[chncar]

Originally Posted by adityamunshi

If not the governement, who's responsible for 104% customs duty ?

The customs duty is common for all imported cars, there is no special higher duty for so-called eco-friendly cars. There is no need for the govt to lose money subsidizing an already overpriced car, and a few fatcats driving expensive Civics is not going to help the environment.

If Honda is serious about selling eco-friendly cars in India let them use local R&D and prodcution like Tata is doing.

The fact is that even regular Indian-made Civic costs 13 L, so even if the hybrid was made in India it would be too expensive to find any widespread usage.

[TeddyBear]

CNBC TV18 auto review said, the Pickup is not upto the standard Civic. and the average Mileage increase is mere 2KM per litter. Does it make sense to buy one? Or just a Hype!

But I am sure, auto enthuciacists will modify it with additional stack of batteries and charge them externally, like how Prius is modified to run more miles by US enthus. Though Toyota oppsed it against the warranty, it also admitted that they can learn from the customers.

[chncar]

Originally Posted by TeddyBear

CNBC TV18 auto review said, the Pickup is not upto the standard Civic. and the average Mileage increase is mere 2KM per litter. Does it make sense to buy one? Or just a Hype!

But I am sure, auto enthuciacists will modify it with additional stack of batteries and charge them externally, like how Prius is modified to run more miles by US enthus. Though Toyota oppsed it against the warranty, it also admitted that they can learn from the customers.

The prius is supposed to have cleaner exhaust technologies which release less pollutants into the atmosphere. Other than that I don't see any great way that the Prius helps the environment. And it certainly is not a good deal in terms of cost vs fuel-efficiency. To Americans maybe it is, since they are used to crap fuel-guzzlers, but elswhere in Europe and Asia fuel-efficient cars have been common for decades, so the Prius is certainly not a big deal.

The Prius is certainly a good marketing success by Toyota, the have managed to get themseleves an eco-friendly image, so much so that in Britain govt cars are supposed to be Prius and some other imported 'eco-friendly' models while local makes like Jag are not in the approved list for new purchases.

The classic example is Hollywood where most of the stars came to the Oscars in a Prius, to make a statement about being eco-friendly. I would very much prefer if those hyppocrites stopped using private jets to travel and stopping other wasteful excesses of consumption they regularly partake in, instead of making a show of things by driving a Prius and pretending that the 2kmpl they save makes a difference to the world. Likewise with other pseudo-environmentalists like Al Gore - he can do more for the environment by not hauling his fat butt all over the world in private jets to speak at environmental conferences than by any of his other initiatives.