I've read a good bit here about the Hybrid Synergy Drive, or Toyota Hybrid System from the first gen Prius, and I owned a Civic Hybrid for a while so I'm familiar with the Integrated Motor Assist system. There isn't a side by side comparison thread that I could find anyway, so to help people understand them it would be a good idea to start one up. We only have technical discussion on 3rd gen and 2nd gen (with a subforum for the 1st) so I decided to stick my thread here. I specifically want to talk about the instrumentation. The IMA simply has Assist or Charge and a battery bars gauge if I remember right, and everything in between each state. In reading the HSI thread here I found a lot more info on the HSD's instruments than on the IMA's: HSI Some of it can be a little confusing for non Prius owners.
The 2010 Honda Insight has "ECO Assist" display. The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid has different concept one. I thinks these display concepts as not directly related to their hybrid system, but they are based on manufacturer's engineering/design concepts. Ken@Japan
