News: Honda feeling pressure from Prius 3, planning to improve MPG of 2nd gen Insight

[MetroMPG]

Apparently the success of Toyota's Prius 3 has put Honda engineers' feet to the fire:

With the Prius now trumping the Insight’s 85mpg with 107mpg in the same Japanese test cycle, sources in the cars’ home market say Honda engineers are being put under pressure to improve the Insight and close the gap.

Source: Autocar - Honda speeds up Insight update

[RobertSmalls]

What an unflattering photo.

I'm sure Honda didn't simply forget to make the 2010 Insight good. So what changes will they make for 2013? They'll tune the suspension to the desires of automotive journalists, but how will they boost MPG without spending a lot of money? Maybe a manual tranny? Maybe they'll spend a lot of money and raise the price a few grand.

I doubt we'll see a new engine or a different hybrid arrangement.

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by RobertSmalls

I'm sure Honda didn't simply forget to make the 2010 Insight good.

There's always fuel economy left on the design table!

Honda made decisions about weight, gearing, PCM programming, aerodynamics... you name it. All of them compromises against other factors (like cost, acceleration, styling, "consumer acceptance", cannibalizing sales of their other models).

I suspect now they're revisiting the balance of the more easily changed compromises.

[basjoos]

Ignoring the gamut of the aero mods that could be done, the least they could do is extend the gear range of the CVT to match that of the Civic hybrid to give it the tall gearing needed for good FE on the highway. As currently configured, both the Insight and Fit have excessively high rpms for highway cruising, which in addition to the poor mileage, also causes the engine to wear out faster than it should.

[Frank Lee]

Maybe should've named it "KneeJerk" instead of "Insight"...

[igo]

Good. I was disappointed when I heard the current insight's mpg figures.

[NeilBlanchard]

Car manufacturers competing to get better mileage -- whodda' thunk it?

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Maybe should've named it "KneeJerk" instead of "Insight"...

Oooo! Touche!

[Christ]

I want an FCX. Wahh.

I agree with extending the CVT, and reprogramming the control so that it allows a user selectable "economy" or "performance" profile, within constraints. The problem is that most people will buy it for "economy" but "forget" to take it off "performance" until the "cost of ownership" catches up with their "wallet".

If I were to get an Insight, it would be a 1st gen only.

[tasdrouille]

I happened to walk by a Honda dealer the other day. I didn't have time to stop to look carefully at it, but I noticed the Insight does not have rear wheel air dams. Even my Elantra have those! One has to wonder what else they left out.