Insight set for late 2010 intro

Honda's new Insight hybrid will not arrive Down Under until late in 2010. That's the latest update on the local timetable for the brand's new entry-level five-door hybrid hatch. Though the company had initially hoped to have the model into the Australian market around Easter next year, strong worldwide and domestic [Japanese] demand has seen the car's arrival delayed.

The Insight was released to the USA market recently with a headline grabbing sub-US$20,000 pricetag. At the cheapest of its three model grades, it undercuts the Civic Hybrid by around US$4000.

Though updated, the Insight's Integrated Motor Assist hybrid drivetrain is less powerful than the unit fitted to the Civic. The car is also physically smaller than the sedan-bodied Honda and Toyota's similarly styled Prius -- which it also undercuts on price both in the USA and Japan.

Down Under, Honda has made no secret about its wish to introduce the car with a sub-$30,000 sticker price. Currently the Civic Hybrid is priced from $35,990 locally.

Though that target pricetag will be helped by the added strength of the Aussie dollar, the company says it has not finalised Australian pricing. Even if it had, in the competitive world of new car sales it would not openly telegraph its punches close to 12 months away from the car's local launch. To combat the price competitiveness and success of the Insight in Japan, Toyota has gone to the extent of continuing production of a de-specced version of the superceded Prius. No surprise, its pricetag matches the Insight.

According to Honda Australia's Sales and Marketing Director Lindsay Smalley, myriad factors will determine the final sticker price of the Insight -- not least of which is the fact the company is yet to finalise the local specification for the hybrid.

Smalley says Honda Australia will, however, offer two grades of Insight when it goes on sale locally. The specifications of the two grades will be tailored to the local market, he says.

In the USA the Insight is offered as an LX, EX and the range-topping EX Navi. The LX has an advertised price of US$19,890. The top grade includes equipment such as voice-activated satellite navigation, Bluetooth and phone functionality, and at EX level and above gearshift paddles, cruise control and stability control are also standard equipment. Climate control air and six airbags are standard on all models.

We'd suggest that when it arrives in Australia the base model Insight will feature stability control as standard but may miss out on side curtain airbags. Whether Honda will offer the top Insight with integrated navigation is most likely to be determined on the availability of the mapping, etc, of the 'native' system.

Oh, and the strength of the Aussie dollar...

Look out for our first drive impressions of the Honda Insight in coming days.

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