2010 Honda Insight on Sale in Japan, Looking Good for Sub-$20K Price Tag in U.S.

2010 Honda Insight on Sale in Japan, Looking Good for Sub-$20K Price Tag in U.S.

U.S. On-Sale Date Is Late April, but First Cars Could Be Here by End of March

By John O'Dell, Senior Edito r

Honda Motor Co. hasn't set U.S. pricing yet for its new 2010 Honda Insight Hybrid (right), but by launching the car first in Japan -- it goes on sale there Friday -- the automaker provides a pretty good clue.

Japanese pricing for the five-seat, gas-electric compact starts at 1.89 million yen, the U.S. equivalent of $20,640 at today's exchange rate.

Honda has said that the Insight will be the least-expensive hybrid in the U.S., and most in the automotive media have taken that to mean that the price tag here will be under $20,000.

The Insight officially is scheduled to go on sale in the U.S. on April 22, but Honda insiders say the company will start shipping them to dealers as soon as the first boatload makes landfall and that some could be in showrooms as early as the end of March.

Honda and most other Japanese carmakers often price vehicles higher in the home market than the same models sell for in the U.S., so it would seem that guesstimates of a base Insight price here in the range of $18,995 to $19,995 would be on the money.

Toyota's Prius starts at $22,000 and the Honda Civic Hybrid at $23,550.

The 2010 Insight, introduced at the Detroit auto show last month, uses the name of Honda's first hybrid, but shares little else with the original two-seat Insight.

The new insight is aimed at pulling younger buyers into the hybrid market - thus its relatively low price and five-seat sedan design that provides plenty of room for young families or singles who don't go anywhere without hauling a few friends along.

It uses a 1.3-liter gasoline engine and Honda's Integrated Motor Assist hybrid system that mounts an electric motor-generator between the engine and the transmission to serve as a sort of electric supercharger to provide extra boost when conditions demand.

Because of the popularity of competitor Toyota's hybrid feature that enables motorists to eke out a few miles of all-electric driving at slow speeds, Honda has modified its system over the years to provide a bit of low-speed electric drive as well.

Regenerative braking recharges the system's nickel-metal hydride batteries, and a new "Eco Assist" instrument panel (right) helps drivers monitor power usage so they can modify their driving styles to maximize fuel efficiency.

The car is EPA rated at 40 miles per gallon in city driving and 43 mpg on the highway.That's less than Honda's larger Civic hybrid and Toyota's segment-dominating Prius.

But that's because, to be the hybrid price leader and appeal to younger drivers who still want a bit of fun in their rides, the Insight was deliberately developed with a smaller, less-expensive electric drive system than used in the Civic and without some of the devices, such as low-resistance tires and aerodynamic, dish-shaped wheels, that save fuel at the cost of ride, handling and trendy looks.

Honda has said it is the first of a number of new "young" hybrids that will include a sports car and a gas-electric version of the Fit subcompact.

John O'Dell:  is an AutoObserver Senior Editor. Follow @AutoObserver on Twitter.