AIMS: Honda reveals release dates, sub-$30K pricing for Insight hybrid

Honda has used the Australian International Motor Show to pull the wraps off its Aussie-spec Insight hybrid. Reflecting the strategy it's used in Japan and the US, the company is using razor sharp pricing to snatch buyers away from Toyota.

On the car's early December launch, the base Insight VTi will start at $29,990 – a full $10K inside the base Prius.

The upspec VTi-L, starting at $33,490, reflects a more prosaic approach to the top shelf than Toyota's Prius i-Tech, forgoing tour-de-force technology upgrades with commensurate hefty price premiums for a simple package of auto headlights, rain sensing wipers, foglamps, leather wheel, reversing camera and satnav.

Starship Enterprise-like controls notwithstanding, the Insight is overall a simpler machine than the Prius. It uses Honda's power-assist hybrid powertrain, marrying a 1.3 litre i-VTEC four with Honda's Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) system putting power to the front wheels through a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

Honda claims a creditable 4.6l/100km combined, with emissions of just 109g/km.

The IMA is essentially an oversized starter motor designed to supplement petrol engine power and boost torque. Unlike full hybrids such as the Prius, it's not designed to get the car off the line alone, although in this incarnation the package does deploy the Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) technology Honda uses in the V6 Accord to allow the ECM to shut down all four pots during low-speed cruising.

Honda has concentrated on reducing engine friction at every possible point and has substantially improved the electric motor, slimming it down to make the whole package smaller and lighter.

The Insight includes a driver-activated ECON switch, through which sends the car's management system into a ‘super economy' mode, monitoring driver behaviour and recalibrating its settings accordingly to reduce power, modify CVT and throttle actions, boost brake energy regeneration and reduce the air-conditioning system's incursion on the energy supply.

How do they do it for the price? A hint of an answer lies buried in the specs sheet. How long since you've seen a halo model from a primo brand like Honda sporting... rear drum brakes?

For our full coverage of the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney visit our minisite at carsales.com.au/aims

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