The Smart Car Award: Honda Insight

In memory of the much-hyped Cash for Clunkers deal, we’re honoring one of the fuel-efficient cars that were sold through the government program.You’d be hard-pressed to find a significant population that doesn’t think Honda is a strong brand. Honda is pretty much synonymous with affordability and reliability. It has consistently produced high quality cars, which may explain why every other car you see on the road seems to be stamped with its logo. Positioned to give the Prius a run for its money, Honda has re-introduced the Insight. At just under $20K, the Insight gets almost as good gas mileage. Plus, the Insight utilizes many of the same parts as other Honda lines, reducing costs and ensuring quality. As a result we’ve dubbed the Honda Insight as our brand-of-the-week.

Now why does the Insight specifically earn this award? Well, what impresses me most about this vehicle is that it is perfectly consistent with Honda’s reputation and values. There is no disconnect in Honda providing this car. We will have another award for bad-brand-of-the-week when Hummer comes out with their 100mpg model they’ve promised. Hummer is like the poster child for excess and poor fuel economy (sorry to all you Hummer owners out there). It would require an entire re-branding for Hummer to green up. However, Honda consistently produces reliable, affordable, and decently fuel-efficient vehicles.

It makes sense that Honda would come out with the hybrid for everyone. They have come out with a completely reasonable way to jump on the green bandwagon. Plus, by throwing it’s universal quality and affordability in your face, you seem to forget that the Prius is comparable in price (it starts at just over 20K).

Not only does the Honda provide the Prius competition, it was introduced at the perfect time. In other words Honda is kicking ass at strategic brand management. “Green” is moving from trendy to essential and the economy sucks. People need a safe, smart, environmentally friendly vehicle. It makes people feel good to buy this car and they can do so while remaining financially solvent.

Unlike their competition, Honda, is not guilty of “greenwashing.” In attempts to appear for environmentally friendly, GM thought of changing their blue logo to green. Not only is that thoroughly uncreative, it’s not true to GM’s brand and values. With the re-introduction of the Insight, Honda remains true to their organization values while staying current.

My only issue with the whole Insight brand is the slightly hippie, psychedelic commercials (click here for video). If green is now more than just a trend, and the Insight really is the hybrid for everyone, then Honda shouldn’t be targeting who they’ve portrayed as the “hippie-dippie” crowd. Oh wait, one more thing, that green, tree-looking logo is not working for me either. A hybrid is, by nature, environmentally friendly, the logo doesn’t need to be so obvious. All in all, though, the Honda Insight is a smartly branded vehicle. It is a characteristically Honda vehicle that is keeping up with the times.