|
Putting a bit of a spin on the old saw that imitation is the best form of flattery, Honda apparently has concluded that imitation is the best form of cashing in on somebody else's success, as in, Toyota's with the Prius. Although in every dimension the 2010 Insight is an inch or three smaller than the Prius, only with the two parked door to door does this become visible to the eye. Otherwise, they could be twins separated at birth and only reacquainted in their mid-20s. Squinting headlights peer out from the front corners, bracketing a grille that, save for the H logo, eerily reminds of a Ford Fusion, or a Gillette Fusion, for that matter. An open-mouth smile below the grille seems the more functional of the two openings as far as breathing cooling air for the radiator and engine compartment. Slit-shaped vents to each side break up the expanse of the front bumper and accent chin-link splitters at the corners that help keep the front end planted while it cleaves the air. Side view shows a deeply wedged hood leading to a very fast, or raked, windshield. Roofline continues the arc over the passenger compartment and equally fast backlight, ending abruptly at a sharply chopped, relatively high, hind quarter. The beltline runs straight back beneath black-framed side glass, rising gently, from just aft of the centerline of the front wheelwell to just forward of the centerline of the rear wheelwell, emphasizing the Insight's short wheelbase (distance between the centers of the wheels, front to back). Flip-up door handles sit flush with the body panels, making for good drag numbers but not for easy gripping; gloves are helpful for preserving long fingernails. Tires don't quite fill the wheelwells, implying light weight and compactness. A close look reveals glimpses through the gaps of suspension hardware, again hinting at a hyper-consciousness about shaving weight. A shallow, sculpted character line across the bottoms of the doors links matching indents creasing the lower portions of the front and rear bumpers. The rear aspects hews the closest to the original Insight's super-aero styling, showing lines that, if extended, would taper to a pointed terminus some 10 feet or 12 feet behind the mostly vertical rear fascia. The Prius flattery continues here, with an understated rear spoiler splitting two parts of the backlight, the one above steeply raked, the one below upright and easing rearward visibility, especially when backing into a parking slot. The rear license plate sits in a recess in the liftgate, itself resting in a cutout cupped by the rear bumper. A single, almost demure exhaust tip peeks out from beneath the right side. Smallish, triangular taillight housings tuck into the upper corners of the rear fenders.
|
