What to Buy - An Insight or a Prius.
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The realease of the Insight has ruffled a few feathers due to its price tag.The Insight is much cheaper than the Prius by a few grand. The cheap base price give the Insight the title of most affordable hybrid in the U.S.
The Honda has a great system that will help educate the driver how to drive more economically and thus save fuel.The ECON switch control how the car drives, you can set the car to drive more aggressively, or you can tell the car you want to drive more efficiently, and there is a system inplace that will tell you when you are getting the best MPG.The Insight uses the latest hybrid motor techniology called the IMA or integrated motor assist. This system in the next generation hybrids from Honda are greatly improved and result in reduced weight, cost savings, and greater cabin space. Variable Valve Technology is used in the Insight motor which also helps perfomance.For about the price of a base mopdel Prius, you can get a nicely equipt Insight that comes with: rims, USB integraded stereo, navigaion with voice recognition, and steering wheel mounted shifter. Just looking at the Prius and Insight will give you some information that Honda is copying the Prius in design, form, and function.
On the other side of the coin, the Toyota Prius has a 160 horsepower 1.8 liter engine uses 3 modes of operation. These 3 moeds include the power mode which of course adds more power, the EV mode which allows the Prius to run on electricity alone, and the ECO mode which nets the best fuel economy.The Pre-Collision system is available as an option on the Prius.Adaptive Cruise Control uses a laser to keep the same distance between your car and the car infront of you, and the Prius will automatically apply brakes if needed. Toyota has a new system of buttons on the steering wheel that will help keep the driver safe.
Even though the Insight has won the batlle of the price tags, the Prius still has a better MPG rating.Early test put the Insight at a combine fuel economy of 41 miles per gallon, and the Prius is reported to get a 46 combined miles per gallon rating.Traveling more than 20,000 miles in only 365 days (when gas is .50 a gallon), owning the Honda would cost 19 in gas per year and owning a Prius would cost 86 per year. When you drive a Prius, the amount of gas saved compared to an Insight is about 53 gallons, so to cover the lower price you would have to drive for 27 years. So although the Prius gets better gas mileage; the Insight overcomes that hurdle by having such a low MSPR!
Used Honda Hybrid in Southern California, or buy a Used Prius Hybrid. Jazel Auto Builds the Best Car Dealer Websites around.
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