Honda will have three world debuts at the Paris motor show in October 2008, including the new Insight concept (claimed to be the world's most affordable hybrid) and a revised Civic Hybrid. Paris also marks the world debut of Honda's new iDTEC automatic gearbox and the European premiere of the Jazz.
How do the Honda Insight and Civic Hybrid differ?
The Insight is just a concept, but we'll see a production version early in 2009, hopefully looking less like a Toyota Prius. The Insight is the first of three new Honda hybrids that will be introduced over the next four years – the other two models are a production version of the CR-Z coupe and a Jazz hybrid.
The revised Civic Hybrid is mechanically unchanged (it'll still do 61.4mpg) but the exterior features tweaked front and rear lights, a new front bumper and redesigned alloy wheels. Hardly riveting stuff, but according to Honda bods the new Insight will be small than the Civic Hybrid, so this revised car will have a future as a larger alternative to the new model.
The new gearbox, before you get too excited, is merely Honda's new auto-shifter for its European 2.2-litre diesel engine.
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