No Surprise: Honda Insight discussions usually include mentions of Toyota Prius
According to a recent report from Nielsen, 61 percent of all online discussions regarding the Honda Insight also include mentions of the Toyota Prius. On the flip side, only about 27 percent of all internet chatter revolving around the Prius mentions the rival Insight. Interesting, eh? The report goes on to suggest "that the Prius is the gold standard to which all other hybrids must aspire."
Upon closer inspection, the news isn't all bad for Honda. According to Nielsen, 31 percent of Insight reviews were favorable, which compares rather well with the 28-percent favorable review rate of the Prius. Those figures are tempered a bit, though, as there were also more negative reviews of the Insight. This suggests that the Insight is a "love it or hate it" kind of vehicle, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
How does all of this translate into sales? That's the big question, and Nielsen reports that 12 percent of people mentioning the Prius say they plan to buy one, which is a fair bit better than the 7 percent figure recorded for the Insight. There's plenty more to data to chew on at Nielsen's official blog, including some background data on the Ford Fusion Hybrid.
[Source: Nielsen via Green Car Advisor]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
BlackbirdHighway 2:40PM (4/29/2009)
Which one is which? The photos need labels.
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Sebastian 4:21PM (5/18/2009)
In case you're not joking, the Prius is on top. :)
Rick 2:47PM (4/29/2009)
If the Insight didn't look like a Prius, it would not be mentioned in the same breath 60% of the time. It's not that the Prius is the gold standard, it's that you are talking about a Honda hybrid that looks exactly like the Prius.
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Bill 3:27PM (4/29/2009)
You'd expect most 4-wheel, 4+ passenger hybrid vehicles would use that design (Kammback) since it gives one of the lowest Cd.
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Kardax 4:04PM (4/29/2009)
Having a presence in 27% of Prius discussions is an opportunity to grab a lot of sales from Toyota.
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Charles S 6:57PM (4/29/2009)
Gee, could it be that because the Insight is a challenger to the Prius, that is why many blogs mentioned both cars? I'm sure truck forums are full of comments about F-150 versus the Silverado... big surprise there.
I think some people need their eyes checked. I'd never mistaken a Prius for an Insight, especially when you see them on the road.
If the Insight and the Prius are similar, then I guess Corvette and the Viper are twins, and new Camaro is just a Mustang with a face lift. Ha!
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