Honda Insight

Honda introduces the Insight hybrid car

6 September 1999 - Honda today introduced the Insight personal hybrid car. Promising driving pleasure and world-leading environment-friendliness, this new model claims the world's lowest fuel consumption for a gasoline-powered vehicle attaining gas mileage of 35 km/liter. The Insight will be made available nationwide through Honda's three dealer networks starting November 1, 1999.

Taking the form of an ultra-modern, 2-seater that stresses personal-utility space, the Insight was developed around three major themes: an "ultra-efficient power unit", "super-aerodynamics", and an "ultra-light body".

In addition to world-leading fuel efficiency, clean emissions, and outstanding recyclability, the adoption of Honda's own G-force control technology provides the Insight with excellent passenger protection. This environment-friendly hybrid car features many advanced safety technologies, ease of utility and nimble driving performance. Production is to take place at the Takanezawa plant, Tochigi Factory. Launches in the United States, Europe and Asia are scheduled from the end of this year.

In the European market, the Insight achieves the extremely low fuel consumption rating of 3.4liter/100km and CO2 exhaust gas emissions of only 80 gr for a km distance, which are the lowest level emissions in the world for any mass production engine including diesel engines.