Honda: U.K. drivers think hybrids are too expensive
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Honda Insight
In the United States, sales of hybrid cars greatly outpaces the sales of diesel cars; super-size trucks don't count. The leader of the hybrid race globally and in the States is undoubtedly Toyota, but other manufacturers, including Honda, are doing their best to catch up. Despite the fact that the original Honda Insight helped usher in the hybrid age, the automaker has taken a major back seat to its main rival from Japan in recent years. To help combat this issue, Honda is set to revive the Insight nameplate with a Prius-fighting five door hatchback of its own, and it will undercut its competitor by thousands of dollars.
So, what about Europe? Across the pond, hybrid cars and trucks are not nearly as popular as they are in the U.S. There, diesel fuel is priced more attractively than gasoline, and sales of oil-burners are therefore very strong. A recent survey conducted by Honda in the U.K. indicates that 40-percent of those who would not buy a hybrid are put off by their high price. Since the Insight will be the cheapest hybrid available in Europe, Honda hopes to buck the slow-selling trend. We'll see how it works out sometime next year.
Gallery: Paris 2008: Honda Insight Concept
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
TheRookie 10:46AM (10/03/2008)
"There, diesel fuel is priced more attractively than gasoline, and sales of oil-burners are therefore very strong."
This is not true for the UK - diesel here is roughly 10% more expensive than petrol. Also, diesel company cars attract 3% additional tax on them.
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paulwesterberg 1:04PM (10/03/2008)
UK gas prices spiked to $9/gal this summer.
I bet the brits would come around to hybrids if they added a plug and electric only mode which would make it possible to avoid paying for gas for normal commutes.
classic ice = burns a lot of costly gas
classic hybrid = burns half as much costly gas
electric/hybrid w/plug = no costly gas necessary, price premium made up by not buying gas.
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camaj 6:23PM (10/03/2008)
The problem isn't hybrids, it's that Diesel cars are cheaper to buy and more fuel efficient than hybrids. If you care about efficiency, the best buy is probably a Bluemotion Golf not a hybrid, although perhaps not under urban conditions
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philmcneal 8:40PM (10/03/2008)
plus the prius in europe is consider a LARGE sedan here in canada its midsize or in some cases compact.
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Dan 1:01AM (10/04/2008)
All cars are more expensive in Europe and the UK. A Prius costs 18,250 UKP or $36,500, but even a barebones Yaris costs 9,000 UKP or $18,000, and that's with a much less powerful 1.0L gasoline engine. It's not even available with the 1.5L engine of the US Yaris. Upgrading to a 1.3L gasoline engine costs 10,700 UKP, or 11,700 UKP for a 1.4L diesel.
You have to juggle the options around a bit to compare prices fairly. The US Yaris gets standard air conditioning, but the UK Yaris gets standard power windows.
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