Insight available Tuesday

Insight. Courtesy Honda. The Honda Insight will be on sale Tuesday. Based on sales in Japan, it will be a tough competitor of the Toyota Prius. Here in the U.S. Prius sales have already been slaughtered by the economy. 2008 deliveries fell 12% in the U.S.

It's partially a Honda/Toyota price war with the Insight at about $20K, nearly $4k less than the lowest Prius sticker price. Japanese media report Toyota is looking at a price cut on their Prius, long the category sales leader among hybrids.

The Insight's official website. Honda has suffered a sales slump like other major manufacturers, but the Insight has been a bright spot so far. Here's what the Honda PR machine has to say about their car: "The all-new 2010 Honda Insight goes on sale March 24 with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $19,800 for the Insight LX...

"The distinctively styled, five-passenger, five-door dedicated hybrid vehicle is powered by an Integrated Motor Assist™ (IMA™) system comprised of a 1.3-liter i-VTEC® gasoline engine and a 10-kilowatt electric motor that together contribute to an EPA-estimated city/highway fuel economy rating of 40/43 miles per gallon . The Insight features the Ecological Drive Assist System (Eco Assist™), an innovation that can further enhance efficient vehicle operation while providing feedback related to individual driving styles."