Quote:
Originally Posted by Xist
I have told people that Toyota copied the Insight, but I looked up when each was released in Japan and was confused, the Prius came out in Japan two years earlier, but you are right, the first Insight-shaped one was the 2,004 model.
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I don't think either one was copying the other's body shape, any more than a dolphin copied a shark or a marlin, or any of them copied an ichthyosaur:
Ichthyosaur - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia It's just physics, saying that if you want an aerodynamically efficient body shape, it's going to look a certain way.
As for the efficiency of 1st gen Insights, I'm averaging 71.4 mpg for close to 120K miles of driving, mostly mountain roads. Repair costs have been negligible: other than normal maintenance items, in 10 years I think I've replaced an O2 sensor and an EGR valve. I do take the battery out and rebalance it every year or two, but than doesn't cost anything but a bit of time.