本帖最後由 carwing 於 2009-12-6 01:30 PM 編輯
Feature: 2010 Honda Insight vs 2010 Toyota Prius
At this year’s edition of the North American International AutoShow in Detroit, it was just like old times, as two senior hybridnameplates squared off from opposite sides of the room. In one corner,the 2010 Toyota Prius, the first mass-produced hybrid, was unveiled inits third generation. And in the other was the 2010 Honda Insight, aname used on the first hybrid to come to North American shores, and nowrevived on an all-new model.
Originally the only game in town, the Prius and Insight are nolonger alone. Both companies make other hybrids, while General Motors,Ford, Nissan and Chrysler also have models on the market, and othercompanies have them on the way. The Prius still commands the lion’sshare of the gasoline-electric market, to the point that it’s almostbecome a generic name for hybrids with many customers. Honda,meanwhile, has brought back the name of the cute-n-funky littletwo-seater that introduced us to the idea, in the hopes that buyerswill reconnect with it. So how do the two measure up?
At the moment, it’s all by the numbers, as CanadianDriver has only been behind the wheel of theInsight,and pricing hasn’t been announced. But it’s important to note thatwhile both are hybrids, they’re not the same, and there are somefundamental differences that may sway buyers to one or the other.
Both are four-door hatchbacks, but the Prius is the larger of thetwo: a 2700 mm (106.2 inches) wheelbase to the Insight’s 2550 mm (100.3inches), and a body length of 4460 mm (175.5 inches), to the Insight’s4376 mm (172.2 inches). The Insight is also smaller than the HondaCivic Hybrid, a model with an MSRP of $26,350, and Honda has said thatthe Insight will cost less. (The smaller Fit is also scheduled for ahybrid powertrain, but it won’t be sold in our market.)
Since the 2009 Prius is priced at $27,710, expect the Insight tocome in with the advantage of a lower sticker price. But there will bemore than just price riding on the decision with some buyers, becausewhile both cars are hybrids, they don’t work quite the same.
Both use a four-cylinder engine: a 1.3-litre in the Insight, and a1.8-litre in the Prius, which also uses an Atkinson cycle. Thisvariable valve timing system squeezes as much energy as possible out ofthe fuel for better mileage; its lower horsepower per displacement iscompensated by the hybrid system’s electric assist. The hybrid systemis called the Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) on the Insight, whileToyota’s is Hybrid Synergy Drive. Both use continuously variabletransmissions (CVT). The Insight’s engine also includes a system calledVariable Cylinder Management, or VCM, which stops firing on all fourcylinders during deceleration to save fuel and decrease resistance toallow the motor/generator to more efficiently generate electricity andcharge the battery. Combined net horsepower ratings are 98 hp for theInsight, and 134 hp for the Prius. As with all hybrids currently on themarket, you don’t plug in either one; the system recharges itself.
The biggest difference between the two models is in how the hybridsystem works. For many buyers, it will come down to the factors ofprice versus operation: the Insight will be less expensive, but itisn’t as sophisticated a system. Unlike the Prius, which can take offon electric power and now includes an “EV” mode that lets the driverselect electric-only driving for almost two kilometres, the Insight canonly run on battery alone when it’s cruising at around 40 km/h.However, both use an idle stop feature, which shuts off the gasolineengine when the car is stopped – such as when sitting at a light, or inheavy traffic – so that no fuel is used and there are no emissions. Theelectric motor restarts each one, so there’s no conventional starter towear out.
The Prius is an improvement on the second-generation model, with 90per cent of the Hybrid Synergy Drive newly-developed; Toyota says thatpower is improved by 22 per cent, while fuel consumption is seven percent better. Although the 1.8-litre is larger than the 1.5-litre itreplaces, the new engine runs at lower r.p.m. on the highway and souses less fuel. Estimated fuel economy is 3.7 L/100 km in the city, and4.0 L/100 km on the highway. The new model is virtually the same sizeas before, but the cowl moves forward for better interior space, and itrides on a new platform that Toyota promises provides better handling.Brakes are now discs on all four corners, replacing the rear drumscurrently used. A new design for the battery cooling unit increases thecargo area, making it 10 mm (0.4 inches) longer, and 56 mm (2.2 inches)wider, while a new design in the front seatbacks improves rear legroom.
Four driving modes are available: the standard driving mode, as wellas driver-selectable Eco Mode, for better fuel economy; Power Mode,which gives a sportier feel; and EV-Drive, which runs on battery onlyat low speeds for about 1.6 km under certain conditions. As before, amulti-information display panel provides feedback on fuel efficiency.There are also new options, including Intelligent Parking Assist, whichguides the car hands-free into a parking space. We’ve already seen ithere on Lexus – it was also used on the previous-generation Prius, butonly in Japan – and hopefully it’s been better tweaked for Canada,since the Lexus system proved notorious for its difficulty with snowyparking lots, and the length of time it takes to get everything linedup. Of far more interest is a new sunroof with solar panels. The panelspower electric fans when the car is parked, cooling down the interior,so that when the driver comes back to the car on a summer day, it isn’tnecessary to run the air conditioning for very long.
The Insight, on the other hand, is an all-new model, and certainly along way from the futuristic little two-seater that first bore thename. It uses the fifth generation of the Integrated Motor Assist, andis expected to rate 4.8 L/100 km in the city and 4.5 L/100 km on thehighway. (You’ll notice that the city number is higher, as with aconventional model, while the Prius’ city number is lower; this is dueto the Prius’ ability to run more in battery-only mode.) The electricmotor assists the gasoline engine during acceleration and in somecruising situations. The Insight also has an “economy” button which,when pushed, provides more economical driving by adjusting the throttlecontrol, CVT, idle stop duration, air conditioning and cruise controloperation.
The Insight introduces an all-new system, called Eco Assist, whichhelps the driver keep track of fuel economy and recommends betterdriving habits. The speedometer background changes colour to indicatehow efficiently the driver is accelerating and braking, and amulti-information display keeps track of fuel economy ratings, bothduring that particular trip and on a lifetime basis, in the form ofplant leaf graphics. Up to five leaves will appear as the car is drivenin a more fuel-efficient style.
While the Prius is traditionally sold in a single trim line, withavailable option packages, the Insight will be available in LX or EXtrim. Vehicle stability control, an option on the 2009 Prius, will bestandard equipment on the 2010 model; on the Insight, it’s part of theupper-line EX trim. Both have seat side and curtain airbags, while thePrius also adds knee airbags.
So which one should buyers choose? That will depend on many factors,because these two hybrids share only the name. Comparing them really isapples to oranges, as they’re differently sized, they don’t work thesame way overall, and the Prius’ better fuel economy will be offset bywhat is expected to be a fairly substantial price variation in theInsight’s favour. As for me, I can hardly wait to drive ’em both. |
發表於 2009-12-6 01:22 PM
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