Honda Insight sales slump: There can be only one?
Forever just a niche, forever the king?Why doesn't the Honda Insight hybrid sell nearly as well as the Toyota Prius, even though it costs less?
What does a lack of Insight sales mean for the future of the hybrid market?
Some have suggested that most hybrid buyers aren't looking for bargains. Instead, they are seeking to send a green message.
Yet, is the Insight really that much of a bargain compared to a Prius? Ultimately, isn't it cheaper because it comes with less features, such as ever important safety features? Also, isn't it cheaper because it isn't as fuel efficient as the Prius, especially in city traffic?
Certainly, today, hybrid cars are not a "budget purchase", but aren't there plenty of budget shoppers that would gladly buy cheaper, non-Prius hybrids if equally equipped and fuel efficient?
Labels: honda insight hybrid, Hybrid Vehicles, toyota prius
posted by Dahcredyns at
9:59 AM
6 Comments:
I said from the start the Insight was a stupid idea. It's extremely ugly, very impractical compared to what Honda already should have hybridized using the Fit, and copying another manufacturer is never a good idea.
honda already tried the civic/civic hybrid approach, so its understandable why they were unsure of going directly to a fit hybrid.
still, i think they could have come up with a fit-derivative that would have been unique enough as to differentiate. likewise, they probably could have sold it even cheaper, without any loss in quality.
Honda needs to dump IMA and get the FULL hybrids in the dealers. No matter how you package the mild hybrid, it won't look as good the full hybrid. Hybrid buyers are very intelligent to notice it.
dennis-
hard to disagree with you. i hate saying that because i know many honda hybrid fans, but....
Considering it got 10 mpg less than the Prius and was fully stripped of any features, the Insight just couldn't compete with the Prius. Most consumers were willing to pay a little more for the Prius, because you got so much more for your money...
"Mild Hybrid" needs to have a "Mild Price......
Oh well... At least they helped to keep the price of the Prius down by providing some competition.
I still have high hopes for the Fit Hybrid and the CR-Z Hybrid though. If they can be first to market with those models, maybe they can get a head start on Toyota...
it definitely provided some pricing competition.
for a company that has expressed the importance of the hybrids heading into the feature, one has to assume Honda's best is yet to come.
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