Honda to Reveal Prius-Fighter Concept on Thurs, Sept 4th

Is Toyota willing to give up market share or will they compete ?

 

Unless Honda has leapt well past the performance/configuration/efficiency of the Prius with this model... then they've already lost the competition. If their goal is to *match* the current Prius, then it is a case of being too little too late. Much like GM for the past few years.

I would love nothing more than for Honda to truly compete with Toyota in this arena. What has Toyota done for us since the Prius for all these years? Mostly they've waited for the others to catch up. This can only be good news for the consumer... and really... the world.

 

i have to agree. matching something that has been around over 4 years now is not much to brag about...

but then again, at least Honda can say something...which is more than anyone else can say.

 

Prototype this Thursday, actual production car in January. Sounds good to me!
For those that questioned how the Honda could possibly outdue the Prius ... doesn't the original Insight get better MPG than the Prius? How about styling? Not to in any way imply that Toyota's styling is below par, but When we look at the history if the Civic, Honda definitely has a strength when it comes to beating the competition in the styling department.

Personally, I just want to see more hybrids and EVs on the road. If competition leads to more and better hybrids on the roads, then I'm all for it. Would some of you prefer that Honda just abandon hybrids altogether and focus on selling ICE cars to their millions of customers? This new hybrid that Honda is making is INSPIRATION for all of their employees and loyal customers to get excited about. Remove the excitement of this hybrid and Honda's customers will choose to buy millions more ICE civics than hybrid civics.
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looks a lot like the prius

 

For a car significantly smaller, of course. But it never made any sense to compare vehicles in such different categories.

And now that aftermarket augmentation for FULL hybrids is becoming a reality, is doesn't make any sense to put ASSIST hybrids into the same category.

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I think the main technical detail will be whether gliding is possible at higher speeds. If not, the city MPG will remain poor compared to a Prius, even in the hands of a committed driver.

In general, IMA seems to me inferior tech to HSD that *should* be able to compete on price. Particularly in small cars, but Honda refuses to go that route thus far. I don't know if it is technical or marketing.

 

A hybrid that is not merely a trim line of a conventional car, is capable of getting similar FE to a Prius, and is priced significantly cheaper, will indeed give Honda a competitive advantage. It may not be a technological advance, and indeed, I like my Prius better than any IMA car. But the mass consumer does not care as much about the technology as about price and gas consumption.

This car will be great for Honda, and may stimulate Toyota to take the next step forward in order to compete. Most folks on this board prefer the Prius. But if Honda can match the FE at a price 20% cheaper, it will take a lot of market share away from the Prius. Toyota will have to make a significant improvement in the FE of the Prius to remain competitive, and this is good.

There are also a lot of folks who would rather buy from Honda because they treat their customers so much better. As a company, I like Honda much better than Toyota, and switched only reluctantly because the Prius technology is so much more advanced and reliable than the HCH. (Lack of a transmission, and the ability to drive in EV mode, make a big difference to me!)

 

This will matter to extreme-mpg enthusiasts. It will not matter in the least to the vast majority of car buyers, who have never heard of P&G and would not want to be bothered with it. They just want to drive their car like a car. It shows the technological superiority of the Prius. But in the automobile market its effect on sales will be negligible.

 

Also, don't forget that Insight was an all-aluminum vehicle. That weight-reduction approach made it unfit for high-volume production, since it was simply too expensive to allow the vehicle to be profitable.

With this new hybrid, Honda is aiming at a different group of consumers... one which there is a market for anyway. So, they'll still sell a bunch.

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Tideland, it is supposed to be smaller than the H2 Honda car, but have similar styling. At least that's what I remember reading from Honda. Note also that it is also supposed to be smaller than a Prius. So that has to be factored into the equation. Further, the 2010 Prius is supposed to get, what, 50-60 MPG US according to Toyota?
I suspect the lower price will be the kicker though. Folks around here are looking at $10,000 Kias and asking why I think my car is better. If you buy a cheap car, that's what you get. Note that cheap isn't necessarily bad, it's just cheap.

 

This GSH from Honda is reportedly priced way below the Prius at $17K base price. Even if it only gets 44-45MPG, it will definitely appeal to the large group of economical car buyers.

 

It will be able to "glide", the current HCH can glide now. I just find the HCH gas pedal too stiff , and the band too narrow, for it to be an easy task.
Gliding is a cinch in the Prius.
I doubt the average HCH owner even realizes how to glide. There is something about the car that is just so ordinary. This new Honda Hybrid will change that, it looks great to me.

 

Wow, looks a little like the old honda CRX HF They

made back in the 80s. I will drive this car when it comes

out. Hondas have always been good cars.

MORE PHOTOS PLEASE!!!!

 

You said the same thing about the Honda Ridgeline.
LMAO.

 

With full understanding and respect of what you are saying, to me they're all in the same category: How much money out of America's wallets is Ahmadinejad going to get every month?!