What Does The First Sighting Of The Honda Insight Hybrid In India Tell Us About The 2020 City?

• The Honda Insight test mule was spotted without any camouflage.
• The sedan is based on the same platform as the current-gen Honda Civic.
• It uses a 1.5-litre petrol engine mated to a dual-motor hybrid setup to produce 151PS.
• While the Insight is unlikely to be offered in India, it’s tech could feature in the next-gen City

Honda has been in the news lately thanks to the new Jazz Hybrid that was showcased at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show. Unfortunately, Honda is highly unlikely to bring the new Jazz to India and here’s why. In the meantime, something else has cropped up. The Honda Insight hybrid that you see here was spotted on test with emission testing equipment. The third-generation Insight, which is based on the same platform as the Civic, debuted in 2019. It makes use of a 1.5-litre Atkinson cycle petrol engine boosted by a hybrid electric setup. This Toyota Prius rival sits below the Accord in Honda’s international lineup. Does this mean Honda is mulling the Insight Hybrid for India, or is there more to this sighting?

The car caught testing doesn’t feature any camouflage. However, based on the equipment seen in the spy shots of the sedan’s rear end, we can safely assume that the car was undergoing emissions testing. The Insight is powered by a 1.5-litre Atkinson cycle petrol engine coupled to Honda’s dual-motor hybrid setup. This configuration produces 151PS of power and 267Nm of peak torque. The Insight uses both the IC engine and the electric motor during normal conditions while it can also work solely on electric power.

Although the Honda Insight is unlikely to make it to India, we can safely assume that the next-gen City, which is set to be launched here next year, will feature the dual-motor hybrid setup. In fact, the recently unveiled Jazz hatchback, too, features a similar powertrain. 

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The 2020 City, meanwhile, has been spotted undergoing tests in India. The popular sedan is set to get a revised design and could also be offered with the 1.5-litre i-DTEC diesel engine as well as a brand new 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine. We expect Honda to unveil the all-new sedan in February at the 2020 Auto Expo. When launched, it will renew its rivalry with the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, Hyundai Verna, Toyota Yaris as well as the Skoda Rapid and VW Vento.

 Source: Rushlane