Honda's cheap hybrids not a fad

A fun, fuel efficient sporty hybrid

Honda might not be the biggest automaker on the planet, but it is certainly one of the smartest, which makes many of Honda's recent moves very interesting.

For instance, Honda has been one of the few automakers to resist the PR campaigns most automakers have now rolled out to promote various types of plug-in vehicles - vehicles that have yet to be proven in the real world. In fact, Honda has stated quite clearly that it believes cheap hybrid vehicles, not more expensive plug-in vehicles, are the wisest short-to-midterm approach (At least until battery technology has been further developed).

And, as US automakers have dampened their support of fuel cell vehicles, at least publicly, Honda has ramped up its efforts, rolling out production-ready models and exciting new concepts, despite criticism from many.

Obviously, Honda could be wrong on both of these fronts. Yet, it has been Honda which has been the most grounded automaker, and the least likely major player to follow trends, such as the SUV craze.

Reliable, efficient common sense - not fads and trends - drives Honda.

Thus, in late 2010, when GM, Ford and Chrysler are each rolling out a few thousand EVs, PHEVs, etc, per year, Honda will be positioned to roll out hundreds of thousands of new, cheap hybrids, including a sports coupe and a version of the hot Honda Fit that some believe will be even cheaper than the Insight.

These new hybrids might not offer the cool factor that a vehicle like the Chevy Volt can evoke, but they'll offer consumers drastically cheaper price tags, and that might be the only thing that matters to consumers still in a recession state of mind.