What would you buy? 2010 Toyota Prius or 2010 Honda Insight

The two largest Japanese automakers, Toyota and Honda, came to Detroit this past weekend with two new hybrid vehicles. The 2010 Toyota Prius and the 2010 Honda Insight hybrid vehicles will hit dealerships in April going head-to-head with each other. If you’re currently in the market for a hybrid - we want to know which one you would be interested in purchasing come April.

The all-new 2010 Toyota Prius is powered by 1.8L 4-cylinder engine that produces 98-hp. Total horsepower comes in at 134-hp with Toyota’s hybrid system allowing for a combined fuel-economy of 50 mpg. The 2010 Honda Insight, on the other hand, is powered by a 1.3L SOHC i-VTEC engine mated to a CVT transmission. That engine works together with Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid technology that allows for an EPA rated fuel-economy of 40/43 (city/highway) mpg.

What’s the price tag on each hybrid you ask? Well, Honda and Toyota have yet to reveal pricing but Honda says that the Insight will be priced below the Civic Hybrid which starts at $23,650. We’re guessing that the 2010 Prius will be priced somewhere around the current Prius which starts at $22,000.

Cast your vote in the poll below and if you have something to say - let your voice be heard in the comments section below.

Toyota News Toyota managers on new car shopping spree

Toyota managers in Japan are trying to boost the automakers significantly slipping sales by going shopping - for new Toyotas. The managers say they hope the effort will offset the sales drops experienced by Toyota in its sluggish home market, where new car sales have almost ceased.
A Toyota spokesperson told the Associated Press that a letter was circulated to Toyota’s 2,200 midlevel managers about a month ago encouraging them to purchase new cars. Another request was made at a managerial-level meeting last week.

The managers have an almost club-like repertoire, the spokesperson said, that could make the initiative a success. No manager is forced to purchase a vehicle, but certain social pressures will likely lead to a significant increase in new Toyota purchases.

Toyota strongly encourages teamwork and bonding among its employees - a tough task these days, especially given that managers have already taken a 10 percent pay cut.

2010 Toyota Prius: Roomier, More Powerful Yet More Fuel Efficient - Mega Gallery with 108 Pics

After a series of leaks and teaser photos, Toyota finally revealed the third-generation Prius hybrid at the Detroit motor show. Built on an all-new platform, the 2010 Prius adopts a larger, 1.8-liter VVT-i petrol engine delivering 98HP while the combined output of the hybrid system is 134HP. Toyota claims that the new Prius gets a combined EPA rating of 50mpg US (4.7 lt / 100km). The current model is rated at 46 mpg, combined city/highway. As for performance, zero-to-60mph acceleration has been improved to 9.8 seconds, more than a second faster, according to Toyota's internal testing.

 

A comprehensive re-engineering of Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive system brings significant reductions in weight and size, contributing to the overall improvements in fuel economy and emissions. Further weight saving gains have been achieved through more extensive use of lightweight aluminum and ultra high-tensile steel in new Prius's construction.

While the new Prius retains its predecessor's wedge shape and is only marginally longer than the current model, it looks sharper and more distinct than before, though we must say that the car's rear-end seems like a last minute design addition. Like it or not, the Prius' design helps it achieve a coefficient of drag (Cd) figure of 0.25, which is the lowest of any mass produced car in the world.

 

The interior has also undergone a comprehensive redesign, promising to offer improved ergonomics. In terms of space, changes to the roof profile improve rear seat headroom while revisions to packaging of the Hybrid Synergy Drive system allow for more space in the boot. Rear seat legroom is also enhanced by a new space-saving contoured front-seat design.

A noteworthy feature of the 2010 Prius is the available sliding glass moonroof which is packaged with solar panels that power a new ventilation system.

U.S. Pricing for the 2010 Prius will be announced shortly before it goes on sale late spring. As for the European-market version, it will be introduced at the Geneva motor show in March. The model is due to go on sale in most markets in Europe by this summer.