Honda will stop production of the Insight hybrid sedan in June, and will start ramping up hybrid variants of the 2023 CR-V compact crossover and 2023 Accord mid-size sedans this year, Automaker announced Thursday. The big news is the announcement of the “Civic Hybrid” in the “future”.
“The volume-led Honda lineup of our original model hybrid-electric will dramatically increase electrified sales in the lineup, a strategy that will increase in the future with the advent of a civic hybrid,” said Mamadou Diallo, vice president of auto sales at U.S. Honda Motor.
Relaunched in 2018 with a more sleek sedan body, the third-generation Insight had moderate but steady sales of about 18,000 units per year. Sales were flagged in the first quarter of 2022 amid growing tide of plug-in hybrids and electric models. Nevertheless, it was one of the most efficient models on the market without a plug
The 2022 Honda Insight has an EPA rating of 55 mpg city, 49 highways, and 52 combined. 2022 Toyota Prius combined up to 56 mpg and 2022 Hyundai Ioniq rated up to 58 mpg; Both of these models are offered in plug-in hybrid variants which is more efficient.
Honda discontinued the Clarity plug-in hybrid last year.
According to Honda, the CR-V hybrid and the Accord hybrid contributed to the growth of electric car sales in 2021, and the redesign of the 2023 CR-V, which is expected later this year, should be taken further. Equipped with a CVT, the Civic has been redesigned for 2022, with a superfuel fuel economy for 31 mpg city, 40 highways, and 35 combined (the hatchback gets 30/38/33) gas vehicles.
Honda has been building efficient hybrid models for two decades now, but the company has been slow to adopt full electrification. Last year, Honda announced its first battery-powered electric car for sale in the United States, the 2024 Prologue SUV, which will lead the charge of 30 EV models planned by 2030. During that time, Honda predicted that 40% of its sales in North America would come From battery electric and fuel-cell electric vehicles.
Earlier this month, Honda and GM committed to a more sustainable partnership to sell “millions” of affordable electric crossovers by 2027, responsible for mass production of Honda solid-state batteries, They have high energy density and small packaging but still need to be developed for use in cars.
For now, as the insights fade, expect to see more news of the Civic Hybrid in the years to come, though Honda won’t confirm the exact timing.