Euro NCAP, the organisation that assesses the safety of new cars, today releases the results for eight new cars. Seven cars in this line-up received Euro NCAP’s maximum five star award, whilst one car, the Citroen C3, received a four star result. Two of this month’s top-scorers are amongst the car industry’s most fuelefficient vehicles: the Honda Insight and Toyota Prius 3.

The latest results for the Insight and the Prius 3 show that good fuel economy need not stand in the way of a high level of safety performance. Euro NCAP in particular commends these hybrid vehicles for their impressive pedestrian scores that not only fulfil Euro NCAP’s current five star requirements, but already meet the organisation’s challenging 2012 targets. Pedestrian protection is an area that has long been underprioritised by carmakers. Last year barely 25% of the cars tested achieved more than two stars for pedestrian protection. However with the introduction of a new regulation in Europe this year and a stronger focus maintained by Euro NCAP, the tide is quickly turning. Read the rest of this entry »

The all-new 2010 Honda Insight goes on-sale March 24 with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $19,800 for the Insight LX, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today.

The distinctively styled, five-passenger, five-door dedicated hybrid vehicle is powered by an Integrated Motor Assist™ (IMA™) system comprised of a 1.3-liter i-VTEC® gasoline engine and a 10-kilowatt electric motor that together contribute to an EPA-estimated city/highway fuel economy rating of 40/43 miles per gallonn. The Insight features the Ecological Drive Assist System (Eco Assist™), an innovation that can further enhance efficient vehicle operation while providing feedback related to individual driving styles. Read the rest of this entry »

Honda first marketed the original Insight Hybrid in 1999 and has been working on the technology for almost two decades.

The motivation behind pursuing this technology is fundamental and basic, avoiding waste. In simple terms, the energy from braking on a car with a conventional drivetrain is lost by being converted into energy that disappears into the atmosphere as heat and noise. The task Honda’s R&D engineers set themselves was to harness this energy to the benefit of the customer and the environment.

One decade on, Honda is launching a new Insight that takes those core principles and extends them, allowing a customer to carry their family and luggage in an efficient, flexible and affordable vehicle. Read the rest of this entry »

The all-new 2009 Honda Insight hybrid will make its world debut in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The five-passenger, five-door Insight is expected to be the most affordable hybrid car available when it goes on sale in the spring of 2009. Read the rest of this entry »

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Honda will reveal a concept version of its new small hybrid vehicle, to be named Insight, at the 2008 Paris International Auto Show, October 2, the company announced today. The new Insight Concept shares styling cues with the Honda FCX Clarity fuel cell vehicle and will provide an early look at the highly-anticipated five-passenger hybrid vehicle. Read the rest of this entry »