While the Toyota Prius has been the most popular hybrid by far, the aerodynamic Honda Insight, which arrived here in 1999, was actually the first in the States. The car wasn’t that popular, though, and disappeared in 2006. But this summer an all-new four-door hatchback Insight will emerge as a genuine Prius fighter. Honda claims this Insight will have room for five, Integrated Motor Assist that will team an electric motor with the gas engine, and a new interactive, driver-focused, fuel-economy-enhancement technology called Ecological Drive Assist. One of the key goals of this new Insight is to deliver true hybrid fuel economy at an affordable price, with a rumored base price of under $20,000. The company plans to sell 200,000 Insights the first year, with half of them destined for North America. The car definitely looks like a winner, although its resemblance to its Toyota archenemy is pretty blatant. When the new 2010 Prius arrives later this year, it will be interesting to see which car will be the new miles-per-gallon champ.
