MotorTrend: Comparison: 2010 Honda Insight vs 2010 Toyota Prius

Here's a little snipet of the article, btw, it's a really good read even if you're not thinking of buying one.

"But which is the more important hybrid? That leads us back to the issue of price. Although the Prius will eventually entail such far-reaching technologies as lithium batteries and possibly plug-in capability, that's in the future. Not now. And when these two go on sale, the price spread is likely to be at least $3000.

Starting at just over $20,000, the 41-mpg Insight is the first hybrid that's simultaneously within the reach of just about every pocketbook and also a solid business proposition for its builder. Amazingly, it delivers nearly identical mileage as the current Prius at about 85 percent of the price. The incremental value of 50 mpg versus 41 mpg -- whether you judge it by gasoline cost, greater national security, or CO2 reduction -- seems dwarfed by the benefit of its potential sales volume. It's a milestone that can't go unnoticed.

1ST PLACE HONDA INSIGHT

An imperfect car, loud and coarse-riding, and also perhaps the most important hybrid ever built.

2ND PLACE TOYOTA PRIUS

The world's best hybrid has become more solid and refined, yet has somehow upped its fuel economy as well. It's an engineering triumph for the textbooks.

Source;

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/alternative/112_0905_2010_honda_insight_vs_2010_toyota_prius_comparison_test/index.html

Motortrend's Car of the Year, Class of 2009

Judging for 2009 Motor Trend Car of the Year -- our signature award -- is underway. We're in the midst of our exhaustive evaluation process, which features intensive performance testing and flogging at the Hyundai/Kia testing facility in Mojave, California, with each of this year's field of 17 contenders. The field is then whittled down to 10 finalists, and then we evaluate them further on a demanding road loop. From econoboxes like the Toyota Corolla to midsize sedans such as the Mazda6 and Audi A4, to the Nissan GT-R supercar, this year's field is one of the strongest in some time.

As with all of our OTY contests, Car of the Year is not a comparison test. It's open only to all-new or substantially upgraded vehicles that have gone on sale in the 12 months from November 1, 2007. We do not revisit vehicles that have been on sale for the past five years.

Each COTY contender is being evaluated against three simple criteria:

1. Superiority. We look at engineering excellence, advancement in design, utilization of resources, and safety. Vehicle concept and execution are important, as are use of materials, packaging, dynamics, styling, and fuel consumption.

2. Significance. How well the vehicle does the job its maker intended and impacts its particular market segment, influences consumer perceptions, and transforms product-development trends.

3. Value. How each vehicle compares against its direct rivals. A vehicle with a low sticker price might not be as good a value as a more expensive vehicle that delivers outstanding performance, quality, and functionality.

Below is this year's field. What do you think? What's your pick as the early favorite? The folks in the MT.com forums are already having their say, and you can check out what they're thinking BY CLICKING HERE. Stay tuned to motortrend.com and check out the January 2009 issue of Motor Trend for the complete story and more on this year's field, our testing process, and the vehicle that will take home the Calipers.

THE CLASS OF 2009:
Acura TL
Acura TSX
Audi A4
BMW 1 Series
Dodge Challenger
Honda Fit
Hyundai Genesis
Jaguar XF
Lincoln MKS
Mazda6
Nissan GT-R
Nissan Maxima
Pontiac G8
Pontiac Vibe
Toyota Corolla
Toyota Matrix
Volkswagen CC

Source;
http://blogs.motortrend.com/6301350/car-of-the-year/2009-motor-trend-car-of-the-year-the-contenders-are-revealed-whats-your-pick/index.html

Next Gen Honda S2000 Speculation, The Honda S3000?!?

A typhoon of rumors has been swirling around Honda's headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, about the company's next generation of sports cars. While we have already seen spy photos of the future NSX, we have not seen anything about the next-generation S2000. A source close to the company revealed that Honda is indeed in the process of building such a car, but wouldn't disclose specific details.

The OSM (Open Study Model) concept car definitely raised some eyebrows recently at the London show, but that car was just a convertible version of the CR-Z hybrid sports car shown at the Tokyo Motor Show last year. The OSM was penned by Honda's European design team, and our people tell us that the real S2000 successor will have much more influence and input from Japan. Also, the CR-Z and OSM have been engineered as front-engine/front-wheel-drive models, and the S2000 successor will no doubt be a rear-wheel-drive car. So apparently the OSM has nothing to do with the S2000 successor. Or does it...?

There's the possibility that the OSM may very well be a design study of the next S2000, wearing the veil of an open-top CR-Z to throw us off. There was also a sighting of a mysterious prototype sports car near Honda's R&D headquarters in Japan that seemed to share the OSM's proportions, yet looked completely different. Could this be another design study of the S2000? We think so, so we took pieces of that car, melded it with the OSM and came up with this image, a handsome car with an Audi R8-esque face, a long hood and a profile reminiscent of the current S2000.

As for what will go under the hood is still unclear. There have been rumors that Honda may equip the car with a V-6, perhaps a new 3.0-liter or the 3.5-liter in the Acura TL, thus the name S3000. In the U.S., this makes sense because it would give the car much more low-end torque (something we Americans love), not to mention improved smoothness and quietness for freeway driving.

With such an engine, you can expect power to be in the 280- to 300-bhp vicinity, enabling a 0–60 run in the sub-5-second range. The more probable choice is a 2.2- to 2.5-liter inline-4. Honda, which has traditionally shied away from big-displacement powerplants, may feel that a 4-cylinder engine makes more marketing sense in this age of high gasoline prices. There's also talk of a simple hybrid system.

Only those directly involved with the next-generation S2000 project know for sure what the car will be like. We'll know for sure in 2011, after Honda releases the NSX and CR-Z.

Source;
http://www.roadandtrack.com/article.asp?section_id=10&article_id=7109