Leveraging the Honda Insight hybrid vehicle’s advanced aerodynamic performance and fun, comfortable driving, the Honda Insight Sports Modulo Concept, exhibited at the 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon, expresses the joy of driving with the theme of “Exciting Eco.” With its advanced styling featuring chiseled lines, the Modulo concept vehicle demonstrates the new value that Sports Modulo customization has to offer a next-generation hybrid.

The 2010 Insight will be launched at Honda dealers throughout the United States in the beginning of April 2009 and will be priced below the Civic Hybrid.

“Honda hybrids have always offered great value, high fuel efficiency and a healthy dose of fun near the middle price range in the Honda lineup,” said John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda. “With the introduction of the all-new Insight, we’re opening up Honda’s fun-to-drive, versatile and fuel-efficient hybrid technology to an entirely new group of buyers that previously may not have considered a hybrid because of either image or cost.”

Evoking the advanced and aerodynamic five-door sedan design first deployed on the revolutionary FCX Clarity fuel cell car, the new Insight has a low center of gravity and a spacious five-passenger cabin, offering the kind of driving experience and roomy, versatile interior space that customers have come to expect from Honda.

To help Insight owners realize the full benefits of Honda hybrid technology, the Insight will feature a new interactive, driver-focused fuel economy enhancement technology named the Ecological Drive Assist System (Eco Assist™). Eco Assist combines multiple functions:

A driver-activated ECON mode that optimizes control of the continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), engine and related powertrain components to further improve vehicle fuel efficiency; a driver feedback function that uses an innovative speedometer display with changing background colors to provide real-time guidance to the driver on achieving higher fuel efficiency; and a unique fuel-economy scoring function using a plant-leaf graphic to provide feedback to the driver on current-trip driving efficiency and lifetime fuel-efficient driving performance.

All Insights are powered by an advanced 1.3-liter SOHC aluminum-alloy i-VTEC engine and CVT, along with a new generation of Honda’s IMA hybrid system for exceptional fuel economy and fun-to-drive performance.
The Insight’s IMA system incorporates a 10-kilowatt (13 hp) electric motor and a compact Intelligent Power Unit (IPU) – recapturing and storing kinetic energy from vehicle braking and deceleration and supplying additional power for acceleration when needed. Packaging of the ultra-compact IMA battery and IPU in the vehicle’s rear floor allows the enhanced utility of a 60/40 split and fold-down rear seat back.

The Insight’s IMA system has the capability to operate exclusively on electric power in certain low- to mid-speed driving conditions. It also provides for cylinder deactivation within the gasoline engine during deceleration and for engine shutoff when the vehicle is stopped. With a 10.6-gallon fuel tank, the Insight delivers an estimated maximum driving range in excess of 400 miles.

Standard safety features on all Insights include dual-stage, dual-threshold front airbags; front-side airbags with a passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS); side curtain airbag system; anti-lock brakes with electronic brake distribution (EBD); driver- and front-passenger active head restraints and a front body designed to mitigate pedestrian injuries. All new Insights also feature Honda’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure, which provides improved crash compatibility between vehicles of different size and ride height, enhancing protection for Insight occupants while reducing the potential for injury to occupants of the opposing vehicle in a frontal collision.

Additional standard features on all new Insights include 60/40 split and fold-down rear seatbacks; two-tier digital instrument panels; automatic climate control; power windows, mirrors and door locks; a tilting and telescoping steering wheel and a 160-watt AM/FM/CD audio system with MP3 audio playback, an auxiliary audio input jack and Speed-Sensitive Volume Control (SVC).

Insight EX models add alloy wheels, cruise control, 6-speaker audio system with USB audio interface, steering-wheel mounted paddle shifters, Honda Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) and an available Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System™ with Voice Recognition.

Honda is a leader in developing cleaner, more fuel-efficient vehicle technologies, including the original Honda Insight, introduced as America’s first mass-produced hybrid car in December 1999. American Honda has announced plans to increase its U.S. hybrid sales beyond the new Insight with the introduction of a third hybrid car, based on the Honda CR-Z concept vehicle, within the next couple of years. Honda is also a leader in the development of advanced alternatives to gasoline, including the zero-emission, hydrogen-powered Honda FCX Clarity fuel cell car, the world’s most advanced production automobile.

Source: honda.com

For sure, the numbers game is completely out of whack. The Insight marks the first time ever a hybrid sits atop a country’s auto sales charts, in this case Japan. Honda said they received over 40,000 pre-orders… while Toyota soon responded by claiming to have 75,000 pre-orders for the Japanese market alone. Go figure!

Democratization war
With their resurrected Insight, the Reds are making hybrids accessible to the masses. Starting at $23,900, this gas-electric model is no longer exclusive to Mother Nature’s rich friends who want to make a statement or impress the neighborhood.

Clearly, Honda designers didn’t go very far to find inspiration. In fact, if the Insight and Prius were any more similar, Toyota could accuse its arch nemesis of plagiarism. It’s really easy to mistake one for the other when you look at them from a rear or side-view angle. The folks at Honda will gladly tell you it’s all in the name of aerodynamics, but I reckon it has more to do with how the general public usually perceives hybrid vehicles.

The front end is typically Honda, however, sharing a close connection with the hydrogen-powered FCX Clarity. The short hood and swooping roofline are big contributors to the Insight’s remarkably-low 0.26 drag coefficient.

Different tactics
While Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive backs the electric motor with a gasoline engine, Honda is using the Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) technology to relieve the 1.3-litre, 4-cylinder mill during sprints and certain cruising situations. Patience is required to get all 98 horses galloping, but that power will prove ample enough for Insight owners. In other words, accelerations are fairly slow, but 0-100 is not what these drivers primarily think about.

To help us reduce CO2 emissions, Honda incorporated a new feature called Eco Assist. At the push of the ECON button, the system modifies various vehicle parameters to minimize overall energy use and maximize fuel efficiency. It even features a long-term cumulative scoring system that rewards you with green “leaves” as your driving performance improves over time. And here’s another gift for you: combined city-highway fuel consumption is a low 4.8 L/100 km.

On the road, don’t expect a very entertaining driving experience — for two reasons. One, it’s a Honda, and two, it’s a hybrid. The steering might feel slightly livelier than the Toyota’s, but there’s still a long way to go before we start praising the Insight for its sharp driving dynamics. The electric power assistance adds a definite artificial touch to the car.

Competition
The Insight is the new value leader in the hybrid segment. Even at $27,500, my premium EX tester still keeps an edge over the competition, including the 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid (starting at $27,350) and the 2009 Toyota Prius ($27,710). The latter’s new-for-2010 model has yet to be priced.

Wrap-up
The 2010 Honda Insight definitely brings heavy artillery to the green war field. The price is right and success seems a given for this international “mainstream” hybrid. Cheap interior materials are a small sacrifice to make to save our beloved planet.