Which?: 2009 Honda Insight hybrid first drive test

Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by Tideland Prius, Aug 22, 2009.

  1. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    45,209
    16,428
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A

     
    #1 Tideland Prius, Aug 22, 2009
  2. msirach

    msirach Member

    Joined:
    May 27, 2007
    321
    41
    1
    Location:
    Southern Illinois
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Which needs to relabel it as a 2010.
     
    #2 msirach, Aug 22, 2009
  3. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    45,209
    16,428
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    It's 2009 in the rest of the world and that includes the new 2009 Gen III Prius.
     
    #3 Tideland Prius, Aug 22, 2009
  4. jburns

    jburns Senior Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 13, 2005
    829
    111
    0
    Location:
    Archdale, NC
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    What an interesting concept. Actually dating cars by the year they went on sale.
     
    #4 jburns, Aug 22, 2009
  5. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    45,209
    16,428
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    amazing, huh? although it poses a problem if the car isn't introduced in January (like they usually are in those parts of the world). You'll have two different types of 2009 models which may confuse used car buyers. The DMV doesn't care either. They go by plates so if your car was registered in 2009 with a 2009 plate, it's a 2009 car.
     
    #5 Tideland Prius, Aug 23, 2009
  6. PriusLewis

    PriusLewis Management Scientist

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2009
    1,002
    84
    7
    Location:
    Denver Metro
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    For many years (and it might still be true) Mercedes didn't really have year models. For the US market they were called by year, but to buy parts you needed the chassis serial number and the engine serial number. They made running changes when they felt like it, and the only real way to know which part, in some cases, was by serial number.

    Another interesting case was the Alfa Romeo Sprint Speciale. All of the bodies were built in one year (1959, I believe) and the cars were assembled and sold through about 1965. So the newer ones had as old a body/chassis as the older ones (worse, since they sat outside in racks and tended to pre-rust before assembly).
     
    #6 PriusLewis, Aug 23, 2009
  7. bluetwo

    bluetwo Relevance is irrelevant

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2008
    186
    13
    0
    Location:
    Augusta, GA
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Now I understand why my British friend is always giving me a hard time about "you Americans and your years" ...I never understood what she was saying until now.

    Our way of doing it makes perfect sense to me though. Models just come out a little bit before the start of the new year and usually in limited numbers. The 2010 Hyundai Genesis coupe was an exception though. That thing was on showroom floors back in March of this year!
     
    #7 bluetwo, Aug 23, 2009
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)