Demand for Honda hybrid car soars

Honda said that demand for hybrid vehicle Insight is soaring in Japan with orders topping its monthly target of 5,000 in just over a week.

The Insight gas-electric hybrid, which starts only at 1.89 million yen (£14,000), hit showrooms across Japan on February 6.

The launch of the cheapest hybrid vehicle came amid a devastating slump in the global car market.

But Honda said demand for the Insight has been so brisk that the company has received more than 5,000 orders, easily beating its monthly target.

"This is so much better than expected. The Insight is priced below 2 million yen, and is energy efficient. We believe consumers like these aspects," said Honda spokeswoman Natsuno Asanuma.

Even before the launch, Honda had received about 5,000 orders for the Insight, Asanuma said. The Insight goes on sale in April in the US, and in March for Europe.

Honda's Insight is cheaper than Toyota's Prius, the most popular hybrid.

Hybrids tend to be more expensive than regular cars because they come packed with both a petrol engine and an electric motor. Switching between the systems, depending on speed, boosts mileage.

Toyota sold 285,700 Prius cars worldwide last year, and will introduce a remodelled Prius in May.

The new Prius is bigger and has a more powerful engine than the current one, and is likely to be more expensive.

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