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April 22, 2009
2010 Honda Insight First Impressions
by Justin Pritchard , Auto123.com

Green is in, and not the color, literally speaking.

Fuel economy, clean emissions and extended range are touted more and more frequently around the new-car marketplace. Atmospheric friendliness and ecological responsibility may soon become must-have attributes, and growing circles brag more about consumption figures than horsepower and torque.

From some angles, the highly aerodynamic shape and unique proportions are easily appreciated.

Of course, the path to what some define as a green motoring future is a challenging one. Clean diesel, electric, hybrid and even fuel cell technologies all seek to satisfy similar desires for less impactful transportation. Thing is, each has its issues.

Batteries are expensive. Electric-only doesn't work in all markets. Diesel has a somewhat nasty consumer perception.

Then, there's hydrogen.

Despite being the universes most bountiful chemical, it's inconveniently absent from the pumps at your local Sunoco.

Ultimately, no single solution has all the bases covered. Honda Canada's Executive Vice Preseident, Jerry Chenkin, explains the growing trend towards alternative fuel technology, and the importance of keeping the options open through research.

"There shouldn't be any or winners and losers, and anybody with a single solution will have a problem. Many companies reduced R&D investments in light of the financial crisis, but we have increased ours. It's a shift in priorities, which is why we got out of Formula 1 racing. We need to ensure we can chase all the solutions we can".

Of course, one solution is to make better use of gasoline. Gas is an easy sell, relatively clean, very proven, and available on any street corner.

Gas isn't without its problems, though. There's a finite amount of it, and most isn't controlled by the planet's most stable hands. Honda America's Robert Bienenfeld puts things into perspective.

"About 96 percent of transport energy comes from crude oil today. Up to 90 percent of oil and gas reserves are partially or fully controlled by dictatorial governments."

A colored ring around the digital speedometer changes between green and blue to advise drivers of their fuel consumption performance in real time.

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Excel Honda 5400, rue Paré, Mont-Royal Québec, H4P 1R3 Tel.: 514 342-6360 Fax: 514 342-4826	Encore Automobile Ltée 266, boul. Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Châteauguay Québec, J6K 3C2 Tel.: 450 698-1060 Fax: 450 698-2368	St-Constant Honda 270, Route 132, St-Constant Québec, J5A 2C9 Tel.: 450 632-7155 Fax: 450 632-8922	Excel Honda Moto 5480, rue Paré, Ville Mont-Royal Québec, H4P 2M1 Tel.: 514 342-6360 Fax: 514 342-7192