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Honda recently unveiled the Honda Insight Prototype, which is the production 2019 Honda Insight in all but name. Launching in the US later this year, the Insight – a name previously used on a five-door, Prius-shaped hatchback – is now a sleek “premium compact” sedan positioned above the Civic. There’s no hybrid in the current Civic generation, so the new Insight will play that role.

The Insight uses Honda’s new family face with a prominent “flying wing” chrome bar and a U-shaped grille attached to it. If the front end is typically modern Honda, the rear end of the Insight is more of a new look for the brand, with wraparound tail lamps that cut deep into the boot lid. The organically-shaped lamps have an LED outline, not unlike what Korean carmakers have been doing previously.

With both the new Accord and Insight sedans sporting this face, we better get used to it as the new Honda look. How would Honda’s smallest sedan look like if it would adopt this design template? No need to imagine, because we got Theophilus Chin to render a Honda City with Insight-inspired front and rear ends, as seen here.

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Grafted on is the Insight’s face, but with the defining full-length “wing” chrome bar more integrated and less prominent (to me, jarring) – more like that on the Civic FC and new Accord. There’s also less of a “big forehead” here compared to the Insight.

For me, the rear end design fits the longer and wider proportions of the Insight better than it does on a B-segment sedan like the City, which has no choice but to be narrow and tall. Still rather neat, though. Theo also gave the daylight opening a sleeker tail and an extra crease on the C pillars. What do you think of this proposed “new City” compared to the current car?

The Insight is an interesting prospect, and has potential to do well in Malaysia with tax incentives. See more of the upcoming dedicated hybrid model here.