Hybrid war: Prius price takes aim at Honda's Insight
— -- Toyota in effect declared hybrid war Tuesday when it announced that its 2010 Prius gasoline-electric hybrid will have a starting price just $1,280 more than the Honda Insight.
Insight went on sale Mar. 24. Prius goes on sale late May.
Prius is bigger, faster, more fuel-efficient and has a broader array of options.
Prius fuel economy: 51 miles per gallon in town, 48 on the highway, 50 in combined driving.
Insight: 40/43/41.
Honda spokesman Sage Marie was quick to note that Toyota gave no details about the cheapest Prius, which would start at $21,750, but did give extensive details about more-expensive versions — suggesting to him that the Prius price leader could be a showroom phantom and the $22,750 model could wind up the real-world base model.
Toyota's pricing announcement said the list of standard equipment on the least-expensive Prius would be "released at a later date."
Toyota spokeswoman Ming-Jou Chen said while the better-equipped, mid-level version will make up about two-thirds of Prius sales, the so-called "Prius I" base model "will be out there."
She said it will lack these features standard on other Prius models: Cruise control, rear wiper and EV-only mode that keeps the car operating on battery-only as long as possible.
It also will lack the "touch-tracer display" that shows on a screen what the driver has adjusted using steering-wheel controls, meant to minimize the need to glance down.
Honda's Marie said, "Insight's still an excellent value. It appeals to customers who didn't consider a hybrid before."
In keeping with Toyota's intent to make Prius not only a fuel-economy leader, but also a technology showplace, Toyota listed $4,500 in options a buyer could choose on top of the $28,020 starting price for "Prius V," the deluxe version, bringing the total sticker price for that to $32,520.
Honda says the most you can spend on an Insight is $23,770, though it wouldn't have the Prius' collision avoidance systems and some other high-tech features.
