Beyond that obvious surrender to a take-no-big-chances market, however,
the 2010 Honda Insight does manage to march to a slightly different
drummer. It�s smaller than the Prius, for instance, which isn�t
necessarily a plus, as interior room suffers. But it�s lighter, which
is a plus, as less weight contributes to it�s being a somewhat livelier
driver.
Beyond this, it generally stays the course, with the common array of
standard features plus an optional navigation system and Bluetooth
capability. It also can be ordered with gimmicky paddle shifters that
imposes an artificial construct of seven electronically created ratios
on the continuously variable automatic transmission.
When the new Honda Insight is measured against the outgoing-generation
2009 Toyota Prius, it definitely hums a different tune. Put simply, the
Insight�s EPA-rated City/Highway 40/43 miles per gallon trails
significantly the 48/45 mpg rating for the Prius. Honda appears to
believe its faithful will willingly trade a few miles per gallon for a
modestly quicker car.
Perhaps the most significant change Honda brings to the hybrid market
is price competition. With the Insight, shoppers now have two similar
cars from which to choose. The 2010 Honda Insight�s $19,800
Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price just slightly undercuts the $21,000
MSRP of the all-new 2010 Toyota Prius. The first-generation 2009 Prius
retailed for $23,375.
The 2010 Insight comes in one configuration: a four-door,
five-passenger sedan. One powertrain is available: a combination of a
1.3-liter, 88-horsepower, inline four-cylinder gasoline engine and a
10-kilowatt, 13-hp, brushless, DC motor. Power goes only to the front
wheels through a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). In
the top two of the three models offered, steering wheel-mounted shift
paddles manage a computer-generated seven-speed, simulated-manual
gearbox. The base model uses a standard CVT that�s efficient and highly
competent.
Honda 2010 Hybrids Only
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