Toyota Developing Rival for Honda Insight

Now here’s an escalation in hostilities the world can definitely use.

Mere days after Honda announced pricing for its 2010 Insight — billing it as the first hybrid on the market to come in below $20,000 — a Japanese business daily is reporting Toyota will fire back by developing its own cheap hybrid.

Toyota’s goals for the vehicle are to keep the price 20% to 30% cheaper than the Prius, and to get the car to market by 2011. Toyota presumably wants the vehicle to come in below $19,800, which is the price of Honda’s hybrid.

No one’s talking about expected mileage yet, but for comparison’s sake the EPA rates the Insight at an impressive 40/43 mpg city/highway, while the 2010 Prius tops that with 51/48 mpg city/highway. We’d expect Toyota’s new model to fall short of the Prius but stay competitive with the Insight.

Toyota Has Plans for a Cheaper Hybrid (Wheels)

Comments

Why assume that a cheaper Toyota hybrid would get worse mileage than the Prius? Hybrid Synergy Drive adapted to a Yaris sized car with very basic equipment would probably get better mileage than the Prius. It might have slower acceleration, like a diesel car, but I'm guessing the mileage would be better than the Prius. I can't see Toyota coming out with a mild hybrid system like Honda's integrated motor assist - that would be a major step backward and would dilute Toyota's tech standing. Obviously there's not much for Toyota to gain by doing a mild hybrid system - the smaller Insight with its inferior IMA system costs almost as much as a Prius. So I'm guessing it will be Hybrid Synergy Drive in a smaller car, with better mpg at a very attractive price.

That's more like it. Make it affordable, then average fuel economy will go up.

I like the “Hybrid for Everyone" commercial. Go Honda Insight!

The original Insight was very cheap and kicked both these Hybrids butts in milleage. But had some trade-offs.

Either way both are great well built hybrids. If Ford was really smart they would offer a five door version of the Fusion hybrid but I highly doubt that's going to happen.

I still think Toyota could do very well with an inexpensive Scion Xb Hybrid. It's got lots of room for the battery, and still would be very utilitarian. Don't know, though, if they could bring it in under $19K.

Patrick,
Yeah, since the xB is already $16K out the door a hybrid version would likely be at least $5K more. Still, a $21K xB could sell like hotcakes. It's aerodynamics could also prove a problem in the mileage dept. ;)

Automotive news today confirmed what I speculated above - the new cheaper Toyota hybrid will be the Yaris - using Hybrid Synergy Drive, not a mild system like Honda uses. That means you'll get even better mileage than the Prius for less money. Geez, I hate being right all the time.

Automotive News today confirmed what I speculated above - the new cheaper Toyota Hybrid will be the Yaris, using Hybrid Synergy Drive, not a mild hybrid system like Honda uses. That means it will cost less than the Prius and get better mileage. Geez, I hate being right all the time.