Honda shows off new Insight hybrid at Paris auto show
— -- Honda described the white car which it showed off for the first time in Paris as a concept version of the production model that will be unveiled in January.
Honda hasn't announced fuel economy numbers yet. The Prius is rated by the U.S. government at 48 miles per gallon in town, 45 mpg on the highway and 46 mpg in combined driving.
Honda designed the Insight strictly as a hybrid hatchback. There is no gasoline-only version. It will be manufactured at Honda's Suzuka, Japan, factory.
The small, five-passenger hatchback is named after Honda's original Insight hybrid — a radical two-seater that went on sale in the U.S. in December 1999, the first time a major automaker sold a gasoline-electric hybrid in America. Toyota followed about six months later with the Prius. That two-seat Insight has been discontinued.
Honda won't stop its hybrid rollout with Insight. Next up is a hybrid based on the CR-Z sports car first shown at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, though not timetable has been announced. A hybrid version of the Fit small car is in the wings and the Civic hybrid will be updated in 2009.
Honda won't stop its hybrid rollout with Insight. Next up is a hybrid based on the CR-Z sports car first shown at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show. It's meant for the U.S. market "in a few years" is all Honda will say. A hybrid version of the Fit small car is in the wings, but that's for overseas markets only; no plans for a U.S. version. The Civic hybrid on sale in the U.S. now was mildly updated along with the entire '09 Civic line, on sale since late August. Honda says there are no changes to the Civic hybrid drivetrain.
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