I fear I may have to jump to new Honda Insight

[SmartAzz]

Well there is nothing wrong with planning for the future, but it is simply sooo speculative at this point (not only the price, but what about the actual owner experience, options, driving qualities? Yuck if it has a CVT IMHO) that I am not sure what purpose it serves.

[jediknight36]

I think Im gonna wait to trade in my matrix now...

[Dave Van]

Should be a decent car....but still like the Smart better....the Honda is going to blend into the crowd...I like different!

[bradgarbus]

Originally Posted by jwight

4 doors, 60 mpg, $18K - what's not to like? However, I'm betting the $18K goes up quite a bit once you equip it like a smart Passion.

Yep, that is what i have found with all the smaller cars. Not to mention they all sit very low and can be hard to get in and out of for people over 6 ft tall. (ME). The smart is perfect!

[imcquade]

Much like most cars on the road now or coming down the line; you simply can't compare the smart to this car.

You drive a smart because you like the smart and it's uniqueness..... no one bought it as a family car.... I have a wife and son; clearly the smart can't carry us all hence why I kept my old vehicle.

I had a rented Prius and though I appreciated the technology and the mileage (which essentially matched my smart) I didn't like the overall car - so many blind spots, physically its ugly and I could feel the change from gas/electric.

Looking at that photo it took two glances to figure out who was the Honda

Eventually I will get rid of my current 'family' car in favour of a hybrid - but for now I have no reason to get rid of the Jeep (I paid cash for it in 04 so it owes me nothing and I owe nothing on it) - Gas isn't expensive enough to justify a swap.

When it goes I will still keep my smart

Cheers All

[Red_fortwo]

Originally Posted by rawlus®

i think it is more likely to be closer to $28K than $18K

The sticker will say $18, the dealer will want $28. Particularly after they have loaded all of their inventory of the car up with satnav, lojack, window tint, the inevitable documentation fee, etc., etc., ad nauseum.

[DowneasTTer]

No doubt it will be a BIG seller. Meaning one on every block. There are a lot of Tauruses on the road too. But, doesn't mean I would ever own one. Besides it's a tin top. What the hell good is that?

[mnext02]

wait for the honda crx hybrid. its going to get great mpg and be sporty and sweet looking

[doogster]

My wife is already complaining... because I told her I was looking at the 2010 Insight and she said "if it doesn't come in a convertible then it isn't coming to live at my house!

[Agent99]

Originally Posted by imcquade

Much like most cars on the road now or coming down the line; you simply can't compare the smart to this car.

You drive a smart because you like the smart and it's uniqueness..... no one bought it as a family car.... I have a wife and son; clearly the smart can't carry us all hence why I kept my old vehicle.

I had a rented Prius and though I appreciated the technology and the mileage (which essentially matched my smart) I didn't like the overall car - so many blind spots, physically its ugly and I could feel the change from gas/electric.

Looking at that photo it took two glances to figure out who was the Honda

Eventually I will get rid of my current 'family' car in favour of a hybrid - but for now I have no reason to get rid of the Jeep (I paid cash for it in 04 so it owes me nothing and I owe nothing on it) - Gas isn't expensive enough to justify a swap.

When it goes I will still keep my smart

Cheers All

I agree. I had to look twice also. With it looking like a Prius, and if it really gets that mileage, I'll be impressed. I also have to agree with some of the other posts, that if it is a Honda, it should be a good, solid car. But, I have to question how they can delier that car at $18,500. We'll see about that...

Personally, we love our Prius. We have 115K miles on it, and I averaged 55.3 combined last week. Just seems to keep getting better all the time.

I think the Prius looks grow on you. But then, I can't even conceive how someone could actually *like* the looks of the original insight. I always feel sorry for the people I see driving them. Plus, we use our Prius like a truck. We have a big sailboat, so we are always hauling sails, supplies, tanks, compressors, ladders and scaffolds, you name it. It is amazing what you can get in it. This weekend we moved a daybed and twin mattress, which laid flat in the cargo area of the Prius. Got to love the space.

We've had our smart for about 3 weeks now, and just did our first fill-up - about 39MPG. Not too bad for the first tank full, and we aren't sure it was actually full when we picked it up. We'll know for sure next fill-up. I'm hopeful we will continue to see better mileage than that.