In addition to the CEO's discussion on Honda's electrification strategy, his comments on platform and trim streamlining seem to foreshadow the potential design future of the Insight:
- A new vehicle platform will be announced next year (2020) using a global model called "Honda Architecture" to increase production efficiency and parts-sharing between models.
Since the first model on the new global platform will come out in 2020 calendar year (2021 model year), I think it will be launched as part of the new (Gen11) Civic. The 2021 model year fits the 'normal' 5-6 year cycle on which a new Civic generation is launched; the timing is early for a "Gen4" version of the Insight, but maybe 2021 could look like a 'refresh' on the Insight moved to the new global platform. The Insight is 'directly' based on the Civic platform (and the Accord and CR-V are 'loosely' based on it), so the 2021 Civic model should give preview to the Insight's design future ~3 years before the Gen4 Insight actually comes out.
- The number of variations currently available are too high to appeal to different regions, leading to excessive complexity and higher costs. By 2025, Honda will slash the trim and option variations for global models to 1/3 of what it has now. Simplification will result in 10% reduction of global production costs and 30% fewer man-hours, which will be re-invested into research and development of new technology.
Honda is openly saying they will "eliminate and consolidate" models, and I think the 2021 timing and strategy could be ripe to consolidate the Insight back into the Civic fold under "Civic Hybrid" umbrella. Or to at least consolidate the 'Japanese version' and the 'US/Canada version' of the Insight into a single model. Perhaps this upcoming eliminate/consolidate strategy is another reason why Honda doesn't aggressively market the Insight... i.e. why market something that may not exist as a standalone brand in the future.
Honda is just now revealing these plans to us publicly, but they certainly have been strategizing on this for years prior. Time will ultimately tell, but the overall picture comes across to me as heavy foreshadowing for the Insight's future. #AskTheMagicEightBall