GO
GoAutoLogo
MENU

Make / Model Search

New models - Honda - Insight

Honda sights mainstream with hybrid

Insight in sight: Honda hopes that the Insight hybrid will soon be a common sight on Australian roads.

Honda believes hybrids can hit critical mass with affordable Insight pricing

18 Oct 2010

HONDA believes its all-new and second-generation Insight will help catapult the hybrid vehicle into the mainstream sales avenue for the first time.

The Japanese carmaker has forecast just 200 sales per month in Australia, but this figure can easily be at least quadrupled if there is sufficient demand for the hybrid newcomer.

Supporting the Insight will be the next-generation 2012 Civic Hybrid above it, as well as the Jazz Hybrid unveiled at the Paris motor show in late September, to be positioned in the low-to-mid $20,000 class when it becomes available within the next 18 months or so.

15 center imageFrom top: Honda Jazz Hybrid, Honda Civic Hybrid, Honda CR-Z.

Of less volume potential – but coming sooner than the last two and with arguably more hybrid desirability impact – will be the CRZ Hybrid sports coupe, which is due in the middle of 2011, priced from about $35,000 and hotly reminiscent of the much-loved Honda CRX coupe of the 1980s.

But with Insight pricing from $29,990 (plus on-road costs) announced at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney this month, it is the Insight that has hit the headlines hard as the cheapest hybrid vehicle to be offered in this country.

It undercuts the Toyota Prius by around $10,000, although that car is significantly more economical and less-polluting than its Honda counterpart, and offers a different kind of hybrid system (as well as driving experience) to warrant the extra cost.

Nevertheless, with no affordable Civic hatch model other than the $40,000 Type R imported from the UK, Honda also has the non-hybrid big-hitters in the booming small car segment – Volkswagen Golf, Mazda3, Toyota Corolla and Subaru Impreza – firmly in its crosshairs with the Insight.

The $29,990 VTi model will be joined by the better-equipped $33,490 VTi-L.

“It maybe has potential (to be Honda’s bestseller), but not in the short-term,” Honda Australia managing director and CEO Satoshi Matsuzawa told GoAuto.

“The Australian market is not yet ready to boost hybrid technology, but we want to be there when it does… gradually, we think Australian hybrid sales will pick-up.

“The Jazz Hybrid… I want it to come pretty soon… but not next year.

“As soon as they become available, we want to introduce hybrid models to Australia. Our vision is to have hybrids available across our line-up, with 10 per cent of sales to be hybrid vehicles.

“The next Civic will of course also have hybrid again… with an evolution of the IMA (Integrated Motor Assist) system… and it will be here late next year.” Honda Australia senior director Lindsay Smalley said Honda has the capacity to satiate an unexpected spike in hybrid demand from Australia.

“We always like to start conservatively with production orders and things like that,” said Mr Smalley. “If the market accepts the car and its hybrid technology warmly, then obviously we will be able to get more cars. So we will just see how it goes.

“For me, it’s a great five-door hatch that happens to also be a hybrid – and so it’s not hybrid technology that goes all geeky.

“With hybrid take-up in Australia, the private consumer is still a little hesitant, so I think we need these types of cars for there to be an industry breakthrough. I am sure it will happen.

“In combination with CRZ, the Insight will redefine the hybrid market in Australia.”

Read more

1st of January 1970

GoAuto can help you buy a new Insight

Customer Terms and Conditions – New Car Lead enquires

Agreement

This is an agreement between GoAutoMedia Pty Limited ACN 094 732 457 of PO Box 18, Beach Road, Sandringham, VIC, 3191 (“we/us”), the owner and operator of the GoAuto.com.au website (“the website”) and the person wanting GoAuto.com.au to provide them with a lead for the purchase of a new car (“you”).

By completing a New Car Lead Enquiry, you agree to the terms and conditions and disclaimers and acknowledge the policies set out below.

Terms and Conditions

  • In order for us to effect a lead you must you must complete a New Car Lead Enquiry (“Enquiry”).
  • We will call you as soon as possible after you complete the Enquiry and certainly no later than the next business day. When we call, we will discuss with you your new car requirements.
  • You consent to our passing on the Enquiry and your requirements to an appropriate authorised motor car dealer as a lead.
  • We will contact you again in approximately eight days following your initial enquiry to check on the progress of the Enquiry.
  • While we will provide the dealer with the Enquiry and details of your new car requirements, we take no responsibility for what happens after passing on that material as a lead.
  • You acknowledge that we are a new car information service providing new car editorial information, pictures and prices to our customers as a guide only. Any new car prices published on the website are the manufacturers’ recommended retail prices and do not include delivery charges and on-road costs. Any authorized motor car dealer to which we pass on your Enquiry as a lead will provide you with full details of the price at which the vehicle will be sold to you.
  • You acknowledge that we do not sell motor vehicles. Any sale of a new car to you by a dealer after we have passed on your Enquiry to that dealer as a lead, is a sale by that dealer not by us.

Privacy Policy– New Car Lead Enquires

  • We take privacy very seriously. We understand that you will only complete an Enquiry if you can trust us to protect your personal information and use it appropriately. Our policy is to ensure that the personal information collected when you make an Enquiry is only used for the purposes of connecting you with an authorised motor car dealer.
  • We do not on-sell information collected from you or any other customer.
  • From time to time, we may email you with information or promotions that may be relevant for car buyers. You will continue to receive communications from us unless you tell us that you do not want to receive any advertising or promotional information in the future by unsubscribing from these communications.
close
* Denotes required field
** Australian inquiries only

Click to share

Click below to follow us on
Facebook  Twitter  Instagram

Honda models

Catch up on all of the latest industry news with this week's edition of GoAutoNews
Click here