Honda’s Insight was great and all, but nobody wants a two seat car these days. So while the hybrid Accord is certainly an exciting addition, what’s more awesome is Honda competing where we expect them to: with cheap cars for younger people.
Which is why they might be putting the Insight’s engine into the Honda Fit. The Fit is already selling fairly well, as a stylish five door for way under $20k. And it already gets good gas mileage. But with the Insight’s well tested and now fairly inexpensive drive train between its wheels, it could be boosted into the 60 mile per gallon range while staying a very inexpensive car.
But, as we reported earlier this month, Honda is also producing a small, cheap, full hybrid model in 2009. And that car is definitely not the Fit. So, while some executives at Honda have been talking up the Fit hybrid, its future seems unclear. I almost expect the Fit to go hybrid without much fanfare and be sold for around %15k, while the new, all-hybird model will be larger with more bold styling, and sell for slightly more.
But, by this point, it’s all conjecture. In any case, the future of Honda’s hybrids will be exciting, and we’re not-so-patiently awaiting some real, hard news. via