The upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show will see Honda revealing the 2012MY Insight hybrid alongside the European market 2012 Civic 5d hatchback. But for now, we get the first official photograph and initial information on the Japanese carmaker’s Prius rival.
The big news for the 2012 model year is that, for the first time, the Honda hybrid model’s CO2 emissions drop below the 100 g/km mark, to 96 g/km.
The automaker say this has been achieved thanks to a series of enhancements, which include reduced engine friction, changes to the CVT transmission and to the air conditioning that benefits from a new cold storage system, further aiding the reduction of fuel consumption.
The 2012 MY Insight also features some subtle exterior changes, with the most notable being the new front grille and the redesigned front bumper. A slimmer spoiler at the rear allows for a larger glass area, and, along with the smaller wiper, better rear visibility.
Honda’s engineers have also changed the suspension settings in order to improve both stability and ride comfort, while changes on the interior are limited to the use of higher quality materials.
Full details are to be announced at a later date.
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