If a picture's worth a thousand words, what's a leaked specification sheet worth? For the second time in two weeks, Honda shares a glimpse of a compact car that will mainstream electric for America’s #5 auto brand.
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Honda news for Thursday finds America’s most innovative mainstream auto brand spreading the word on a car that Honda believes will help, if not achieve, the mainstreaming of the electrified compact car in North America. It looks like Insight loses the hatch in 2019. The reinvented Honda Insight is thought-provoking.
Visually the 2019 Honda Insight is captivating, thought provoking, and inspiring -- in a reborn downsized Honda Accord sort of way. I love the body line of this car, and could only hope and dream of a near future, electrified sports-hatchback. Looking to the next generation Insight I find a body design begging for hatchback integration.
Why not? As demonstrated by the Honda Accord Hybrid, or the extreme Acura NSX supercar, electrification is the most viable path to greater combined torque,low emissions fuel efficiency and horsepower. I drive Acura NSX on the rainy backroads of Western Oregon.
Honda shares 2019 Insight details, specifications, and prototype design
For car people like myself, there’s a measurable difference between a car show static concept floor presentation, and a pre-production prototype. Looking to 2019 Honda Insight, what you see, is most likely what will make it onto showroom floors sometime in the Fall of 2018, or sooner.
With rumors surfacing on the Web as to Insight replacing Honda Civic, not likely! Honda’s well ahead of the hype-wave generated by auto writers, much like myself. looking for a breaking storyline.
What we do know is that when released to the North American auto market sometime in mid to late 2018, Honda insight will be standard advanced active safety equipped, and personal electronic connectivity user-friendly.
Here’s what Honda tells us: "With its long wheelbase platform, the 2019 Honda Insight will offer class-leading passenger space and a host of premium features including available perforated leather seating, an 8-inch Display Audio capacitive touchscreen and a 7-inch digital LCD driver's meter."
"More intuitive, smartphone-like features and functionality including customizable app tiles and home-screen shortcuts, along with available Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™ integration and Wi-Fi-enabled over-the-air system updates, further enhance Insight over its compact hybrid competitors.
Here’s what we do know
1.The Honda Civic nameplate will remain a mainstay in Honda’s lineup for generations
2. 2019 Honda Insight is roomier, and slightly more premium than 10th generation Civic, and will sit between Civic
and Accord in the lineup
3. 2019 Honda Insight to share drive components with Honda Accord Hybrid
4. 2019 Honda Insight will average greater than 50 MPG * Update: 55 MPG +
5. 2019 Honda Insight will be manufactured in Greensburg, Indiana, alongside Civic and CR-V...
6. Under most conditions, Insight will operate “electric only” utilizing the 1.5 L Atkinson Cycle 4-cylinder engine as a
generator.
Look for the 2019 Honda Insight press reveal from Detroit on January 15. We’ll keep you posted here at Torque News.
Today’s Torque News reader question: What would you pay for a premium next-generation Insight hybrid sedan?
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