2010 Honda Insight Hybrid Goes On Sale Tomorrow... In Japan

The 2010 Honda Insight goes on sale tomorrow at a cost of ¥1,890,000 (approximately $21,000)... in Japan.

In our Honda Insight review we found the car to be surprisingly fun-to-drive for a hybrid but not as fuel-efficient as the competition. Still, gun-to-the-head, we'd rather an Insight over the outgoing Prius while cruising around Tokyo's Akihabara district. It looks like tomorrow it could be a reality. Now all we need is a Japanese driver's license, a ticket to Japan and ¥1,890,000 (approximately $21,000).

Toyota Press Release

TOKYO, Japan, February 5, 2009 – Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced today that the all-new Insight hybrid vehicle will go on sale in Japan on Friday, February 6, 2009. A five-door, five-passenger compact hatchback starting at an affordable ¥1,890,000*1, the Insight features a lightweight, compact hybrid system that combines exceptional fuel economy with fun-to-drive performance.

Designed to set the standard for compact cars for a new era, the Insight combines outstanding environmental performance with fun, responsive driving and efficient, versatile packaging. The all-new Honda Insight was developed with the goal to provide these attributes in a car that is affordable to more customers.

Offering customers exceptional fuel economy, the Insight features a newly developed hybrid system including a 1.3-liter i-VTEC engine and Honda's proprietary Integrated Motor Assist (IMA). To further support fuel-efficient driving, the Insight features the Ecological Drive Assist System (Eco Assist) as standard equipment on all models.

* The name Insight was chosen to denote that this new vehicle provides "insight" into a new era in which hybrid vehicles come within reach of most car buyers.

*1 Manufacturer's suggested retail price including consumption tax for the G-type

[Honda via NihonCar]