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2010 Honda Insight Hybrid debuts at Detroit but we have pictures, some info now
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Honda has released the first official photo of the 2010 Insight, the dedicated hybrid model that will go on sale in the U.S. in the spring of 2009. Like the current Civic Hybrid and the original 1999 Honda Insight, the 2010 model will be a mild hybrid. A thrifty small-displacement gasoline engine gets sufficient boost from an electric motor to allow adequate acceleration that the small engine couldn’t achieve by itself.
Unlike the original two-seat Insight (introduced in 1999 as America’s first that had the elegance of a college engineering project), the new Insight will be a four-door five-passenger sedan with bold though not bizarre styling, obviously designed with more than a little attention paid to aerodynamics.
The Insight will be officially introduced at the North American International (Detriot) Auto Show where more technical information will be released. Pricing has not yet been revealed although we’ve speculated that it will be significantly under $20,000, with reports that Honda officials have cited the figure as between $18,000 and $19,000, significantly below the Toyota Prius’ $22,000 starting price.
Honda has stated that the Insight will use the Ecological Drive Assist System (Eco Assist) introduced at the Los Angeles Auto Show in the Honda Insight Concept. Eco Assist rewards drivers with supportive visual cues, including a speedometer background that fades from green (for most economical operation) to blue (for least efficient driving). Eco Assist also tracks a driver’s overall performance with a screen graphic rewarding more "leaves" for more economical driving It's similar in concept to SmartGauge with EcoGuide in the Ford Fusion Hyrid and Mercury Milan Hybrid introduced at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show.As part of Eco Assist, an ECON mode adjusts of the transmission, engine and other powertrain control elements to minimize fuel use. ECON mode squeezes a little more fuel economy from air conditioner operation, it maximizes the idle stop feature and it increases battery charging during regenerative braking. A multi-information gauge shows current and average fuel economy including averages for the last three trips.
By rewarding drivers for “green” behavior, Honda figures eco-drivers will drive to increase their fuel economy numbers just as drag racers work to lower elapsed times.
Honda anticipates strong demand for the 2010 Insight and has its Suzuka plant—home of Honda’s hybrid operations—geared up to produce 200,000 Insights per year, of which about half will come to the United States. At least, thanks to Honda’s early peeks, we’ll officially know what we’re looking at.
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