Honda has officially released the new Insight.Costing over ,000; the new Prius is a couple of grand more than the new kid on the block; the Insight. The lower MSRP earns the 2010 Insight the title of most affordable hybrid in the U.S. 

A great feature on the new Insight is an ECO assist that will help educate the driver to become more efficient.The ECON setting can be switched off so that the insight will produce more HP, or when left on the car will help you drive more efficiently.The hybrid engine uses new technology called the IMA which provide assistance to the motor via an electric boost. This new technology further reduces weight, saves on manufacturering costs, and adds to the overall cabin space. The Honda sports a VTEC motor that is connected to an automatic transmission.  Features included on some Insight models are: alloy wheels, cruise control, 6 speaker audio with USB interface, steering wheel mounted paddle shifters, Stability Assist, and a satellite navigation system with voice recognition. The Toyota has been the reigning king of the hybrid market for years now, but with the low price of the Insight, Honda is aiming to take away that title. 

On the other side of the coin, the Toyota Prius has a 160 horsepower 1.8L engine and features three different driving modes. The EV mode allows the Prius to run on battery power alone, the ECO mode's responsibility is to ensure the optimum gas mileage is obtained, and then the Power Mode give more power and throttle response.Toyota has a new Smart Collision system called the PCS which is available on the new Prius.Adaptive Cruise Control uses a laser to keep the same distance between your car and the car infront of you, and the Prius will automatically apply brakes if needed. The Prius also includes a new touch sensor system on the steering wheel to ensure safe driving.

Even though the Insight has won the batlle of the price tags, the Prius still has a better MPG rating.Right now the MPG ratings for the new Insight are at 40 MPG in the city and 43 MPG on the highway, and the Prius comes in at 48 MPG city and 45 MPG on the highway.  So, if you commute 20,000 miles per year (and gas costs .50 a gallon), owning the Honda would cost 19 in gas per year and owning a Prius would cost 86 per year. When you drive a Prius, the amount of gas saved compared to an Insight is about 53 gallons, so to cover the lower price you would have to drive for 27 years.  So although the Prius gets better gas mileage; the Insight overcomes that hurdle by having such a low MSPR!

NewHybrid Cars in Southern California, or buy a Used Toyota Hybrid .  See great deals on the New toyota Prius in Northern California.