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JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION

Honda unveils 2010 Insight hybrid in Detroit

Business Jan. 12, 2009 - 04:43AM JST ( 9 )

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9 Comments

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bebertJan. 12, 2009 - 12:03PM JST

The gas-electric cars sold briskly during the run-up in gas prices last summer but have since come down sharply as fuel prices collapsed.

The report neglects to mention that the $5,000 tax credit expires once a model sells so many units - which also accounts for the drop in the number of Prius sales.

I've driven Honda's earlier hybrid efforts and they were poor compared to the Prius. The Accord and Civic weren't "full" hybrids and the original Insight - while a decent hybrid - was small, "boomy" and lacked a lot of creature comforts the Prius did have. Hopefully Honda's new Insight has leapfrogged past efforts and will be a success.
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apecNetworksJan. 12, 2009 - 04:44PM JST

Will JT be doing a write up on the Lexus hybrid called the HS250h? Where can one get a comparison of the Insight w/ the Prius - that would be interesting.
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nandakandamandaJan. 12, 2009 - 05:19PM JST

I test-drove both the Prius and the Insight many years ago and was impressed with both.

The Insight was only a two-door hatchback with no room except a long shallow back shelf for baggage, otherwise I was very tempted to buy one.

The new Insight has four passenger doors which will make it seriously practical. Looks interesting. I'd like to find out more. Is it available in Japan, I wonder?
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presto345Jan. 12, 2009 - 05:54PM JST

The gas-electric cars sold briskly during the run-up in gas prices last summer but have since come down sharply as fuel prices collapsed

Consumers don't plan for the bad times. Neither do investors or financial institutions that are manipulating our money.
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unscrejectsJan. 12, 2009 - 07:46PM JST

The auto industry is up the creep and they've sweating. The alternative fuel charade is going to be the death of them. I remember Mazda buying fifty Ford Escape hybrids meant for retail dealers, taking them down to Texas, rebadging them as Mazda's and disguising them to look like limited production vehicles then leasing them out to California fire fighters for a whopping sum - they called them Mazda Tribute Hybrid Prototypes. Ha ha ha... so much press coverage was generated for Fords in disguise. And the idiots that leased them had to fill out so-called prototype development surveys every so many months. That was three years ago and not a single firedepartment caught on to the scam.
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rajakumarJan. 13, 2009 - 03:55AM JST

Honda hybrid motors,yawn story. T
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bebertJan. 13, 2009 - 12:32PM JST

Mazda's and disguising them to look like limited production vehicles then leasing them

Actually, Mazda designed and engineered the Escape in Japan for Ford. The Tribute and the Escape are essentially the same vehicle with some trim and styling differences. It's very likely they re-badged those Escapes with Ford's blessing.
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YelnatsJan. 13, 2009 - 03:27PM JST

America needs a high gas tax.
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unscrejectsJan. 13, 2009 - 10:12PM JST

bebert: not quite so. "Mazda designed and engineered the Escape in Japan for Ford". The vehicle was a complete joint effort - and it was mainly conducted less than a minute from my office. And Ford strongly distanced itself from the scam. In fact Mazda execs asked to be indemnified should the scam become public knowledge.