Honda’s Insight was Japan’s best-selling vehicle in April 2008. Insight sales totaled 10,481 cars. The price tag of 1.89 million yen (approximately $ 18,900.00) combined with the planet’s savings, gas money, and tax money helped make the Insight the first hybrid car in Japan to rank No. 1 in sales. monthly.
Koji and Emiko Suzuki had wanted a Toyota Prius for a few years, but they just didn’t want to spend that much money on a car. Koji was concerned that the collapsing economy would reduce her income, and Emiko earned very little working at the cash register at Save On, the convenience store near her small home. When they went to their local Honda dealers, they were actually thinking of buying a smaller car.
They had their eye on the Honda Fit, which ranked second behind the Insight. The Fit is considered a full-size car in Japan and is not included in the minicar category. Honda sold 9,443 Fits in April. A white Insight demo was parked outside the door when Koji and Emiko walked into Honda dealerships with three-year-old Koichi in tow. White is the most common car color in Japan. Koichi immediately saw the hole between the hatchback section and the rear seat, which was created by dropping half of the rear seat down, and wanted to pass through it.
The salesman insisted that he keep going and began telling Koji and Emiko about all the virtues of the Insight, including the tax refund, the great mileage of 30 km per liter (113.55 miles per gallon) and how they would help save the planet. The seller concluded that the Insight offered plenty of storage space and room for his family to grow. Koji, Emiko and Koichi did a test drive. The car revved reasonably considering the mileage and handled like most other Japanese cars. And it was below the important barrier of 2 million yen, unlike the Prius.
The Prius languished 20 places down at 21st in April due to the price of 2.33 million yen (approximately $ 23,300.00) and people waiting for the launch of the new Prius. Industry insiders speculate that Toyota will value the new Prius at 2.05 million yen to compete with Honda.
The seller saw that Koji and Emiko were seriously considering the car. He offered to include a free sound system. After all, Insight’s profit has to be much greater than Fit’s profit. And the sound systems probably cost Honda very little. Koji and Emiko signed a contract to buy an Insight, a white one of course.
Across Japan, from Okinawa in the south to Hokkaido in the north, people like Koji and Emiko are buying green cars like the Insight. Optimists refer to people who want to do the right thing and reduce the ecological burden on our planet. Cynics laugh and refer to the power of government tax breaks and subsidies, the affordability of green cars, and the savings at the pump combined with the high gas prices last year.
People may not specifically remember that gas prices reached 185.10 yen (approximately $ 1.71) on August 6, 2008, but people do remember the pain at the pump. With a gallon containing 3,785 liters, gasoline cost roughly $ 6.47 a gallon in Japan in 2008. Although Koji and Emiko, the Insight was a good answer.
Yuichi, Koji’s brother, laughed when he heard what they bought: “Boring!” Yuichi is buying a new sports car. You can’t find anything you like that is affordable. Inside Honda sources say Honda will launch a sports version of the Insight in 2010 at a very reasonable price. Yuichi is not sure if he will buy one, but he will at least give it a try. After all, as the Honda salesman told Koji and Emiko, green cars are the future.