Honda Insight Debuts at Detroit

Tons of interesting auto news is coming out of Detroit right now, from automaker-saving electric car concepts to 7-passenger SUVs, but among all that is the debut of the production model of one very interesting car. We talk about Honda a lot here on EcoModder, and part of that is because we like Honda (I’ve been known to drive one), but another big part is the commitment to quality and fuel economy.

We don’t want to sound like we’re pitching Honda too hard here, but we’ve been following the new Insight story for a few months now, so it’s exciting for us to finally say “It’s here!” And it’s here with an EPA rating of 40/43 mpg, which is pretty darn good, even if it’s not matching the numbers of the previous generation of Insight. However, you have to remember that this insight is a 5-passenger sedan with a bit more of a performance focus and the ability to appeal to the masses, especially since it is expected to hit the market at under $20,000.

There’s not that much new to say about the car, at least not much more than we knew when the Insight Concept was revealed, except for the EPA ratings. However, now that all of Honda’s cards are down, we can start to ask the tough questions: will it sell? will it sell 200k units a year? will it kill the Prius? will Honda become a new hybrid leader in the world?

And better yet, which do you prefer, the new or old Insight? I vote for the old. Feel free to chime in in the comments.

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