Toyota Prius versus Honda Insight
 Toyota, Honda launch gas/electric hybrid ULEV Cars

PLEASE NOTE: This article will be updated soon

The Future is HERE... the Honda Insight (and, as of 2003, the Honda Civic) and Toyota Prius are fully OBD compatible and work well with our diagnostic software systems. Use your computer for something new: you can plug your PC into the data port on either the Toyota Prius or Honda Insight and monitor the engine diagnostic data stream on your computer monitor.

Honda Insight

The Honda Insight is a peppy, 2 door (2 seat) coupe that uses its light weight (124 pound) 1 litre engine as the principal power source with additional power provided by an electric motor powered by a 120 cell rechargeable nickel-metal hydride 'D cell' (flashlight size) battery bank. Although the gas engine is always providing power when the car is in motion, it automatically turns off at stop lights and restarts itself instantly when you are ready to move.

It is capable of 100 mph speeds while averaging between 60 and 70 mpg overall. The low co-efficient of drag (Cd) of 0.25 is achieved by its aerodynamic shape. In comparison, the Honda Civic Hatchback has a Cd of 0.36 and requires 32% more more power to achieve the same speed. It is interesting to note that the Insight has a direct mpg readout as part of its instrumentation package.

The Toyota Prius is a roomy four door sedan with a gas/electric hybrid system, but it turns the gas engine on and off during the driving period, depending on conditions. This means it is truly a zero emission vehicle when you are prowling around your local mall looking for a parking space (the gas engine doesn't start until you are traveling about 12 mph). It is optimized for low fuel consumption and extremely low emissions in the 'around town' driving scenario, but still does a respectable 50 mpg on the highway.

Toyota Prius

These cars use regenerative braking (braking energy is turned back into electricity instead of heat) and do not need to be recharged through an electrical outlet - they run entirely on gasoline. Stay tuned as we explore this interesting new technology ...

Or, if you're a compact SUV fan, read our review of the Subaru Forester and see how it connects to our OBD scan tool.