Honda and Toyota Compete With New Hybrids

The hybrid competition is heating up, especially with new hybrid unveilings from the North American Auto Show in Detroit. The sales leading Toyota Prius has become synonymous with hybrid vehicles and green technology. In addition, the latest third-generation Prius ups the ante with more features and fuel economy than ever before. But Honda also has fresh competition, as it unveiled its latest hybrid, the Insight, which offers a less expensive alternative to the dominating Prius.

Honda has unveiled the all-new Honda Insight this week. Although styling is blatantly similar to that of the Toyota Prius, noted Warner Robins Honda hybrid shoppers, the most notable feature is that it is cheaper than the industry leading hybrid, with a base price expected to be around $18,000 - several thousand less than the Prius.

The new Honda insight is a direct competitor to the Toyota Prius. Previously, Honda has offered the Civic and Accord in hybrid variants, but has offered little else to compete against the unique character of the Prius. The original Insight was small, poorly styled, and was far from a sales success.

Toyota however is taking great strides to remain a segment leader. As such, Toyota has introduced the all-new third-generation Prius which now gets an improved 50 miles per gallon fuel rating, a huge feature to Toyota accessories shoppers at Conicelli Toyota. This may be a huge difference for consumers as Honda’s Insight gets about 40 miles per gallon in city driving and 43 miles per gallon on the highway.

Although the Detroit Auto Show has also been used to show off other hybrids, such as the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan, it’s likely that Toyota and Honda will remain the hybrid leaders says Cleveland used Toyota dealers, especially with their latest offerings. After all, the Toyota Prius alone commands about 75 percent of the American hybrid market.

Honda has had success in offering a fuel-efficient lineup overall, but has not made the great strides it had hoped in the hybrid segment, especially against the Prius. Even with slowing auto sales, the Prius has maintained sales momentum at Albuquerque Toyota dealers and others. Additionally, hybrid variants of the Civic or Accord often cost several thousand more than their gasoline-powered counterparts, and didn’t provide enough fuel savings to justify the added expense for many consumers.

On the other hand, the Toyota Prius is a hybrid-specific model, without a gasoline-powered option. As a result, the name and styling have become synonymous with efficiency and green technology. With the Insight, Honda hopes to mimic that success, without a gasoline-only alternative. In addition, with a competitive base price, and without a less expensive gas version, Honda Philadelphia believes the new Insight will potentially avoid the pitfall of other hybrids that have gained a high-priced image.

Honda’s new strategy behind the Insight may be a huge success, or it may cause the Insight to be seen as a “me too” vehicle that’s too similar to the Prius. But the price should be enough to excite buyers at one Pittsburgh Honda dealer. Generally the overall cost of ownership is a huge concern among buyers. Having a vehicle that offers both a competitive base price and high fuel economy can be enough to gain momentum in the hybrid segment. In any event, the combined introductions of these two hybrids should be enough to gain valuable interest.

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