front wheels of a Honda Fit... the Honda Insight's hybrid powertrain. The distance between the front wheel hubs of both vehicles is identical, and a Honda insider confirmed to Bradley Berman of HybridCars.com that the Fit will arrive in 2007 with the Insight's hybrid drivetrain and the ability to achieve fuel economy in the low to mid-50 mpg range.

This is huge news as the Insight, which sells less than 100 units every month, has always been hampered for being an impractical two-seater. It soldiers on soley for the fact it allows Honda to maintain bragging rights for selling the most fuel-efficient vehicle in the U.S.

With 90 cubic feet of passenger volume and 21.3 cubic feet of cargo capacity, the Fit Hybrid will be as practical and fuel-efficient as a Toyota Prius, but will likely cost between $15,000 and $17,000, substantially less than the Prius and even Honda's own Civic Hybrid.

[Source: HybridCars.com via TreeHugger.com]