Probably too early to ask this but does anyone know if it will be possible to turn off that feature permanently or is that something someone would have to do every time they get into the car? Are there other cars out there with that feature?

 

I believe I read that can be turned off if you don't want it doing that.

 

Yes, according to the press release it can be turned off. The only other car I know if with the same feature is the BMW 1 series. I have a friend in Germany who drives one and she seems to like it well enough, although I must admit I'm also reluctant about the feature!

 

I remember reading about a Lexus with it several years ago. Don't know if it was production or not, though.

 

what i dont understand is that at every light and stop sign when you hit the gas from a stop and the engine starts up it will sound like an engine starting up every time. if not, does that mean that if one were to get in and start that car in the morning there wont be the traditional start up sound that we are all used to?

 

I believe it only goes into stop mode if you are in neutral and the cluth is engaged, so ofcourse this feature is only for manual cars. Going by the same logic, that means the car will start back up if the clutch is disengaged, which is good since there won't be that big of a delay by the time you hit the gas.

 

But will it be possible to just disable it once and for all or would I have to disable it every time I get in the car? How does it work in the BMW 1 series?

 

VW diesels had this feature back in the 1980s, and all current (no pun intended) hybrids have it, too. My old man has a Camry hybrid, and while it is eerie sitting there at a stoplight with the car completely silent (even when driving in 'engine' mode), it makes sense not to burn fuel.

 

I wonder how much added wear the feature adds on the starter. Will be interesting to see the long term tests.

 

Remember that if you buy your 2008 model in the US it won't have these features, EU only based on what I read in the release. I wonder how people in hot climates will like the fact that the AC won't blow cold at stoplights with this feature on. I know in Phoenix at 108 degrees most people like the AC to blow cold all day long!

 

Great point - didn't even think about that.

 

Actually according to the motoringfile article the engine won't shut down when the AC is running and the inside temp didn't yet reach the user setting. Also although the article talked about the UK cars there was no mention of these features not making it to the US models. Also since this feature can be disabled it should be a problem either way. I just don't know if it has to be disabled every time someone gets in the car or can it be programmed to never be on.

 

We have a 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid (automatic trans). The gas engine stops when you are in an idle situation. We really like it for the impact on gas mileage. We have about 105,000 miles on it and probably have averaged in the low 40s for gas mileage over its lifetime. We get close to 50 when it is warm out, we don't run the AC, and drive between 55 and 65.

 

I'm quite sure they've worked around this, just as other manufacturers have.

 

Think golf cart. Gas powered golf carts have done this for year. Hit gas, motor starts, off you go.

 

OK guys

haveing just left germany it is law over there not to sit and idle your engine and many drivers turn off the cars at stop lights so the feature makes sense for cars in Europe. I dont like the constant starting as in my opionion it causes undue engine ware. ie if the engine is off the oil is in the pan not being pumped through engine and thus when you start it you get most of engine ware until oil lubes engine

 

How does the fuel economy on the highway compare to around town? I have a friend with a Prius, and while he gets close to 65-70 MPG around town, his highway economy is significantly lower, presumably because he's using the gas engine almost exclusively, rather than the electric motor.

 

His highway mileage is significantly lower due to additional energy required to overcome aerodynamic drag. There's drag at any speed, of course, but it's much lower at around-town speeds (double the speed -- quadruple the drag, IIRC...)

 

It's not simply a drag issue - drag's present wth *any* car. What I'm talking about is unique to hybrids.

If you look at the EPA estimates for the Prius, the in-city estimate is actually HIGHER than the highway estimate (~60MPG versus ~50MPG, if I recall correctly). This is the exact opposite of most cars.

When hybrids cruise for extended periods on the highway, the electric motor is taken almost completely out of the equation, and of course there's not much regenerative charging going on, since there's not much deceleration or braking. With some hybrids, highway driving gives fuel economy that's not much better than conventional cars. That's why I was curious how the Insight did on the highway.