I normally agree with Dallas Morning Snooze auto writer Terry Box about once in a brilliant Republican idea, especially because he seems to have a quasi-paranoid animus against hybrids, but, his Honda Insight 2.0 review looks like it’s dead on the money.
In exchange for making the new version of the Insight cheaper than the Prius 2.0, let alone the Prius 3.0 that’s on its way to the U.S. after a smash opening in Japan, Honda did a couple of things. One, they used a simplified, even dumbed-down version of the full-blown hybrid drive that something like a Prius has. In pre-release hype, Honda claimed it was still something competitive with the Prius in this area. Wrong.
The fact that the Insight 2.0 gets better highway than city gas mileage makes clear this baby isn’t a “full” hybrid at all. Plus, and even worse from a marketing standpoint, Box says from a dead stop, the hybrid system is rough to engage.
And, it gets much of its gas mileage from being more underpowered than the Prius 2.0, let alone the 3.0. Read the full review for details; when it’s time to buy my next vehicle, I’ll look for a used late-generation Prius 2.0 over this.
Showing posts with label Honda Insight. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Honda Insight. Show all posts
July 12, 2009
March 21, 2009
Move over, Prius
That beep-beep you hear in your rearview mirror is the new Honda Insight 2.0 blurring past you in Japanese auto sales. The new Insight, due for American sales rollout Tuesday, could well do the same here.
It’s priced less than $20K, below the current Prius 2.0 and surely below whatever Prius 3.0 will hit market at. Honda does this by simplifying its hybrid drive, vis-à-vis the Prius, and by building the new Insight as essentially a Honda vehicle, and not something new from the ground up.
That said, the simpler technology sacrifices about 2mpg on the highway to the Prius 2.0 and about 4, it’s expected, to Prius 3.0. it will also give up room to the third-gen Prius.
BUT, gas prices are low enough right now a couple of mpg within the hybrid world won’t matter for the price tag.
Toyota knows that, itself, and is supposedly bringing out a lower-priced hybrid in response.
Meanwhile, both companies continue work on lithium-ion batteries.
And the Chevy Volt? Maybe it will stick its nose out of a garage sometime before the end of the year, see its shadow,and go into permanent hibernation.
I agree with the analysis part of the story. All-electric cars are probably as dead as a doorknob for the foreseeable future. Once again, GM will strike out.
And not just GM. Euro carmakers are also way behind the curve on hybrids. Honda has done more look at passenger diesels than has Toyota. If it can drop a diesel Insight on Germany, boom, it gets a definite Euro foothold.
It’s priced less than $20K, below the current Prius 2.0 and surely below whatever Prius 3.0 will hit market at. Honda does this by simplifying its hybrid drive, vis-à-vis the Prius, and by building the new Insight as essentially a Honda vehicle, and not something new from the ground up.
That said, the simpler technology sacrifices about 2mpg on the highway to the Prius 2.0 and about 4, it’s expected, to Prius 3.0. it will also give up room to the third-gen Prius.
BUT, gas prices are low enough right now a couple of mpg within the hybrid world won’t matter for the price tag.
Toyota knows that, itself, and is supposedly bringing out a lower-priced hybrid in response.
Meanwhile, both companies continue work on lithium-ion batteries.
And the Chevy Volt? Maybe it will stick its nose out of a garage sometime before the end of the year, see its shadow,and go into permanent hibernation.
I agree with the analysis part of the story. All-electric cars are probably as dead as a doorknob for the foreseeable future. Once again, GM will strike out.
And not just GM. Euro carmakers are also way behind the curve on hybrids. Honda has done more look at passenger diesels than has Toyota. If it can drop a diesel Insight on Germany, boom, it gets a definite Euro foothold.
September 15, 2008
Dallas Morning News autowriter now GM fluffer
In the Sunday business section of The (Fast Hemorrhaging) Dallas Morning News, auto writer Terry Box goes into full fluff mode about GM’s 100th anniversary, coming up on Tuesday, and the tie-in with GM’s plant in Arllington (home of sucker citizens and rich sports team owners).
Among the fluffery from Box, who regularly bashes hybrids as “underpowered” in his Automotive section scrivenings, is this:
Beyond fluffing GM for the number of light, and not true, hybrids it builds, Box worships at the ethanol-guzzling god of flex fuels and is, per CCR, “blinded by the Volt.”
That got this response from me:
And, sayonara to the idea of an insightful auto writer.
Among the fluffery from Box, who regularly bashes hybrids as “underpowered” in his Automotive section scrivenings, is this:
In addition, GM offers hybrid versions of several of its SUVs, its full-size pickups and the Malibu. While continuing to develop fuel-cell vehicles — a small fleet of which are already on the road — GM expects to bring the Chevy Volt to market by 2010. The Volt's electric motor can go 40 miles before it needs a recharge from its small on-board auxiliary gas engine.
Beyond fluffing GM for the number of light, and not true, hybrids it builds, Box worships at the ethanol-guzzling god of flex fuels and is, per CCR, “blinded by the Volt.”
That got this response from me:
In the Automotive section, you have no power bashing hybrids for being underpowered. Then, you fluff GM for all the hybrids it builds …
While completing the hypocrisy trifecta for not reporting that most of them are “light” hybrids that don’t offer that great of gas savings, just an investment in, ahem “greenwash,” which seems to have returned a good dividend.
As for Volt? It’s going to get its ass kicked.
First, I think Toyota’s right that most people won’t pay for a plug-in hybrid’s cost.
Second, in case Toyota’s wrong on that count, its plug-in version of the Prius is expected to release before the Volt.
Third, the Honda Insight, version 2.0, will release later this year at $19K
Sayonara, GM.
And, sayonara to the idea of an insightful auto writer.
September 07, 2008
It’s the return of the Honda Insight!
Chevy Volt and Rick Wagoner, prepare for an even bigger ass-kicking at $18K
Honda is officially unveiling its new, quite Prius-like hybrid at the Paris Auto Show next month.
I actually think the front end looks snazzier than the Prius, to be honest.
That said, what is NOT Prius-like is the low price.
Insight 2.0 is expected to have a base price of just $18,500, well below Toyota.
Wow. (Honda says its Integrated Motor Assist hybrid technology is what has allowed the price savings.)
As for the “Prius” look, the new Insight is actually based on Honda’s own FCX Clarity. And, it trumps Prius in another way; Honda will offer both two-door and four-door models.
GM, you can tout your plug-in Volt all you want. I’m going to assume you can’t price it less than $30K, though, and you’re going to get your corporate ass handed to you in CEO Rick Wagoner’s still-deluded hat.
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