2010 Honda Insight to Start at US$19,800

Re: 2010 Honda Insight to Start at $19,800

Too much. The Honda Fit Sport is $17,100 with an automatic and has more cargo capacity and flexibility. So for an extra $2700 you get 41 mpg instead of 31 mpg (EPA combined).

 

Re: 2010 Honda Insight to Start at $19,800

March 25 is the next big reveal for the 2010 Prius.
.

 

Re: 2010 Honda Insight to Start at $19,800

The $2700 is called the hybrid premium which brings you from 31 mpg to 41 mpg. My quote " You have to pay for fuel efficiency".

 

Re: 2010 Honda Insight to Start at $19,800

Although I thought the base price would be lower,$19,800 will attract a few buyers. I am a big Prius fan but I feel this is a good thing the overall hybrid market.

 

Re: 2010 Honda Insight to Start at $19,800

The price isn't bad, although it is not as low as I thought (or hoped). I think $18,599 - $18,900 would have been the sweet spot.

Compared to the current and 2010 Prius, the lower fuel economy doesn't bother me very much. I consider the estimated 40 MPG city to be very good. The largest issue I have is that it is a compact without a lot of room for the back seat. I drive a compact now and would prefer to upgrade to a midsize car like the Prius which has more interior room but its exterior dimensions are not as long as other midsize cars. In fact, the Prius has a shorter length than my current compact which I think will make it easier to park and otherwise be aware of my surroundings while driving.

 

Re: 2010 Honda Insight to Start at $19,800

That is fine if you are willing to pay extra just to get better fuel economy. The hybrid premium should be no more than 10% in my opinion. That would put the Insight at $18,800.

 

Re: 2010 Honda Insight to Start at $19,800

Isn't a 10 mpg difference going to contribute to a lot of savings (over the fit) over the life of the car, considering fuel is a huge part of the cost of ownership?

 

Re: 2010 Honda Insight to Start at $19,800

Question: what is the shift paddles on the steering wheel for? Its CVT for all trims right?

 

Re: 2010 Honda Insight to Start at $19,800

The HSD system is a incremental cost or fix cost, so it cannot be a percentage of the base cost. A cheaper car will have a higher incremental percentage than a more expensive car.

 

Re: 2010 Honda Insight to Start at $19,800

i would hope that $20k cars released there days would have VSC standard.... Price is allright i guess, but Prius at $22 currently is not only one size larger vehicle, it also has more equipment for the price. Right now, compared to the base Prius, Insight seems around $1k cheaper.

If Toyota manages to sell Prius anywhere close to current pricing, Insight is going to have very hard time selling.

 

Re: 2010 Honda Insight to Start at $19,800

yeah, its fake gear change... in fact i loved this in Avensis CVT because real CVT's are really weird. In Prius due to electric motors helping, there is no weirdness associated with CVT's. I am not sure if Insight's "CVT" is like normal CVT's or like Prius's.

 

Re: 2010 Honda Insight to Start at $19,800

I'm going to rush this info into TrueDelta's database, for a more thorough price comparison with the Prius.

It's going to be interesting to see how the two compare on our Gas Mileage Survey.

Real-world gas mileage survey

 

Re: 2010 Honda Insight to Start at $19,800

That really depends on the individual. Take Edmunds True Cost to Own for a 2009 Honda Fit:

---------------------- Year 1 --- Year 2 --- Year 3 --- Year 4 ---- Year 5
Depreciation ------- $2684 ---- $1856 --- $1634 ---- $1449 ---- $1300
Financing ----------- $1164 ----- $940 ---- $699 ------ $439 ----- $159
Insurance ---------- $1292 ---- $1337 --- $1384 ----- $1432 --- $1454
Taxes & Fees ------ $1647 ------ $244 ---- $221 ------ $221 ----- $185
Fuel ---------------- $1515 ----- $1560 --- $1607 ---- $1655 ---- $1705
Maintenance -------- $154 ------ $419 ---- $262 ------ $998 ---- $1047
Repairs ---------------- $0 --------- $0 ----- $96 ------ $232 ------ $337

Cumulative Fuel --- $1515 ---- $3075 --- $4682 ---- $6337 ----- $8042
Cumulative Total -- $8456 --- $14812 - $20715 --- $27122 --- $33,309
Fuel as % of Total -- 18%------- 21% ---- 23% ------- 23% ------ 24%

If you are someone that buys a new car every 3 years then depreciation, taxes and financing are a huge percentage of your total cost to own (54%). Even with Edmunds using $3.13 per gallon for fuel going from 31 mpg to 41 mpg only saves $370. You won't get that $2700 back unless the Insight has a much higher resale value.

Now if you are someone that buys a 3 year old car, pays cash, and keeps it 10 years then fuel cost would be a very large percentage of total cost and getting 41 mpg instead of 31 mpg would be a big plus.

Most people are probably somewhere in the middle. Driving 15,000 miles per year at $3.13 per gallon it would take 7 years to recover the extra $2700 paid with fuel saving alone.

 

Re: 2010 Honda Insight to Start at $19,800

Depends on the govt rebate picture. With a rebate of $2K or so, they might sell a few.
I saw one of those Smart cars yesterday. 40-50 mpg. Tiny outside , but roomy two-seater with hatch inside. Engine under carpet in hatch compartment. All-wheel drive.
Around $11K. The perfect car for the soccer mom whose kids have left the nest.
This is definitely the way to go in short distance driving.

 

Re: 2010 Honda Insight to Start at $19,800

That's me. I forget most people like to throw their money away....

 

Re: 2010 Honda Insight to Start at $19,800

I wonder how common that misconception is.

In reality, the EPA estimated MPG is only: 33/41
.

 

Re: 2010 Honda Insight to Start at $19,800

According to the EPA Smart rated at 33/41 and 36 combined with PREMIUM FUEL req'd. ref EPA

 

Re: 2010 Honda Insight to Start at $19,800

The average selling price for the Smart is closer to $15K. It is hard to find one at $11.99K at any dealer.