Toyota Prius: Insight into the future

At the turn of the century, well before the eco-parade caught the auto makers by the horns, the Honda Insight became the first hybrid car to

leave the highly isolated Japanese Domestic Market and introduce the world to mass-produced , economically viable hybridelectric powered vehicles. Though this three-door hatchback was nowhere close to the commercial success of its biggest rival, the Toyota Prius, it stil
l managed to draw a cult following in the six years it remained in production, from 2000 upto 2006. After making a few rounds at recent auto shows, the second generation Honda Insight has finally arrived, and now sports 4 doors in a distinctive hatchback body style which seems take many of its styling cues from the Honda FCX Clarity.

This new Insight comes with an all-new version of Honda’s IMA (Integrated Motor Assist) hybrid engine which has been around for the last decade. A 1.3 litre i-VTEC petrol engine producing 88PS of power and 121Nm of torque coupled to an electric motor sitting alongside it forms the heart of the IMA system. The electric motor produces an additional 14 PS of power and 78Nm of torque and can give the Insight extra thrust by working parallely with the petrol engine when the driver puts his foot down. But the really clever bit is a system called Variable Cylinder Management, which can stop combustion in all four cylinders and seal them shut during low torque operations such as slow speed cruising. This, combined with all the efforts Honda has put in to dramatically reduce friction in the engine’s various moving parts means that the new Insight should be able to deliver significantly higher fuel economy, which the company claims to be in the region of almost 28 kmpl (combined cycle).

At nearly half the width, the new electric motor is also much thinner compared to the one from Honda’s own Civic Hybrid. With the improved Ni-MH batteries now smaller and located under the boot, the Insight has cabin and boot space comparable to any other conventionallypowered 4-door hatchback of the same size. The batteries now feature a faster recovery rate, which when coupled with the regenerative braking system, means that they can recharge much faster and deliver power more consistently to the electric motor. The CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) with revised ratios gives the Insight much more sprightly performance, with 100km/h coming from a standstill in 12.5seconds, which is comparable to most 1.6-litre sedans with automatic gearboxes.

On the inside, even though the design doesn’t deviate much from what we’ve seen on Hondas for the last few years, the Insight still has some really cool touches. The Ecological Drive System is a combination of three functions designed to enhance efficient driving. The first function of this system is a button called ECON Mode, which when engaged controls the engine, CVT and other powertrain components. It also adjusts the air conditioning, extends the idle stop time and increases the regenerative recharging during deceleration to deliver the best fuel economy from the engine. The second Guidance Mode is made of an ambient meter behind the digital speedometer which changes color to indicate real-time fuel consumption, varying from green to indicate maximum efficiency to blue during heavy fuel consumption. The final function is the Scoring Function, which uses a graphical display with tree leaves to reflect real-time fuel consumption and average fuel consumption at the end of a trip, along with a bar which indicates cumulative lifetime efficiency of the car. Honda hopes that this system will help drivers develop more efficient driving habits with long-term use.

But the real trump card of the Insight, when it’s available for purchase later this year, will be its price. Improvements in manufacturing technology have made the overall package much cheaper to produce, which should make it cheaper to buy than any of its competition. Honda says that for the price of an entry level Toyota Prius, a customer can get an Insight model that will feature 15-inch alloy wheels, climate control, air conditioning, electric folding door mirrors, front and rear electric windows, steering wheel audio controls and Vehicle Stability Assistance. The first generation of the Insight only managed to sell about 18,000 units worldwide. But Honda believes that it has a winner on its hands in the form of this new car, and plans to roll out about 200,000 of these family hybrids each year.