Honda Fit Hybrid "Is Go!" in Fall 2010?

[Danny]

A new story entry has been added:

Honda Fit Hybrid "Is Go!" in Fall 2010?

Japan's Nikkei business daily is reporting that Honda has pushed up the schedule on the Fit Hybrid by a year and half - coming out in the Fall of 2010 instead of the Spring of 2012. With a target price of $15,800, maybe this will finally be a "hybrid for everyone". That is if Honda actually does something to the IMA system to bump MPGs by more than a measly 5 MPG over the current 33 MPG.
What would be a reasonable fuel economy rating that you would like to see on the 2011 Honda Fit Hybrid?
Reuters article:

[PriusForThePeople]

The Fit's alright... but, Toyota's gotta respond to this QUICKLY with a Matrix or Yaris hybrid!!! It'll happen...just watch...

[usbseawolf2000]

Argggh.... Honda... quality please not quantity... I guess quantity is good too at this point when the industry is at it's lowest point. Now is a really great time to gain hybrid market share.

[Boo]

I and many other people love the Fit. The Yaris and Matrix don't even come close.

What's puzzling to me about the blurb is the target price of $15,800. That must be Japan only, not the U.S.

I'd be pleasantly shocked if Honda hits that mark in the U.S. as the 2009 base Fit with automatic transmission already retails for $15,550 in the U.S.

[SanZan]

With that price point, it makes more sense than the Insight MkII. I can see it being the perfect "Insight killer". Maybe the Insight was just a setter-upper for this car all along.

Good luck to Honda, but this sounds like diminishing returns territory to me. The smaller and more fuel efficient car to start with, the less to be gained from a hybrid version with less space and a higher price.

In Japan Honda do a big but very reasonable mpv/people carrier called the Step Wagon and a smaller one called the Freed (?). That's the kind of car I'd like them to hybridize if the IMA system is easy to implement. Toyota have the Estima/Previa and the Alphard, but both hybrid models are heavily loaded with accessories and cost over 4 million yen on the road. They are far too expensive.

[Rybold]

Excellent. I hope the younger generation buys millions of Fit hybrids. And I hope Toyota responds with Yaris hybrids and Scion hybrids. I'm awaiting the day that ALL mainstream vehicles are sold as hybrids. Excellent.

Despite lower initial sales, I wouldn't expect the Insight to go anywhere. Honda will use it as an icon/symbol for it's Green movement. Also, Honda continues to sell the Ridgeline, even though to date they have only sold ... three total, I think.

[Steve Cebu]

I have a 2009 Fit Sport now. I had a Jazz overseas. They are decent cars. They will easily outsell the Insight II as they are more practical. Keep in mind the Insight II is built on the Fit platform. The 1.3l engine in the Jazz I owned was ok for city driving as there weren't any highways where I lived overseas, but in the US it will need more than 99hp. So just stuffing an electric motor under the hood of the Fit won't be enough. I'd like to see it with the 1.5l engine and an electric motor. A bit more oomph wouldn't hurt. The current Fit is very susceptible to a heavy foot.

[burritos]

Goddammit. Why doesn't honda just make a hybrid "Stream"?

Honda Stream - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Honda_Stream

Or toyota make a hybrid "Wish"?

Toyota WISH - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Toyota_WISH

Both seven seaters available. You don't have to buy a gargantuan SUV or minivan. No rollover concerns. You can actually fit in parking spaces without boxing in the adjacent car.

[SureValla]

if it gets 40+ id buy it in a heartbeat

[Paradox]

To each's own I guess, I dislike the overall look of the Fit...