Honda Inspire has undergone a major makeover, the hybrid system has been canceled, and the exterior and interior have been completely renewed!
New cars hit the market every year, but it's rare to find a new car that really makes a splash. This year, the Honda Inspire will surprise us. The midsize sedan is about to launch the 2024 model year, and not only the exterior and interior have undergone huge changes, but even the powertrain has been significantly adjusted.
Instead of the low-key and restrained in the past, the 2024 Yingshipai has a bold and stylish exterior design, and the front face is equipped with a wide grille, and the lines are more smooth and dynamic. The slender lines of the body have been maintained on the sides, but the details have been more refined, and the chrome trim strips have enhanced the overall texture. The tail adopts a small ducktail shape, and the dual-color taillight design is fashionable and dynamic, with a glossy black trim plate, and the overall design is layered.
In terms of interior, the new car adopts Honda's latest family-oriented design style, with a large area of leather material wrapping in the center console and piano paint trim, and the texture has risen sharply. The 10.2-inch full LCD instrument cluster and 12.3-inch large central control screen carry out the sense of science and technology to the end. The addition of multi-color ambient lighting, sunroof sunshade and other configurations further enhances the luxury experience in the car.
Plug-in hybrid has become a "dark horse" in the new energy vehicle market, and the demand for power batteries has increased significantly
In recent years, with the rapid development of the new energy vehicle market, plug-in hybrid vehicles (referred to as "plug-in hybrid vehicles") have sprung up and become the "dark horse" of the market. According to the data, the sales of plug-in hybrid vehicles in mainland China will reach 2.804 million units in 2023, a year-on-year increase of 84.7%, and the growth rate far exceeds the 24.6% growth rate of pure electric vehicles.
The reason why plug-in hybrid vehicles are popular is mainly due to their advantages of "petrol-electric dual drive". Compared with pure electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles can not only achieve pure electric driving by plugging in, but also use the engine to extend the range, thus effectively solving the problem of range anxiety. The fuel consumption performance of plug-in hybrid vehicles is also better, which can meet the needs of more consumers.
It is worth noting that the rise of plug-in hybrid vehicles has directly boosted the demand for power batteries. According to the data, in 2023, the installed capacity of power batteries for plug-in hybrid passenger vehicles in mainland China will increase by 109.8% year-on-year, and the growth rate will be as high as 4.4 times that of pure electric passenger vehicles. In December, the installed capacity of plug-in hybrid batteries accounted for 18.2% in a single month, a month-on-month increase of 13%.
This is mainly due to the popularity of high-power fast-charging batteries, which has made great progress in battery capacity and charging time of plug-in hybrid vehicles, which has been widely recognized by consumers. For example, the plug-in hybrid version of Dongfeng Honda's flagship model, Inspire, is equipped with a powerful battery system with a maximum power of 135kW and a maximum torque of 335Nm, and a pure electric range of up to 88km.
The rapid growth of plug-in hybrid vehicles has also brought some new challenges. In 2023, the number of complaints about plug-in hybrid vehicles will be as high as 60%, among which "hybrid mode conversion failure" has become the hardest hit area of quality problems. This means that car companies need to put more effort into product reliability to ensure a good car experience for consumers.
Can Honda's "new clothes" be revived?
Looking back at the major changes of the 2024 Honda Yingshipai, it is not difficult to find that this car is undoubtedly making great strides in the direction of "younger, more fashionable, and more technological".
In terms of exterior design, the front face of the new car adopts a large-mouth grille, and the lines are more smooth and dynamic. The slender body lines are retained on the sides, but the details are more refined and stylish. The tail ducktail shape is matched with double color-block taillights, which is clear and dynamic.
In terms of interior, the new car adopts Honda's latest family-oriented design language, with a large area of leather material wrapping in the center console and piano paint trim, and the texture soars. The 10.2-inch full LCD instrument cluster and the 12.3-inch large central control screen carry out the sense of science and technology to the end.
The most important change is the overhaul of the powertrain. The new model will cancel the current 2.0-liter hybrid version, and it is expected to launch a plug-in hybrid model, which will undoubtedly further enhance the competitiveness of Inspie.
New cars also face some challenges in terms of positioning and sales. On the one hand, after the cancellation of the 2.0-liter hybrid version, the new car may be further tilted towards the mid-to-high-end market, which may affect its sales performance in the mainstream market. On the other hand, the promotion of plug-in hybrid technology will still take time, and consumer awareness and acceptance of it need to be improved.
After the launch of the new car, Honda needs to carry out accurate market positioning and marketing strategies in order to maximize the advantages of the new car and revitalize the majesty of Yingshipai.