Toyota Prius test drive since 2009 hatchback
Comparative test: Honda Insight 2010 against Toyota Prius 2010
If the current economy were the same as it was a year and a half ago, when Wall Street worked for the full, I doubt that someone, seriously thinking about acquiring the new Toyota Prius, would consider the new Honda Insight as an option. Undoubtedly, they are very similar, but in fact these are two completely different cars. They have different dimensions: in size, Insight is a full -fledged representative of the compact class, while the new Prius has increased in size so that it at the time to move into medium -sized sedans. They differ in the technology of a hybrid installation, and only the chemical composition of the batteries combines them. The cost also varies, and so significantly that on this difference you can pay a couple of contributions on a loan. To our great regret, the economy simply took these elementary arguments, put it in a coffee grinder and pressed the start. Today, the budgets of most families are not the best time and are undergoing total reduction, and therefore the promise of almost the same fuel consumption as Prius, but for a much smaller amount, is a significant argument. To complicate everything, Honda made the lines of the new Insight body so similar to the Prius body that a little more, and could begin a judicial lawsuit about copyright.
Some time ago, our good acquaintance and guru hybrid cars Dave Hermans said the IMA system (Integrated Motor Assist) from Honda is the best solution for budget cars (although he immediately added that the Hybrid Synergy Drive system is more suitable for larger and larger and larger and larger and larger and larger expensive models). So, Honda finally lowered the trigger and showed the world the worst nightmare of the Toyota concern.
Insight is a machine, the purchase of which your accountant would approve, and after reading your catastrophic report on pension contributions, I would strongly recommend it. Imagine that you can drive 700 km on refueling a complete gasoline tank for refueling a complete tank of gasoline. You are already wondering, right? With a basic cost of $ 20,470 and the expected consumption of 5.73 liters per 100 km in mixed Insight mode, it should become an impeccable financial shelter, where it will be possible to take refuge from the embarrassed economy and rising oil prices. Whenever a collapse happened, you will adequately survive it in your Insight.
Honda has no problems. InSight is charged with a winning combination of an 88-horsepower 1.3-liter in-line 4-cylinder gasoline engine with a 13-horsepower electric motor, which is masking under the flywheel, such technical equipment, at first glance, may seem like a typical reckoning for the IMA system. But this is not so. Honda engineers were simply obsessed with details, trying to reduce the cost wherever possible: something reduced in size, removed the three-phase I-VTEC system from Civic Hybrid, and reduced the cost of the pistons and reduced batteries. As a result, the InSight Hybrid Premium set has become 40% cheaper than Civic Hybrid. Cool. Unfortunately, a decrease in cost is also felt on the road. In addition to road noise (its level exceeds the one with whom you expect to collide in a car with a price tag that has not reached $ 20,000), you will clearly hear how a small engine is torn, especially if you pose to gas. And the suspension is not so soft that it was immediately marked by my three -year passenger seated in a children's chair: dads, you are going too hard! This is all a car, son, this is all a car.
Many of us were surprised when the InSight consumption was officially published, since it turned out to be higher than that of Honda Civic Hybrid with its older technologies (5.88/5.22 liters per 100 km at Civic, 5.88/5, 47 at Insight). Who is guilty? Most likely, the rejection of the three-stage I-VTEC mechanism, within favor of the terrible budget, played a role. Nevertheless, we are completely puzzled by the indoor resistance coefficient of Insight, which, one way or another, is slightly lower than that of Civic.
The third -generation Prius is a powerful step in the direction scheduled for this model. The characteristic appearance of Prius remained unchanged, except for the shift of the highest point of the roof arch closer to the back, which made it possible to increase the space above the heads of the rear passengers. The bottom of the body is almost even, not counting two strange types of protrusions in the area of \u200b\u200bthe rear axle. What are they for? We were told for the course stability (information on the note is twin rival: we will have to check whether Prius will lose exchange rate stability without these fins).
Aerodynamic streamlines are combined with clear vertical bends in the back of the body, which work as a divert for air flows. Insight does not have this, and therefore there is one bad angle. In addition, the new Prius is beautiful. I doubt that it will become the object of many car jokes. Inside, Prius has become more spacious: now in the cabin 2.8 cm larger than the shoulders of the front passenger and driver, 0.76 cm larger than the place for the heads of the rear passengers, and 2 cm for their knees. It is very spacious here, unlike the close rear of the Insight cabin, where a 14-year-old teenager can comfortably accommodate.
Under the hood of Prius, we are met by 90% updated engine, and everything that was previously above your understanding, still there, only became even better. The changes begin with a working volume of 1.8 instead of the previous 1.5 liters and, contrary to your expectations, this replacement contributes to economy, since the engine does not need to be very spinning, it already pulls at lower speeds. The main PRIUS electric motor has also become more powerful, although it decreased in size due to the appearance of planetary transmission, which allows the motor to rotate faster, increasing its torque. Two other changes planetary gear (instead of a circuit) connecting the engine with a differential, and the unconscious drive of a water pump and a compressor of the air conditioner (it now has a new function to run the air conditioning from the key fob, without the need to start the engine). Also, a thermos that previously drove away a hot refrigerant through the block, when the engine was drowned out, was replaced with nozzles, wound around the exhaust system. There are two of these cars on the road like heaven and earth. At the wheel of InSight, you have to reach for the radio volume control, while in Prius is much quieter than in its predecessor. And in general, it feels the solidity, confidence and quality characteristic of Lexus models, which definitely plays the Lexus HS 250H, which will be created on the basis of Prius.
A significant difference between the two cars in terms of noise and vibration isolation, which is interesting, is mirrored in the difference in the design of their interiors. If the front panel of Insight is a real riot (as if designers cut it out with a machete), then in Prius it is restrained and smooth. Even hard plastic surfaces look surprisingly soft.
Among the numerous beautifully designed graphic displays of devices, one struck us the most: playing buttons on the steering wheel.
The only touch to any of these buttons includes this display, and pressing makes it brighter. Even the I-Drive system BMW has something to learn here from the point of view of ergonomics. If we talk about innovations, then in Prius they are everywhere, including a finalized system for parking, borrowed from Lexus LS, a radar system for preventing clashes (including automatic braking) and a solar panel on which the fan is provided, which drives out a fresh air through the salon, a fresh air, When the car is in the parking lot. I can also confirm that the system that monitors the position of the car in its lane works quite efficiently, although I do not recommend checking it (I looked at the signs and the Prius left wheel on the marking line).
The new ones for Prius 2010 are buttons that activate the three operating modes. The Pure EV mode is trying to push the inclusion in the operation of the gasoline engine until a speed of 40 km/h reaches (however, any sharp press on the gas pedal will wake it up immediately). The ECO mode smooths out sharp presses for the accelerator and reduces the degree of opening of the throttle by 11.6%. And the Power mode, on the contrary, increases the degree of opening of the throttle, especially in the average speed range. Strange, but Insight accelerates to 100 km/h slightly faster, 10.4 versus 10.6 seconds, despite the worst ratio of mass to power. Although the semblance of the EV mode for Insight consists mainly in turning off the gasoline engine at idle, it can still accelerate to 48 km/h due to the 13-horsepower electric motor, while the engine valves are tightly closed to avoid energy consumption to the gas pump. The same chip with valves closing is very often observed during braking and on the descents, this is noticeable even at a speed of 110 km/h, if you release the gas pedal. ERA determines for Prius the fuel consumption in mixed mode for the United States at 4.7 liters per 100 km (4.7 liters in the city, 4.8 liters on the highway), which is confirmed by tests on the test track designed by Toyota, where Prius show The consumption of 4.52 liters per 100 km (which is curious, on the same highway, Insight showed 5.11 liters, which is much better than the results of the ERA).
It would seem that the lighter insight should be broken down by the enemy in terms of controllability, but the weak gear ratio of the steering mechanism (3.3 turns from the stop to the stop) and the minimum force on the steering wheel play on the hands of a heavier Prius, with a more sensitive steering wheel (which, which, which, which, which, is It should be noted that it is equipped with optional 17-inch wheels). This is a perfectly configured CVT variator with 7 conventional gear switches with the help of steering wheel petals.
So, you probably think that having discovered several drawbacks in Insight and not finding a single in Prius, we easily determined the default competition winner. Actually, yes, Prius definitely retains the title of king among hybrids. This is a very impressive car in which the best engineering solutions in the field of automotive industry are concentrated. If you can afford it, buy. But what else is important for a hybrid? Let's get back to the issue of value. Despite the fact that Prius will undoubtedly inherit such promising technologies as lithium batteries and, possibly, the ability to recharge from the network, all this in the future. Not now. When both of these cars will go on sale, the difference in cost will be at least $ 3,000.
The cost of InSight, spending an average of 5.7 liters per 100 km, starts at $ 20,000, which makes it the first hybrid car, which is simultaneously available to almost everyone and at the same time is a profitable project for its creator. Surprisingly, its consumption is almost identical to the 2nd generation Prius indicator, but for only 85% of the cost of the latter. The advantage of 4.7 liters over 5.7 liters per 100 km does not matter whether it is based on the cost of gasoline, national security indicators or a decrease in the level of emissions of CO2 fades against the background of a prognosis of sales level. This is the cornerstone, which will be listed in the annals of history.
1st place
Honda Insight
The imperfect car is noisy and hard, and also, perhaps, the most important hybrid of all ever created.
2nd place
Toyota Prius
The best hybrid car in the world has gained solidity and sophistication, and also became even more economical. This is a triumph of engineering, worthy of entry in textbooks.
Source: Motortrend
