Prius Overtakes Insight In Japan

We know all about the Pony Car Wars. Mustang vs. Camaro vs. Challenger (or Charger) has been a war that has raged on since the 60's. Each one is emblematic of the company and rivalry that once was between the "Big 3". Well, for Toyota and Honda they're working on creating their own battle between the two. Enter the "Hybrid Wars".

The Honda insight was a warning shot fired to Toyota was ready to become a serious player in the hybrid market. Billed as the "Hybrid For Everyone", it no doubt stole Toyota's thunder, becoming the best-selling vehicle in Japan, the first hybrid to take that title.

Needless to say, Toyota was alarmed.  An affordable hybrid was Toyota's trump card. The company heavily invested in Hybrid Synergy Drive, and it requires continued volume to help bring the costs down.  We still don't know whether or not the system is profitable.

In response, Toyota then lowered the Price, undercutting Honda's attempt at offering something different through pricing. Unsurprisingly the market responded favorably, with a large amount of the preorders for the vehicle booked. In a choice between Insight and Prius, the latter is the obvious choice.

Other then price, what does the Insight have going for it?  The results don't lie; the Prius has unseated the Insight as best-selling vehicle in Japan with 10,915 units sold. Meanwhile the Insight drops to third, following Honda's Fit subcompact.