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http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/AmericanFlag.jpg Make an appointment and enjoy the test drive in one of the best vehicles we will see launched this year. (cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?p=196567)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2010_Honda_Insight-II_EX2.jpgWayne Gerdes – CleanMPG (cleanmpg.com) – Mar. 24, 2009

2010 Honda Insight-II - $19,800 and a 41 mpgUS combined rating on the 08 EPA.

Columbia, SC -- Like many Honda dealerships around the country, a special delivery began pouring off the trucks early this morning and afternoon and not a minute to soon.

Midlands Honda in Columbia was just one of hundreds of US based Honda dealerships that received upwards of (8) 2010 Insight-II’s which include the entire model lineup from base LX’s and EX’s to EX’s with Navigation ready for you to test drive and purchase.

“The 2010 Honda Insight-II arrivals are so new we do not yet have any brochures,” said Kacey Green, a Midland’s Honda Salesman. “We have had a multitude of excited customers showing up to look, touch and test drive this afternoon but they cannot take home an Insight-II until after we have completed their prep. We are in the process of doing so as I speak in fact!”

It is not often we see a launch of a reasonably priced yet high fuel economy capable vehicle like the 2010 Honda Insight-II on our Continent and if the early sales success in Japan is any indication, the US will experience a far larger number of 40 + mpgUS vehicles on our roadways than we have seen in the past.

I personally cannot wait :)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/7-Insights_delivered.jpg
8 - 2010 Honda Insight-II’s on the truck.

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/7-Insights_delivered_-_F150_on_top.jpg
A dichotomy... F-150 on top with the Insight-II’s being unloaded below.

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/7-Insights_delivered_-_Demo_Monroney_sticker.jpg
And at least one Demo only vehicle meant for what else, Demo’ing :D

I'm excited too, but I'm not sure why.

If I were shopping for a new car tomorrow, I think I'd still take an HCH-II for the same price. Now, maybe in 6 months, when you can get these for $17k, I'd change my mind.

Still it's good to get as many 40mpg cars on the road as possible. Thanks Honda.

nf

Now aren't those a beautiful sight?? :D

It will be very nice when the only thing available on most any dealership lot manages about that kind of FE.

OK, my dealer has no idea where mine is. Where the H$%L is it?:eyebrow:

I called the dealership today and he says mine should be arriving in the first week of April. One of the first to arrive!

I'm at work and a co-worker's did not arrive at his dealership yet either. They got some, but not his.

I gotta go see one! I'm pretty sure a little 'sick leave' may be needed tomorrow afternoon... we ARE talking my home town!

Sad thing is that in march of 2002 the manual HCH for basically the same price got better fuel economy than the insight 2. Honda has had over 7 years and is basically going backwards... Looking foward to the gen 3 prius.

300kmileprius, this car isn't aimed at you, it is an entry level hybrid not a luxury hybrid.



The blue matches the blue tint on the head lights.
The silver color has a matching grill rather than the smoky color found on the other Insights

I still find it funny, 8 compact hybrids and one full size pickup.

You'd probably need 8 trucks full of hybrids to equal those emissions, especially after it gets the southern treatment (raise it, cut off emissions equipment, and add weight and mud tires).

Even though I'm more fascinated and impressed by the upcoming Ford Fusion Hybrid (although it does cost quite a bit more too), I'm still glad to see these cars make it to our shores. I feel it's a new and positive start towards more affordable hybrid choices with the end goal being to ween ourselves off of imported crude oil. Looking forward to seeing the fuel economy numbers once an expert hypermiler gets ahold of one of these.

I still find it funny, 8 compact hybrids and one full size pickup.

You'd probably need 8 trucks full of hybrids to equal those emissions, especially after it gets the southern treatment (raise it, cut off emissions equipment, and add weight and mud tires).

It is kind of funny to see that Ford F-150 pickup with all those Honda Insights. I hope Ford does introduce a small displacement diesel option for their trucks or at least some form of hybrid technology like that found in the FEH, maybe the Ranger would be a better choice? Back to Honda, I've read that they are also preparing to release a sporty hybrid and maybe also a hybrid Fit? With Honda's low cost hybrid technology I don't see why they cannot hybridize their entire fleet of cars.

Hmm, I may need an excuse to find my way out to that side of town this week!

Saturday I want to take one down to Devine Street.

I just can't get past the price...This car is priced about $2,000 to high.

Wonderful vehicle, great engineering, I'm thrilled to see it at the dealerships, but I agree the price is a bit too high for fairly basic albeit effective hybrid tech.

I noticed the night before last (March 23rd) that you can build your insight on the Honda website now! I was waiting for that to come along... Even though I've already got mine ordered and all that. But its neat to build one and look at the different colors. I agree about the price as well, but all in all, I feel its a better deal than the Prius and it has some awesome attributes (Econ button and backlighting) that no other model has. However, over time, other vehicles will probably get these things too. But I'm looking for a car NOW! Not 1-2 years from now... Thank you Honda! :)

I stopped by a Honda dealer after work yesterday in Tulsa. They had a black Insight. The first one they have had and its not presold. Not impressed at all. The wheels were nice. The black paint was orange peeled something awful. The interior is as ugly as the new Accord and TL's exterior. There was the ever present suck butt CVT and the turn of the century rear drum brakes. The MSRP was $21.7 something. At $16K to $18K MSRP it might be worth it.

Several of the sales folks that know I can drive for mpg wanted me to drive the car. Told them if they strip the Insight tag off it I might. It's not a Insight or any gen of a Insight. It is a marketing failure. Asked them why in the world I would even come close to thinking about trading my Mazda 3 that cost $17,105 out the door that is on a 42 mpg tank with basic hypermiling tricks that out handles every thing Honda makes except a S2000. Are they crazy?

I hope for good luck and enjoyment of the car for those that purchase it. It might very well be a replacement for the wifes current 05 Accord EX Sedan. But know way I will be driving one.

Hi, Jeff -- I can understand your sentiments, but you might want to try driving one before forming too many opinions? Wayne liked the handling, though I'm sure it isn't up to your standards.

The car would have to go in for a paint job if you got one, though. ;)

I just can't get past the price...This car is priced about $2,000 to high.

I'll probably pick one up as a off-lease Certified Used in a few years. If a 2005 HCH goes for about $15k that way, an Insight-II as an off-lease will probably be about $10k. Very affordable!

I tried to setup some rough lease numbers yesterday and I was unsuccessful (way too soon I took the manger by surprise, I don't normally ask for lease figures), thankfully the customer wasn't terribly interested in a lease anyway.

Hi, Jeff -- I can understand your sentiments, but you might want to try driving one before forming too many opinions? Wayne liked the handling, though I'm sure it isn't up to your standards.

The car would have to go in for a paint job if you got one, though. ;)

Naw Sean. A Civic EX or even a Mazda 3 long before the imposter Insight. A real Insight is a very special car worthy of the name and lasting respect. I honestly have no idea what they are trying to do with this car. Hondas IMA is all but a joke. Hondas real skill is in the ICE. And its nothing special. The price is to high a CVT only and turn of the century typical Honda brakes. Nothing adds up in this car. The dash looks like they threw a Fit, Civic, Accord and CR-V dash into a blender and let kids hit the buttons. Poored it and and proclaimed it the imposter Insight dash. Setting in the car it was more slab sided and cramped at the door panels than my old Festiva. Setting in a Smart was better.

I was very happy to jump back into my MZ3 that cost alot less with 42 mpg showing for the tank ave. and motoring on down the road. I now know for sure with out a dobt there is nothing in the current Honda stable worthy of my money. Seems there cars are going the way there motorcycles did. DOWN HILL!

You are certainly right that the car has nothing much in common with its namesake...

I agree on the dash, it's too busy for my tastes. But I don't mind drum brakes at all. From my family experience, rear drums have required less maintenance than rear discs. With the Insight weighing ~2800lbs plus regen braking, how often are people going to be putting enough heat into the brakes to make rear discs worthwhile? Driving 4 adults and their luggage down a Swiss mountain in a ~2800lb Mercedes A170 with rear drums, the braking ability held up fine. Outside of a racetrack or towing a trailer down a mountain, I doubt the rear discs would be needed on the Insight.

We had a interesting change of events today. The wife loves her Accord! BUT its now got 87K miles on it. So looking down the road I've been keeping my eye out for cars I know she would like. The new Accord, TL and others win the butt ugly award from both of us. So there not in the running. I don't like the mockery of Insight. But she did!

I took her by the dealer today as we were car pooling home. Hoping she could she the black one I looked at to get a reaction from her. Well they had a red EX Navi and a Blue LX out. She went right to the red one as its close to the same color as the Accord. She liked the car! The navi was a must. And I would have to agree. It makes the dash look much better. She is OK with the CVT but did notice the rear drum brakes. She was ready right then and there to trade her Accord if we could get a deal on one. The middle part of the front bumper cover would have to be painted to match the body color and the Insight badge would have to be popped off as soon as its home. She was very clear. It's not a Insight and should have been called something else. She asked why they would not deal on one? I told her it was a new car and the first year of production like the Civic was when I bought it. Never mind she said. The Civic was enough of that nightmare. The salesman about fell out. She turned around proclaimed we are done here and walked back to the Accord. I was blown away that she was interested in it much less wanted to buy it if I could work a deal.

I assured her if she wanted one down the road we would call our dealer in Bartlesville and mop the floor with the idiot prices Tulsan's are known to pay for cars.

Very strange twist today. :)

Hi Jeff:

___New car shopping sure is fun and especially with the wife looking at something fuel efficient, it made me smile :)

___Let us see what happens to prices once the Prius-III, Insight-II, HCH-II and Fusion Hybrid are all on the lots together this summer. If fuel doesn’t blow through $2.50 per, there might be some pretty hot deals to be had on some of the latest HW on the road.

___Good Luck

___Wayne