Hybrid Cars: Checking Out the New Honda Insight
Posted: Tuesday, January 13, 2009
by Joel Hendon
http://hebronics.org/index.html
There is much ado about alternative energy for automobiles and also about the hybrid cars. Those that use an electric motor and assisted by a gasoline engine. One of the reasons the American automakers are now in such a poor condition is their lack of foresight and ingenuity. General Motors is now producing a hybrid model, the Chevy Volt, which seems to have potential but will not be in full production until at least later this year and will be a 2010 model.
So, Honda has now developed and will produce for 2010, the new Insight, which seats 4 comfortably and has 5 doors. It's appearance and size is similar to the Prius but it is reportedly a few thousand dollars cheaper at about $20,000. The new Insight cannot start from a full stop without help from the gasoline engine but it kicks out a low speed and is only used when needed. It does kick in to reach it's top speed of 85 mph. (tan Pirus and blue Insight)
The question normally arises as to how the Insight and the Prius compare in terms of gas mileage. Actually there is very little difference and the stats are a little confusing. According to the Environmental Protection Agency testing, The Prius got 48 mpg in the city and 45 on the highway, whereas the Insight showed 40 in the city and 43 on the highway. But Popular Mechanic's Larry Webster tested both vehicles, driving each for 200 miles in and around Phoenix and the Insight showed slightly better gas mileage at the end of the 200 mile test of 42.4 mpg to the Prius 41.1. Webster suggests that they are close enough to equal that another similar test could show the exact opposite. He also reports that their acceleration is almost equal, with 0-60 in the Prius at 10.6 seconds while the Insight took an eye-blink longer at 10.8.
Everyone knows that the quality of both the Toyota and Honda cars of highest quality, and much will depend upon the name preference by customers who have owned one or the other before. Regardless, the owner will have an up-town vehicle which will serve him well. As to my own preference, and since I have never owned either, I would have to go with the Honda Insight. And I say this for only two reasons. I have had experience with some of Honda's small engine products, i.e., lawn mower, generator, etc., and I have never used any small engines that were as impressive as those. Plus, I have had the privilege of touring their plant where their Odyssey and Pilot vehicles were assembled and there, also, I was extremely impressed by the meticulous assembly and the integrity of their quality control. It is very obvious why the quality of their products is so consistently good.
2010 promises to be an interesting year with a number of hybrids scheduled to appear barring any setbacks. Toyota will probably be in the forefront, having drawn before the rest cleared their holster. Thy have, in a sense, set the pace. However, they will probably face serious competition. General Motors, assuming they remain solvent, promises to give some others headaches with their Volt, Honda with the Insight and Nissan who has offered the Altima hybrid which has not gone over very well is now apparently planning for a new line in 2010.
The hybrid vehicles are considered by some as a poor idea and they will fade away. However, I firmly believe as the technology grows and especially when the lithium-ion batteries are improved sufficiently, they may do as the computers and cell phones have, saturate the country. Incidentally, Nissan is involved in the improvement research of those batteries. It will be interesting to watch as developments occur.
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)Jel, Honda has always been a great car. The problem as I see it is not quality or perfomace, it is price. I see this as the major impediment to sales. People just cannot buy any longer and great or not only the have will buy. You may want to write to the price of auto's and the American wage earners average income. Great job.Hi Robert, thanks for reading and commenting. I agree with you. I have never been able to own new cars except for one. I bought a new Plymouth Fury III in 1968. Drove it 21 years. I paid 4,090 dollars for it. I might be able to buy a new one again if they cost that. My present Dodge Caravan is 11 years old. It was 8 when I bought it.
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