Honda resurrected the Insight name and this time the company got it right. The 2010 Honda Insight is a four-door hatchback that offers excellent fuel economy, a smooth hybrid powertrain, sensible gauges, a superior driving position and a pleasant although not sporty driving experience. That description could also apply to the Prius, but unlike the Toyota, the 2010 Honda Insight provides all of this at an affordable price. The Insight has an appearance that is similar to the Prius and it offers comparable fuel efficiency. It has only two notable drawbacks: a back seat that is tight for adults and road noise that could be considered excessive at high speeds.

The Insight uses Honda’s tested Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid powertrain. The IMA starts with a 1.3-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine that develops 88 horsepower and 88 pound-feet of torque, then adds an electric motor that is sufficiently strong to power the car up to 30 mph without needing any assistance from the gasoline engine. The electric motor incorporates regenerative braking, which charges the nickel-metal hydride battery pack when the brakes are applied. The transition from electric motor to gas engine is seamless, with no coughing or rumbling when the gas engine comes online.

Performance is perky but this is not a sports car. However, with hybrid cars fuel economy is king and the 2010 Honda Insight delivers with an EPA-estimated 40 mpg city/43 highway and 41 mpg combined, slightly less than the Toyota Prius. The difference in gas mileage between the two vehicles is insignificant, but the price difference is not: a loaded Insight EX with in-dash navigation system costs just a bit more than a bare-bones Prius. Even the base LX version of the Insight comes standard with full power accessories, antilock brakes, automatic climate control, a tilt/telescoping steering column, a height-adjustable driver seat and a CD audio system with an auxiliary jack.

The Insight’s dashboard features a Multi-Information Display which incorporates Honda’s Eco Assist system, a sophisticated driver feedback system which helps drivers learn how to drive more efficiently. The Insight also features an ECON button that automatically helps to increase fuel efficiency, although using this mode decreases straight-line performance.

It’s not sporty, but Honda’s 2010 Insight is by far the most enjoyable hybrid hatchback one can drive, at least in North America. Its ride is firm, its steering is fairly responsive and the transitions between electric-only and full hybrid power are seamless. Its regenerative braking system is much better than those used by some other hybrid cars.

The bottom line? The 2010 Honda Insight gets slightly less fuel economy and has a smaller back seat, but it is an all-around better hybrid car than the Toyota Prius and it costs thousands less.

The Honda Insight can be rented at all the major Fox Rent A Car locations.

Just 200 are slated for release in Japan under a joint program with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry aimed at promoting the adoption of plug-in hybrids and EVs. Although the new Prius – like all those that came before – uses a nickel metal hydride battery, the plug-in features a lithium-ion pack.

“Toyota Motor Corp. believes that, in response to the diversification of energy sources, plug-in hybrid vehicles are currently the most suitable environmentally considerate vehicles for widespread use,” the company said in a statement. “TMC therefore intends to encourage the marketing of plug-in hybrid vehicles while introducing a total of 500 vehicles globally—primarily to fleet customers—to further use and understanding of the vehicles.”

We aren’t being left out of the experiment. Toyota plans to send 150 plug-in hybrids to the United States. Still more are slated for Europe.

The plug-in will be based on the 2010 Prius, which rolled into Japanese showrooms last month. Toyota has already booked more than 80,000 orders for the car in Japan. It was the best-selling car in Japan last month; the Honda Insight topped the list in April. We’ve driven both cars; see our review of the Prius here and the Insight here.

Plug-ins are touted for triple-digit fuel economy, but a test fleet of 17 plug-in Prius hybrids in the Seattle area has achieved an average of just 51 mpg. Officials there and plug-in advocates said the problem lies with driver behavior, not the technology.

From Wired Magazine

Enterprise currently boasts the largest fleet of hybrid rentals, with 4,000 available nationwide. This is still a relatively small percentage of their 1.1 million large total fleet. Still, numbers are expected to increase due to competition in the market. Hertz is in the process of introducing 3,400 hybrids to its fleet and Avis already offers 2,500 hybrids.

Enterprise has also expanded its rental fleet to offer a variety of hybrid vehicles. The fleet features the Toyota Prius and larger Camry hybrid, as well as the Ford Escape hybrid and the Saturn VUE. By offering a variety of hybrid options, Enterprise is trying to satisfying customers in several vehicle classes.

Currently, Enterprise has the largest number of fuel efficient vehicles, with 47 percent achieving an average efficiency of 28 miles per gallon, of any rental company in the world. A third of Enterprise’s fleet achieve the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay certification, granted to vehicles that produce relatively low levels of pollutants and emissions.

In addition to emphasizing exceptionally efficient vehicles with gasoline engines, Enterprise has initiated an extensive flex fuel program. These vehicles can use either standard gasoline or a mixture of ethanol and gasoline. Most can use E85 fuel, which consists of a mixture of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. These vehicles significantly reduce the driver’s consumption of gasoline and produce fewer emissions than standard gasoline only engines.

With fuel prices expected to rise above $4 per gallon this summer, customer demand for hybrid vehicles is projected to increase dramatically. While companies agree that the budget driven consumer will likely avoid hybrids due to higher rental fees, a growing number of environmentally conscious renters are driving the hybrid rental trend. Analysts point out that it is consumer demand that influences fleet expansion, so the high gas prices of the summer and steadily increasing concern over the environment may very well serve as a catalyst for extensive expansion of hybrid fleets for Enterprise and competitors.

The company’s announced plans to introduce new “green branches,” at which 60% of available vehicles will be hybrid or high efficiency vehicles, is likely a reflection of this growing concer over fuel efficiency. The first four of these branches have opened in Atlanta and the company is looking to expand the program if it matches customer demand.

Offering high efficiency and hybrid vehicles is not the only green initiative Enterprise has undertaken. The company has also announced a program to plant 50 million trees over the next 50 years. The program, in cooperation with the National Arbor Day Foundation and National Forest Service, will cost a total of $50 million. Enterprise says that the program is a reflection of their devotion to restoring deforested areas of the United States and their long-term commitment to preserving public lands.

The increasing popularity of hybrid vehicles, along with greater concerns over fuel prices and the environmental impact of driving, has led rental companies to expand the number of high efficiency and hybrid vehicles in their fleets. Enterprise is at the head of this movement, establishing the largest fleet of hybrid vehicles in the country.

Currently 10% of the rental fleet at the San Francisco International is made up of high-mileage cars including hybrids. By offering incentives such as this $15 discount, SFO is attempting to increase the number of hybrid and high-mileage cars to 15%. By offering this discount, the airport is estimating it will prevent the release of more than 4,000 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere.

The participating rental car agencies for this program are:

Avis
Alamo
Budget
Dollar
Enterprise
Hertz
National
Fox
Thrifty

A majority (70%) of the downtown Sacramento “Green Branch” fleet will be comprised of fuel efficient cars including hybrid gas/electric vehicles and fuel-efficient vehicles that average a highway fuel efficiency rating of at least 28 mpg or better.

The vehicles are available to rent beginning immediately at the Enterprise Rent-A-Car branch at 500 12th Street. (12th and E)

“For the past 50 years, Enterprise Rent-A-Car has steadily grown its business by consistently talking and listening to its customers, said Susie Irwin, vice president and general manager for Enterprise in Sacramento. Customers of Enterprise’s downtown branches have expressed great interest in renting environmentally friendly vehicles, and we are responding by concentrating the largest number of hybrid and fuel-efficient vehicles at a specific, convenient rental location.

“Enterprise is committed to supporting new technologies and alternative fuels as they become commercially viable, and we’ll continue to make them more accessible to our customers,” Irwin added.
The Enterprise Sacramento location is the first “Green Branch” to be designated by the company in the state of California. (The company opened 4 “Green Branches” in Atlanta, GA in April, 2008.) During the past year, Enterprise has officially designated a total of eight “E85/FlexFuel” branches in Washington, D.C.; Charlotte, N.C.; Sioux Falls, S.D.; Grapevine, Texas; and Cincinnati, Columbus and Dayton, Ohio; and Miami, FL. Nationally, Enterprise is actively deploying as many of its FlexFuel vehicles as possible near E85 fueling stations in order to build consumer awareness and increase the number of cars being fueled with E85, a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.

The Taylor family of companies, which includes Enterprise, National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car, owns and operates the world’s largest vehicle fleet, which includes 4,000 hybrids, 73,000 FlexFuel vehicles, and 440,000 fuel-efficient vehicles.

Click Here to Rent a Hybrid from Enterprise

Enterprise Rent-A-Car, the nation’s largest car rental company, said Wednesday the company is putting about 100 hybrid vehicles at its Denver International Airport branch, which will be designated as the company’s second “hybrid branch.”

It’s part of a major upgrade in the St. Louis-based company’s national rental fleet, adding nearly 5,000 vehicles that can run on electricity assisted by a gasoline engine. Customers will be able to reserve the hybrids, such as the Toyota Prius, Toyota Camry and Ford Escape, online or by phone.

Local rental rates for the hybrid cars are expected to start at $59.99 per day, about $10 more than the day rate for similar class vehicles, the company said.

Enterprise’s DIA branch, the company’s largest in Colorado, will have about 100 hybrids, up from about 50 or 60 such vehicles currently, said Jane Hylen, vice president and general manager for Enterprise in Colorado.

When all the new hybrid vehicles are in place, DIA will be one of nearly 80 “hybrid branch” locations for the company nationwide. The company currently has about 2,000 hybrids, the new push will bring the hybrid fleet total to about 7,000 vehicles, said company spokeswoman Lisa Martini.

In addition to the efforts on hybrids, Enterprise has designated eight “E85/FlexFuel” branches where as many as 30 percent of the local fleets are FlexFuel vehicles capable of using E85 (a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline). In addition, Enterprise fuels those vehicles from a nearby E85 fueling station.

For customers who really want to be green, Enterprise and sister companies National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car allow customers the chance to pay $1.25 per rental to offset the carbon dioxide greenhouse gas emissions from their rented vehicles. The money pays for certified offset projects through TerraPass, based in San Francisco. The companies’ charitable foundation match customer contributions dollar-for-dollar, up to $1 million.

TerraPass focuses on carbon offset projects such as clean energy produced by wind power; farm power such as dairy farm methane digesters; and landfill methane capture.

Click HERE to Rent Your Hybrid from Enterprise

Of course, there are many reasons why you may want to. The first one that comes to mind is that it might be fun to give a hybrid car a test drive. If you already own a hybrid, it is a great opportunity to try a new model. While hybrid rentals were once limited to the common Toyota Prius, rental companies are now offering a wide range of models from the Toyota Highlander to the Nissan Altima hybrid, Honda Civic hybrids to the Saturn VUE. Because of this, renting a hybrid vehicle is a great option or any hybrid fan.

If you do not have your own hybrid car at home, a rental might be the perfect opportunity to see what people are talking about. Providing an excellent opportunity for an extended test drive, a hybrid rental allows you to see how various models of hybrid handle, how the performance matches your expectations, and to decide which model would be right for you.

There are also the environmental reasons for renting a hybrid, which are discussed frequently. While driving your rental hybrid, your contribution of carbon to the atmosphere will be significantly lower, as will your use of rapidly diminishing natural resources. While this may not be reason enough for you to pay more to rent a hybrid, it is certainly a positive side effect to keep in mind.

Once you have rented one, hybrid cars can also be more convenient. You will spend less time searching for gas stations and filling up the car. More significantly, some states, like traffic choked California, allow hybrid drivers to use commuter lanes even if they are alone in the car. This can speed up rush hour drives dramatically.

A final reason to rent a hybrid is that the extra cost may not be as high as it initially appears. While hybrid cars typically cost around $10 per day more than a standard car, they use significantly less fuel. Many rental agencies don’t even require customers to replenish a hybrid’s fuel tank before returning the car. Depending on the amount and type of driving you will be doing, these savings could even negate the higher daily rate.
The reasons to rent a hybrid car are numerous. Ultimately, the appeal still depends on personal perceptions of value. At its most basic, a rental car is a tool to get you around a new place, for a limited amount of time. However, a rental car can be much more. It can be an opportunity to try something new, an introduction to unique experiences, and a chance to see the world through an exciting new window.

If you ask me whether I would pay more for a hybrid car I would have to answer that I would. For these reasons and many more I offer an emphatic “yes.”

Today, many agencies have introduced hybrid cars to their rental fleets, and these new additions are available from most main offices. Enterprise has the largest number of hybrids, spread across the most rental locations. They have made a commitment to providing this option to their customers and have established themselves as a place to go for those looking to rent hybrids.

However, Enterprise is not the only company with this availability. Many popular agencies like Avis, Hertz, National, and others have been slowly building their hybrid fleets. This is a good thing for the consumer because it means that those looking for hybrids may have the opportunity to shop around and find the best price. If you are a frequent renter with a favorite company, it is worth checking the next time you need to rent a car. Chances are, a hybrid option is available.

If the largest companies do not have hybrid availability in your desired location, it is not time to give up. Many of the smaller companies, notably Fox Rent a Car, have introduced extensive hybrid fleets as a way to establish themselves leaders in these niche markets. If you have never tried one of these companies before, a hybrid rental may be an excellent opportunity. Fox Rent a Car has offices in a variety of locations, mostly on the west coast and southwest, and offers guaranteed hybrid reservations in advance.

The rental agencies are not the only ones in the travel industry looking to expand hybrid rental options. Many internet booking companies like Orbitz and Priceline have introduced the option to search for hybrid car rentals. These websites can be excellent, easy ways to search for hybrid rental availability and to compare prices across many companies. Orbitz in particular has taken a company-wide green initiative and hybrid rental cars are only one of the many options that have resulted. The company also offers green travel tips and bookings at environmentally-friendly hotels, among many other things.

Another common challenge to those looking to rent hybrids was regional availability. While hybrid rentals have been available at major airports and very popular rental locations for some time, those using smaller rental offices were out of luck. While this, too, is improving, it can still be a challenge for many travelers. For many, the solution has been to use the Toyota dealership rental program. Many Toyota dealerships in towns and cities across the country participate in the program, offering their vehicles for rent at prices competitive with the larger, dedicated, rental companies. Many of these dealerships offer not only Prius hybrids, but Camry and Highlander hybrids for rent as well.

Once a challenge to find, hybrid rental cars have slowly become more available. Now that most of the major companies, and many smaller ones, offer hybrid options you can easily shop around and look several different places if need be. As the size of hybrid fleets, and the number of companies that maintain them, increase, the regional availability will only improve. This is just one more reason to give a hybrid rental a try.

How much of this is a reluctance of rental agencies to take a chance on a new product? How much is it the lack of consumer demand for green alternatives? It is true that the popularity of hybrid vehicles is small compared to that of standard, full fuel, cars and trucks. While sales of the Toyota Prius increased a reported 60% in 2007, they still represent a fraction of Toyota’s total business. In the Area of vehicle rentals, the popularity is even less.

Industry analysts believe that the additional cost of hybrid rentals prevents them from becoming more popular. Typically costing $5 to $15 per day more than a standard rental, hybrids have trouble appealing to budget conscious consumers, even with the added value of their fuel savings. Often competing in budget car classes, many looking to rent in that area are not interested enough in driving a hybrid to pay the extra rental fees.

But is this the only thing preventing greater expansion of hybrid fleets? Even with the introduction of “Green Branches” by Enterprise in Atlanta earlier this year, the company maintains only 4,000 hybrids out of a fleet of 1.1 million. The green branches are certainly a move in the right direction but even there, only 60% of available vehicles are hybrids. By making more hybrid vehicles available and promoting their benefits, rental companies could easily increase their popularity among otherwise uninterested consumers. As popularity increases, the price of renting these green cars, which cost less to maintain to begin with, could eventually equal that of standard rentals.

Among rental companies, the battle to be green is not only about offering more hybrids in more targeted markets. Both Enterprise and Hertz have initiated large-scale and generous donation programs to give money to various environmental causes. The value of these actions is great and should not be criticized. However, consumers who attempt to rent hybrid vehicles only to find that they are not available in their areas can’t help but ask if this money could be directed to more relevant activities.

The availability of hybrid rentals is slowly increasing. Eventually, hybrids may be common enough that their rental fees will be equal to, or even less than, those of full fuel rentals. Until then, rental companies will try to be, or at least appear to be, green to appeal to environmentally conscious consumers, while at the same time focusing their energy on maintaining their fleets as they always have. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the consumer to increase awareness and promote expansion though greater demand.

How much green-cred do under 10,000 hybrid rentals get the industry? Maybe not much, but it is the responsibility of the consumer as much as the agencies to become more environmentally friendly.

The first place to look may be other hybrids made by Toyota. These include an SUV, the Highlander hybrid, and a more traditional sedan, the Camry hybrid. The Highlander hybrid is a roomy, crossover SUV. It features a comfortable, large, interior and optional third row seat. If you need more space, either for storage or passengers, than this hybrid is the way to go.

The Camry hybrid takes the number one most popular car of the last ten years and adds the fuel efficiency and environmental friendliness of a hybrid. As a full-size sedan, the Camry hybrid is a slightly more roomy alternative to the Prius, perfect for a family.

These Toyota hybrids are great alternatives to the excellent but common Prius. Both vehicles are available from popular rental agencies like Fox Rent a Car, Enterprise, National, and Alamo. If these companies do not have a Camry or Highlander hybrid available, try calling a dealership in your area. Many Toyota dealerships participate in a rental program and have most models available.

Of course, Toyota is not the only company that manufactures hybrid vehicles. Another popular hybrid is the Honda Civic. These small sedans remain roomy and functional, with ample trunk space, while at the same time achieving excellent gas mileage. Honda Civic hybrids are not as commonly available for rent, but some popular companies, like Fox Rent a Car, have them in their fleets.

Another SUV style vehicle option is the Ford Escape hybrid. Like the Toyota Highlander, the Escape hybrid operates in fully electric, hybrid, and full fuel modes. The roomy vehicle has been marketed towards people looking for a vehicle with a smaller footprint, that doesn’t compromise convenience. The Ford Escape hybrid can be rented from Fox Rent a Car, Avis, or Budget.

The Nissan Altima hybrid, praised for its performance during acceleration, has been described as a hybrid with more pep and personality than is commonly found in other hybrid vehicles. The sedan style car has only been released in a few states, so taking advantage of a rental may be the best way to experience this standout hybrid. The Altima hybrid is available for rent from Enterprise, National, and Alamo.

Another sedan style hybrid now available for rent is the Saturn Aura hybrid. Building off the popular Aura style, this roomy sedan uses the electric motor for additional bursts of power and to power all electrical components and accessories. Also available is the Saturn VUE, a crossover SUV that uses the same hybrid system as the Aura. Both of these vehicles are available for rent from Enterprise, National, and Alamo.

If you are a familiar fan of the very popular Prius, it might be a good idea to give a different model a try. Renting a hybrid is a great way to give one of these exciting new vehicles an extended test drive. Fortunately, rental agencies have begun to respond to the growing demand for hybrid rentals and now offer a wide variety of hybrid models from many different automakers.