Yaris and Fit to Become Dueling Hybrids

[MetroMPG]

So is Honda going to cannibalize the sales of its Civic hybrid with the Insight, and the Insight with the Fit hybrid?

[NeilBlanchard]

Hi,

I hope that Honda goes in "the opposite" direction of their other hybrids, and makes the Fit a plug in serial hybrid. The Fit is a much better chassis/car than the new Insight, so yes, I think they will hurt their own sales.

[Christ]

Anyone think the Yaris will internally compete with Prii? I doubt it, I don't think they're even remotely the same car class.

[wdb]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

The Fit is a much better chassis/car than the new Insight...

Actually the Insight and Fit share the same chassis. I think the Insight has a slightly stretched wheelbase.

[cfg83]

Christ -

Originally Posted by Christ

Anyone think the Yaris will internally compete with Prii? I doubt it, I don't think they're even remotely the same car class.

Yeah, if it's the Yaris 2-door hatchback, then that would be akin to a 1st Gen Insight without the aerodynamics.

CarloSW2

[Christ]

Originally Posted by cfg83

Christ -



Yeah, if it's the Yaris 2-door hatchback, then that would be akin to a 1st Gen Insight without the aerodynamics.

CarloSW2

So they're basically shooting for a hybrid for the "non-hippie"... or a jump away from the image of the "Pious" of SouthPark fame.

[cfg83]

Christ -

Originally Posted by Christ

So they're basically shooting for a hybrid for the "non-hippie"... or a jump away from the image of the "Pious" of SouthPark fame.

Yar, a few years ago they stated in public that their whole lineup would offer hybrid options, but that was before the economy went into the tank. Maybe they're returning to that gameplan. This would follow my(?) "trickle-down" theory of first-generation Hybrid drivetrain cost being defrayed/absorbed by big-profit SUVs and statement-Prius', and then finally making their way down to compact cars, where we would argue they belonged in the first place.

CarloSW2

[Christ]

Touche...

You actually bring a good point... most people may think it's "wrong", but subsidy pays for just about everything "the little guy" has or will have, whether they know it or not. The fact that some JA out there is willing to pay $200,000 for a Tesla, over time, eventually trickles down into a sub $20k family sedan with more than reasonable (compared to other EV's of today) expectations. That's called "operating capital subsidizing". It's life, in business.

[cfg83]

Christ -

I see with my jaded corporate eye projects that fail. Money is flushed and heads are chopped off. Someone else comes along, picks at the carcass, and makes a product that is a success. From a budget POV, the "successful" product does not have to count the cost of the failed product.

As a friend and colleague has told me, "It is the life".

CarloSW2

[Christ]

Originally Posted by cfg83

Christ -

I see with my jaded corporate eye projects that fail. Money is flushed and heads are chopped off. Someone else comes along, picks at the carcass, and makes a product that is a success. From a budget POV, the "successful" product does not have to count the cost of the failed product.

As a friend and colleague has told me, "It is the life".

CarloSW2

Did your friend actually say "It's the life", or "C'est la Vie"?