Honda is using the opening of the Paris Motor Show today to unveil what will soon be the least expensive hybrid car on the U.S. market.
The 2010 Honda Insight, expected to reach showrooms in the spring of 2009, is "a new five-door gasoline-electric hatchback to challenge rival Toyota Motor Corp.'s success with the hybrid Prius," according to the AP. Honda has said that the Insight will be "cheaper than any other hybrid car on the market," with an expected sticker price around $18,500.
Autoblog comments, "It's Prius-esque, but in person the car is less evocative of its Toyota challenger. The Insight's width and rather low height give it a substantial presence, and there's a bit of attitude out back with the hatch sliding into a flick of a tail."
Honda has not provided fuel-economy figures for the car. According to Edmunds Inside Line, "the Japanese automaker also said the production Insight will have 'a function to assist customers in achieving more fuel-efficient driving habits.'"
The new car appears just as automakers are reporting record low sales figures, but Jalopnik comments, "It's hard to imagine this car as anything but a runaway success."
The Prius, priced higher than the Insight, is now one of the fastest-selling cars in the world. With Honda's reputation for reliability, the fuel-economy of a dedicated hybrid, and a price tag below that of the Prius, the Insight seems like something that will fly off of dealership lots.
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