2010 Honda Insight spy photos

I agree, it is a Honda looks like a Prius.
The two tier instrument panel is like the Civic Hybrid, not Toyota style.

 

Another giveaway that this isn't a Toyota is the rear door... the line that curves over/along the wheel is sloped and very smooth without any definition, whereas the Prius has a very defined line as it goes over/along the wheel and returns to the window. It's much more like the Civic than the Prius.



2008 Honda Civic


Prius

 

Does Honda really design cars like that? By taking a bunch of different cars and duct-taping them together?

Ew. Don't ever want a Honda.

 

HONDA'S NEW HINDSIGHT

The latest battle raging on the Internet boards revolves around some spy photographs of what's believed to be Honda's new competitor to the Prius. If you've been keeping up with the news, you'll know that Honda has admitted that it was a tactical error to simply offer hybrid vehicles that were virtually indistinguishable from its non-hybrid counterparts (e.g., the Honda Accord Hybrid and Civic Hybrid). In hindsight, Honda believes that it would have sold more hybrids if its cars were styled with a more eco-friendly signature (“hey, look at my car, it's a hybrid!”) - like the Prius.

Well, if the spy shooters are correct in identifying the vehicle as the new Honda hybrid sedan, it's a shameless copy of the fabulously successful Toyota design. It so closely resembles the Prius that some enthusiasts can't believe it's a Honda. Although the grille is clearly similar to Honda's new FCX fuel cell vehicle, the grille and bumper integration as well as the headlight assemblies bear a striking resemblance to the newly facelifted Toyota Avalon. The four-door hatchback in the spy photos also has a horizontal character line running along the upper half of the side flanks – just like the renditions of the yet-to-be released 2010 Prius. It's also hard to tell if that taped-up logo is a Honda trapezoid or a Toyota oval. On the other hand, the dashboard and wheels look like Honda issues. To confuse the lookie loos even more, the spy shot car is accompanied by both a current Toyota Prius and a current Honda Civic Hybrid. Did the Honda people bring the Prius along for comparison? Or did Toyota bring the Civic as a decoy? The most convincing evidence that this is a Honda comes from readers who point out that the license plate 3421 appears to be an often seen Honda manufacturer plate number.

Some sources are asserting that Honda will resurrect the “Insight” name for the new car. If true, it will be a deft and dandy move. After all, the Insight was the first high-volume hybrid sold in America, and using the Insight name will serve to remind the public that Honda was first in America with a hybrid. Moreover, the design of the 2004-2009 Prius borrowed heavily from the original Insight. Honda can say the new car is not a rip-off of the Prius; on the contrary, the Prius design is but a four-door rip-off of the original Insight. One area I wish Honda really would rip-off Toyota is in using a full, dual-mode hybrid design. Alas, reports are that the new car will use the Integrated Motor Assist mild hybrid design of the current Civic Hybrid. That means the new car can't be driven in electric car mode at low speeds – a nice feature enjoyed by Prius owners.

Assuming that this is indeed Honda's new Prius-fighter, we are getting a pretty clear picture of a signature look for hybrid sedans. Don’t be surprised if other manufacturers follow suit with similar-looking hybrid sedans.


- Back Seat Driving

http://lacar.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=972#bsd3

 

BS X tenfold..............................nothing new, nothing unspoken for. it's a prius.................is the OP looking for stardom?

 

I don't buy this argument for a minute. If Honda wanted to both distinguish
its hybrids and lay a clear claim to the Insight heritage, all they had to do
was add OEM rear wheel skirts/spats, full or partial, to the Civic and Accord
hybrids. There are no other mainline cars that have OEM skirts. On a Honda,
they'd just scream "INSIGHT!" and by inference, "HYBRID!" It would have been
relatively inexpensive to do as well. Honda missed a real PR/marketing coup
there.

Then, to make up for it, they do a Prius clone. Strange, that would seem to
argue that the Gen II Prius is the better car! And what about the Gen III? I'm
thinking that the only strong point in Honda's favor might be a marked price
differential, stemming mainly from the simpler hybrid and associated control
systems.

If you go to this site, you will see that this article was published on July 01, '08.
In post #17, on July 16, '08, I also used the word Hindsight. Although I had
not read the article, and had no other knowledge of it, I'd like to acknowledge
that it author, Nakano, used it first.

 

Thanks, Rokeby, but South Park (Comedy Central) actually used it before all of us in its notoriously funny "Smug Alert" episode.

 

this is just maybe the new 2010 model
you can see the little window in the back is not the same

 

The exterior looks a LOT like a Prius.

 

I agree with PriuStorm. Take the '08 Civic, lift the trunk into a hatchback and viola, the 2010 Honda Hybrid whatever they are calling it.

 

Could it be......?

A Honda Hybrid Within Your Reach - Starting in Early 2009

"Our newest hybrid is a futuristic five-door hatchback that sports a unique style and sleek design. It is powered by a new lighter weight and efficient Integrated Motor Assist IMA® Hybrid system that offers a spirited ride, with plenty of amenities. And it’s all within your reach, starting in early 2009."

 

Ring the bell.

There it is. :0)

 

Lets hope they can make them in significant numbers.

 

I saw this car near Honda Research and Development Headquarters here in CA. It was all taped up just like the photos. had the Honda name plate covered with tape, but you can clearly see the honda emblem on there. Design-wise, it does look like the prius, but the way honda's hybrid of course works differently. I've always liked the way the civic hybrid accelerates, but it's just too bad that the design was to crappy and no fold down seats for any storage what's so ever.

I hope this new prius look alike car will lower the internal cabin noise.

The japanese guy inside just grined as it passed by.

 

Did any of you think Honda may have put on the camouflage in a way to make the body look very Prius like just to through off the spies?

It's definitely a Honda, but could be using some Toyota-ish parts to disguise it.

 

I think they took the Clarity and cannibalized it to bring their new hybrid to market.

Sure looks a lot like this:

Honda FCX Clarity - Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle - Official Web Site

 

It does look the same as the Clarity except with some minor cosmetic changes.

 

o wait
ty maybe try to make it look like a prius
because if this is really the final model shape its so like a prius toyota need to bring them before court

 

It looks more and more like a Clarity with a fifth hatch door attached to the rear.

The parting lines of the doors are exactly the same.

BTW, it has been confirmed that it is the new GSH from Honda by Autocar mag.

 

At $600 a month lease I will wait for the next gen. Prius