Honda's VP: "Our engineers are really struggling".
#1
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Honda's VP: "Our engineers are really struggling".
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=206...id=aVJ6A3Wwfteo
An interesting bit of info - if Honda thinks the Insight is too small for the American market, what does that mean for the upcoming CR-Z? Thoughts?
An interesting bit of info - if Honda thinks the Insight is too small for the American market, what does that mean for the upcoming CR-Z? Thoughts?
Honda Says ‘Too Small’ Insight Hybrid May Miss Sales Target
By Makiko Kitamura and Tetsuya Komatsu
Jan. 21 (Bloomberg) -- Honda Motor Co., Japan’s second- largest carmaker, expects to miss its sales target for the Insight hybrid after U.S. drivers shunned the model in favor of a revamped Toyota Motor Corp. Prius.
Selling 200,000 Insights worldwide in the first year “looks tough,” Executive Vice President Koichi Kondo said in an interview on Jan. 19 in Tokyo, where Honda is based. “I think we compromised too much on size in pursuing fuel efficiency” for the U.S. market, he said.
The Insight is “too small” and there isn’t enough room in the back seat for U.S. customers, Kondo said. The Prius outsold the Insight about seven-to-one in the U.S. in the last quarter of 2009 after Toyota introduced a revamped version of the world’s bestselling hybrid car in June.
Honda had sold 130,445 Insights worldwide as of Dec. 31 since introducing the car in Japan in February and in the U.S. in March. In the U.S., the company has sold 20,572 Insights. It expected to sell 90,000 there in the first year.
Lower U.S. fuel prices have also hurt hybrid sales, Kondo said. Gasoline averaged $2.74 a gallon yesterday in the U.S. compared with more than $4 in July 2008.
Lower gasoline prices have also made developing a competitive hybrid version of Honda’s Fit compact more difficult, Kondo said.
Engineers ‘Struggling’
“There are plenty of people who think that the current Fit meets their needs already” with its fuel efficiency, he said. “A hybrid version might seem expensive. Our engineers are really struggling.”
The gasoline-powered Fit was the second-best-selling car in Japan in 2009, behind the Prius. The hybrid Fit is due to go on sale later this year. A hybrid Honda CR-Z sports-car will enter the market next month.
Honda will also likely cut its Japan sales forecast for this fiscal year from 685,000 vehicles after the extension of a subsidy program, Kondo said, declining to provide a new forecast. The government’s decision to lengthen the subsidies by six months will prevent an expected bump in sales in March, the original termination date, Kondo said.
Next fiscal year, Honda’s Japan sales will likely decline as the stimulus measures end, he said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Makiko Kitamura in Tokyo at mkitamura1@bloomberg.net; Tetsuya Komatsu in Tokyo at tekomatsu@bloomberg.net
By Makiko Kitamura and Tetsuya Komatsu
Jan. 21 (Bloomberg) -- Honda Motor Co., Japan’s second- largest carmaker, expects to miss its sales target for the Insight hybrid after U.S. drivers shunned the model in favor of a revamped Toyota Motor Corp. Prius.
Selling 200,000 Insights worldwide in the first year “looks tough,” Executive Vice President Koichi Kondo said in an interview on Jan. 19 in Tokyo, where Honda is based. “I think we compromised too much on size in pursuing fuel efficiency” for the U.S. market, he said.
The Insight is “too small” and there isn’t enough room in the back seat for U.S. customers, Kondo said. The Prius outsold the Insight about seven-to-one in the U.S. in the last quarter of 2009 after Toyota introduced a revamped version of the world’s bestselling hybrid car in June.
Honda had sold 130,445 Insights worldwide as of Dec. 31 since introducing the car in Japan in February and in the U.S. in March. In the U.S., the company has sold 20,572 Insights. It expected to sell 90,000 there in the first year.
Lower U.S. fuel prices have also hurt hybrid sales, Kondo said. Gasoline averaged $2.74 a gallon yesterday in the U.S. compared with more than $4 in July 2008.
Lower gasoline prices have also made developing a competitive hybrid version of Honda’s Fit compact more difficult, Kondo said.
Engineers ‘Struggling’
“There are plenty of people who think that the current Fit meets their needs already” with its fuel efficiency, he said. “A hybrid version might seem expensive. Our engineers are really struggling.”
The gasoline-powered Fit was the second-best-selling car in Japan in 2009, behind the Prius. The hybrid Fit is due to go on sale later this year. A hybrid Honda CR-Z sports-car will enter the market next month.
Honda will also likely cut its Japan sales forecast for this fiscal year from 685,000 vehicles after the extension of a subsidy program, Kondo said, declining to provide a new forecast. The government’s decision to lengthen the subsidies by six months will prevent an expected bump in sales in March, the original termination date, Kondo said.
Next fiscal year, Honda’s Japan sales will likely decline as the stimulus measures end, he said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Makiko Kitamura in Tokyo at mkitamura1@bloomberg.net; Tetsuya Komatsu in Tokyo at tekomatsu@bloomberg.net
#2
Former Moderator
I drove the new Prius after losing my Insight...that was when I was considering another Insight to replace my water-logged one...but I didn't like it at all. I don't like the interior layout of the Prius...and I didn't like how the car had NO driver feel at all...it was too isolated.
That being said...I lived with my Insight for nearly 7 months and 18k miles...I found it to be good for what I used it for (a daily driver for work). My wife and I took plenty of trips to the store/market, etc...it was suitable for us. But I could see it being an issue for a family...or used as a "family car." It _IS_ small.
I have no idea how the fugly CR-Z is gonna do...besides it looking like the bastard child...it only seats 2 and has mediocre specs for it's overall size and "sportiness" marketing message. Bleh. I think it's gonna be a massive FAIL.
That being said...I lived with my Insight for nearly 7 months and 18k miles...I found it to be good for what I used it for (a daily driver for work). My wife and I took plenty of trips to the store/market, etc...it was suitable for us. But I could see it being an issue for a family...or used as a "family car." It _IS_ small.
I have no idea how the fugly CR-Z is gonna do...besides it looking like the bastard child...it only seats 2 and has mediocre specs for it's overall size and "sportiness" marketing message. Bleh. I think it's gonna be a massive FAIL.
#3
Former Moderator
Truth is. Honda rushed to market with the Insight. They were so hell-bent on having the lowest price Hybrid that they missed the mark completely... They could've and should've set their sights for the Prius and built a car to compete directly with it. The Insight is a better "value" than the Prius...but you are giving up a bit of the luxury/refinement with the Insight...so if you add that part, the Prius is still not a bad deal (as compared to the Insight/Prius).
Honda continues to _FAIL_ with their cars...I don't understand what is going on in Torrence... I guess we're lucky they decided not to continue the S2000...no tellin' what they would've done to our car.
Honda continues to _FAIL_ with their cars...I don't understand what is going on in Torrence... I guess we're lucky they decided not to continue the S2000...no tellin' what they would've done to our car.
#4
The Fit sells pretty well, and the CR-Z is quite a bit larger. On the hand, I think most people will notice that the larger CR-Z can't fit four people and half of a small apartment in it like the Fit can.
#5
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They were so off the mark. Toyota made these things popular. They had TWO chances recently to kick ass and make cheap hybrids cool. They failed with the Insight and CR-Z.
#6
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Originally Posted by Malloric,Feb 2 2010, 12:37 AM
The Fit sells pretty well, and the CR-Z is quite a bit larger. On the hand, I think most people will notice that the larger CR-Z can't fit four people and half of a small apartment in it like the Fit can.
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Same reason why I think the CR-Z is not going to sell. There is no market for a small hybrid that is neither here or there. The CR-Z tries to give us a) fuel economy b) light-weight c) sportiness and d) hybrid badge but it excels in none of them.
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#8
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Originally Posted by wraith5,Feb 2 2010, 12:18 AM
Same reason why I think the CR-Z is not going to sell. There is no market for a small hybrid that is neither here or there. The CR-Z tries to give us a) fuel economy b) light-weight c) sportiness and d) hybrid badge but it excels in none of them.
Case in point:
- Accord Crosstour
- Acura ZDX
- Honda CR-Z
#9
Originally Posted by airgate,Feb 2 2010, 06:34 AM
Honda is all about making cars people didn't ask for and don't need...
Case in point:
Case in point:
- Accord Crosstour
- Acura ZDX
- Honda CR-Z
There is only so much one can engineer when the company is unwilling to develop new platforms or begin to expand to new (to the company_ frontiers.
#10
Originally Posted by airgate,Feb 2 2010, 10:34 AM
Honda is all about making cars people didn't ask for and don't need...
Case in point:
Case in point:
- Accord Crosstour
- Acura ZDX
- Honda CR-Z
I could understand the crz if it was suuuuper cheap as in 10k gas powered 110hp commuter vehicle.
But all this other shyt they're making is absurd. The insight should have been a direct contender to the prius in every way.
Civic-getting way to big/heavy...
fit- awesome for what it does why does it need electricity
accord- I like, cant complain to much
pilot/crv/- they serve their purpose well
acura- only bright spot is the tsx and the mdx/rdx imo
insight- close but no cigar
everything else is absurd. They could have built AND sold every hsv had they decided to build it for the same cost/money lost on the random crosstour/zdx/crz... IF.... the price point was right