Autoblog

Honda Fit overtakes Toyota Prius as best-selling vehicle in Japan

Autoblog Staff — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 07:58:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Japan, Hatchback, Honda, Toyota

European Honda Jazz/Fit Hybrid - Click above for high-res image gallery

The Toyota Prius is unquestionably the world's best-selling hybrid, and for the past 20 months Toyota's gas-electric has held the title of the top-selling automobile in Japan. Well, the fuel-sipping Prius has finally relinquished its perch atop the Japanese sales chart and the new champ is a pint-sized contender ready for the big leagues.

In January, the Honda Fit subcompact overtook the Toyota Prius, capturing the number one spot. Fit sales in Japan surged to 14,873 units in the first month of this year, a 14 percent increase over the sales it tallied in January 2010. In addition, nearly half of the 14,000-plus buyers opted for the Fit Hybrid. Part of the appeal of Honda's subcompact gas-electric lies in its ¥1.59 million ($19,331 U.S. at the current exchange rate) price tag, which is approximately $3,500 less than the Honda Insight and undercuts the Prius by a similar margin. Perhaps, as one analyst previously pointed out, it really is time for Toyota to consider a Prius price drop.

Gallery: European Honda Jazz Hybrid

[Source: Business Week]

Honda Fit overtakes Toyota Prius as best-selling vehicle in Japan originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda prices 2011 Fit Hybrid at $19,310; cheapest gas-electric in Japan

Autoblog Staff — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 14:27:00 EST

European 2011 Honda Jazz Hybrid - Click above for high-res image gallery

Despite the fact that Honda has no plans - at least not yet - to export its 2011 Honda Fit (Jazz) Hybrid to the U.S., we've still kept a close eye on the automaker's subcompact gas-electric. From the rumors that swirled around back in 2006 to its on-stage debut at the Paris Motor Show, we've never lost sight of the Fit Hybrid and its overall importance in the gas-electric segment. Now, as the vehicle launches in Japan, we're pleased to note that Reuters is reporting that Honda has kept its promise and priced the Fit Hybrid at a mere 1.59 million yen ($19,310 U.S. at current exchanges rate). This makes it the cheapest gas-electric car available in Japan.

Honda reports that pre-orders in Japan for the bargain-priced hybrid have reached nearly 10,000 units. Toppling the nation's best-seller, the Toyota Prius, though, will require even more consumer interest than that. Under Japanese testing methods, the Fit Hybrid receives a 70.6 mile-per-gallon fuel economy rating, equal to that of the company's Insight.

Gallery: European Honda Jazz Hybrid

[Source: Reuters]

Honda prices 2011 Fit Hybrid at $19,310; cheapest gas-electric in Japan originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 09 Oct 2010 14:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Paris 2010: 2011 Honda Fit (Jazz) Hybrid greens up the place [w/video]

Steven J. Ewing — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 09:28:00 EST

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

2011 Honda Fit (Jazz) Hybrid - Click above for high-res image gallery

Ever since Honda debuted the Fit hatchback, we've said that it would be a perfect vehicle to have a gasoline-electric hybrid variant. Honda didn't exactly hear us loud and clear, however. First, we got the Insight, which isn't all that great, and then came the CR-Z, which is a peculiar blend of sport and efficiency.

Other markets, however, will now get a hybrid version of the Honda Jazz, the Euro-spec Fit. It uses the same Integrated Motor Assist mild hybrid system as the Insight and CR-Z matched with a 1.3-liter gasoline engine. After making its world debut at the Paris Motor Show this week, the hybrid Jazz will go on sale in Europe in the early part of 2011.

Click through our high-res galleries of both live and stock shots of the Jazz Hybrid, and click past the jump to watch two videos of the green (literally) machine out on the road.

Gallery: Paris 2010: 2011 Honda Fit Hybrid

Gallery: European Honda Jazz Hybrid

Live photos copyright (C)2010 Chris Paukert / AOL

Continue reading Paris 2010: 2011 Honda Fit (Jazz) Hybrid greens up the place [w/video]

Paris 2010: 2011 Honda Fit (Jazz) Hybrid greens up the place [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 01 Oct 2010 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda releases more Fit Hybrid images, details

Jeff Glucker — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 08:59:00 EST

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

European Honda Jazz Hybrid - Click above for high-res image gallery

Honda has told us it will not be producing a Honda Fit Hybrid for the U.S. market, but it also once told us that there will be no Honda Jazz Hybrid. What you are looking at above is exactly that - an EU-market Honda Jazz with a gas-electric drivetrain. The new, more verdant model is set to make its world debut at the Paris Motor Show, and Honda has just released an expanded array of images and more details about the eco-minded hatch. While the Japanese automaker hasn't divulged the car's full specs, there are a few things we do know:

Interior space remains largely uncompromised, as the battery pack and other hybrid hardware is under the trunk floor.
The IMA mild hybrid motor and control systems are shared with the Insight and CR-Z.
Just like the Insight, the Jazz Hybrid utilizes a 1.3-liter gasoline engine under the hood.

The U.S. 2010 Honda Fit model is rated at 27 miles per gallon in the city and 34 mpg on the highway, and we expect the Fit Hybrid to push that urban rating up by more than a few notches. Sadly, this new model remains unlikely to make it to North American shores.

Gallery: European Honda Jazz Hybrid

[Source: Honda]

Continue reading Honda releases more Fit Hybrid images, details

Honda releases more Fit Hybrid images, details originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Sep 2010 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda Jazz Hybrid officially unveiled, not fit for U.S.

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 10:58:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Europe, Japan, Hatchback, Honda

European Honda Jazz Hybrid - Click above for high-res image gallery

The Japanese and European market Jazz Hybrid has been officially unveiled by Honda. The visual alterations from the standard model are slight, apparently down to tweaked bumpers and headlight glass and a unique Lime Green metallic color. The price premium, however, isn't. We're hearing a $4,700 premium over the standard Jazz. Still, that would be the low price baseline in the segment as far as hybrids are concerned in Japan.

The Jazz Hybrid features the same IMA hybrid drivetrain as the CR-Z and Insight, so don't expect Prius-slaying fuel economy numbers, though Honda claims they will be comparable to the smaller CR-Z.

Earlier this month Honda reiterated the fact that there were no U.S. plans for a Fit Hybrid. However, with the Insight and Civic Hybrid in obvious trouble, Honda devoted to hybrid powertrains and the Fit still a popular option on our shores, we wouldn't be surprised if that changed. After all, in December 2006 Honda said there wouldn't be a Fit Hybrid at all. The Fit Hybrid will make its formal debut at the Paris Motor Show next month, but you can have a look at it and the European Jazz Hybrid in the gallery of photos below.

Gallery: European Honda Jazz Hybrid

Gallery: JDM Honda Fit Hybrid Brochure

[Source: Honda, Carscoop]

Continue reading Honda Jazz Hybrid officially unveiled, not fit for U.S.

Honda Jazz Hybrid officially unveiled, not fit for U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 Aug 2010 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Honda Fit Hybrid to cost $18,600* in Japan

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 13:31:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Japan, Hatchback, Honda

Honda Fit Sport - Click above for high-res image gallery

Honda is finally set to launch the Fit hybrid in Japan this October and pricing is rumored to start at ¥1.59 million or about $18,600 at current exchange rates. That's a $4,700 premium over a standard gasoline powered Fit in Japan, but $3,500 less than the Insight, which makes it the cheapest hybrid available across the Pacific.

The Insight and Fit are built on the same platform, so the five-door Fit will likely use the same 1.3-liter mild-hybrid powertrain as its sibling. When we reviewed the Insight last year we concluded that its packaging sacrifices weren't really worth the price premium over the Fit. If the Fit hybrid were offered here, the starting price would likely be somewhere around $18,000 based on the current prices of the Fit and Insight. We checked with Honda officials and they still have no plans to offer the Fit hybrid in the United States.

Gallery: First Drive: 2009 Honda Fit Sport

[Source: Reuters]

Report: Honda Fit Hybrid to cost $18,600* in Japan originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Aug 2010 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda: Insight "too small" and likely to miss sales targets, Fit Hybrid a 'struggle'

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 14:32:00 EST

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

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

Honda Executive Vice President Koichi Kondo doesn't seem to think that the automaker will hit its worldwide sales goal of 200,000 Insight hybrids in its first year on the market. Why? In an interview with Bloomberg, Kondo is quoted as saying "I think we compromised too much on size in pursuing fuel efficiency" for the U.S. market, he said.

In total, Honda sold 130,445 units of its Insight worldwide in 2009. The car was first introduced in Japan in February and then in the U.S. in March. In the States, the car's second-largest market, Honda sold just 20,572 units in 2009 - a far cry from the 90,000 it hoped to sell here in the first year.

Further, in reference to the long-expected Honda Fit Hybrid, Kondo said:

There are plenty of people who think that the current Fit meets their needs already [when it comes to fuel efficiency]... a hybrid version might seem expensive. Our engineers are really struggling.

It remains to be seen whether the upcoming CR-Z can bolster Honda's sketchy hybrid positioning.

Gallery: 2010 Honda Insight

[Source: Bloomberg]

Honda: Insight "too small" and likely to miss sales targets, Fit Hybrid a 'struggle' originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BREAKING: Honda confirms production of CR-Z, Fit Hybrid in 2010

Damon Lavrinc — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 08:58:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Green, Japan, Tokyo Motor Show, Hatchback, Honda

Honda CR-Z Concept - Click above for a high-res image gallery

Honda has confirmed what's been suspected for some time: the Honda CR-Z is coming next year and the Fit Hybrid will be released in late 2010.

The brief press release (below the fold) touts the two hybrids as the latest expansion of the automaker's Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) system, along with its focus on highly efficient, lightweight and compact conveyances.

The CR-Z, a sporty hybrid inspired by the CRX and unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2007, will go on sale in Japan this February, with the Fit Hybrid hitting shores across the Pacific later next year. Honda hasn't explicitly announced whether the two models will be available in the States, but we'd expect a formal announcement when the production CR-Z and Fit Hybrid debut at the Tokyo Motor Show this October.

Gallery: Honda CR-Z Concept

Continue reading BREAKING: Honda confirms production of CR-Z, Fit Hybrid in 2010

BREAKING: Honda confirms production of CR-Z, Fit Hybrid in 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Jul 2009 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Honda Fit Hybrid coming in fall 2010

Damon Lavrinc — Wed, 27 May 2009 13:33:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Green, Japan, Honda

2009 Honda Fit - Click above for a high-res image gallery

According to a report from Japan's Nikkei business daily, Honda plans to finally bring a gas-electric hybrid version of the Fit to market by the end of next year. The Fit Hybrid's arrival - a year and a half ahead of scheduled - is one part of a three-pronged approach to introduce more gas-electric models into the automaker's line-up. The initial step was the release of the 2010 Honda Insight, which will be followed by the debut of the production CR-Z later this year at the Tokyo Motor Show, and could be joined by an all-new Civic Hybrid. Rumors have swirled for months that Honda plans to bring another hybrid model to their home-town show stand, and with an on-sale date of fall 2010, the Fit Hybrid could be what all the fuss is about. However, we've been seeing reports about the gas-electric Fit's imminent arrival since 2006, so until it rolls onto the floor in Tokyo and U.S. distribution is confirmed, hold off on putting deposits at your local dealer.

Gallery: 2009 Honda Fit

[Source: Nikkei via Reuters]

REPORT: Honda Fit Hybrid coming in fall 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 May 2009 13:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda offers new details on Prius-fighting hybrid

John Neff — Wed, 21 May 2008 11:56:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Green, 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]

Continue reading Honda offers new details on Prius-fighting hybrid

Honda offers new details on Prius-fighting hybrid originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 May 2008 11:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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