Honda Creates The PERFECT Hybrid, 20 Years Too Late

Unfortunately, too little too late. Not much left of the pie on the 50+ MPG hybrid market with so many offerings now. Insight sure looks more mainstream than Prius, but the biggest sales it will take away probably from the Civic and Accord.

Honda's mistake (all the recent past half-azz attempts) was to make a quirky-looking vehicle that was supposed to scream "HYBRID" to all those not driving it. Instead, they helped to make the "hybrid car" be perceived as so weird that it became a serious hard-sell for anybody not selling the Prius.

Honda did make an Accord Hybrid (gas-electric) a while ago but had embarrassing low sales. The motors assisted acceleration over the engine capabilities (sportier drive) but didn't increase fuel ratings enough to compete with the Prius.

It's still a CUV market. Maybe Honda just needs an HR-V hybrid version, then they'd be helping themselves vs shooting themselves in the foot.

Actually - the Honda Accord Hybrid and the Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid are two really fine hybrids - much better than the prior incarnations of both vehicles. My company chose the Malibu probably because of where it was made - but having spent 3 years using a Fusion Hybrid the Malibu is so much better - it does not seem to be in the same class. ANd the Accord Hybrid is similar in performance. Still - driving most Hybrids is nothing like driving an ICE car - and you really have to consider them transportation appliances - nothing more

The problem remains - it does not appear that there is any real pent up demand for these type of vehicles - and I suspect that until GAS reaches $5 a gallon - the Crossover will continue to spread (Although mid-size car do indeed sell a LOT in the USA still). THe more companies that bring them to market does not appear to be increasing the pot - but just splitting it up among more players.

Add in the fact that the current price of oil allows the Fracked oil reserves to again become a factor - as it is above their price of profitability - meaning that the USA will likely become the worlds largest oil producer again in the next two years - and the price will stabilize and not reach close to $5 - and you doom the Hybrid.

This should not have been called "Insight" because it is a Civic hybrid. The car should be a restyled Civic. It's slightly less ugly than the Civic, so it's a baby step in the right direction.

everything trounces a Prius.

The hybrid car is one of the few true missteps by Honda, surprisingly. It's still a little head-scratching how this company managed to get it so wrong for so many years, while Toyota literally ran away with the sales with the Prius.

Since it's a sedan, it's twenty years too late and counting.

The front could be acceptable looking minus the chrome unibrow.