2010 Honda Insight LX

The Insight was Honda’s first hybrid vehicle and returns to the market as a compact 4-door, 5-passenger hatchback that will be more appealing to American families. The original Insight was the first hybrid to market in the U.S. as a lightweight 2-seat subcompact car that lacked passenger and cargo utility. The new Insight is aimed squarely at the popular Toyota Prius and will be the lowest priced hybrid on the market. It uses the next generation of Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) technology, which has been improved and strengthened to reduce the cost of the hybrid system.

The 2010 Honda Insight hybrid is a 4-door, 5-passenger hatchback powered by the next generation of Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) technology that uses an electric motor between a 1.3-liter i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine and a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). The electric motor aids propulsion, and in some steady cruising situations, it can propel the car for a short time without the aid of the engine. The engine produces 88 horsepower and 88 lb-ft of torque and combined output with the electric motor is 98 horsepower and 123 lb-ft of torque. Honda quotes fuel-economy ratings of 40/43 mpg city/hwy.

Test drive of the new ‘09 Zap Xebra

Zap has finally updated its three-wheeled Xebra for 2009 with a new steel body and much more storage space through its new hatchback. While we’re happy to hear that one of the few actual electric vehicles on the market and available today has seen vital upgrades, we’ve yet to run across a review of the newly-revised model… until today. Mark LaPedus over at EE Times hopped in a new ‘09 at the local dealership in San Jose, California, and he’s shared his thoughts with the rest of the class, even comparing the Xebra with his 2008 Honda Accord. LaPedus seems to have liked the car, going so far as to suggest that he’d be willing to drive one on a regular basis.