Under the market premise of “involution in the auto market”, competition in the joint venture B-class sedan market segment is becoming increasingly fierce.
Simply put, under the current new consumer demand, a number of new products have been spawned, which directly poses a threat to “evergreen” models.
For example, in the Japanese B-class sedan camp, Toyota Camry can be said to have long occupied the top position in the sales list. At the same time, the Insignia from Dongfeng Honda is also advancing rapidly. In fact, when we start from household needs and compare the product strength of the two, it is not difficult to find that under the pressure of the new strong, the “evergreen” model such as Camry may not be able to withstand it.
With performance as the main orientation, who actually performs better?
For users of family B-class sedans, the performance of the vehicle is the core of judging its value.
Not long ago, the online car market also conducted a real comparison between the fuel version of the Inship and the fuel version of the Camry. In the comprehensive power performance comparison, the two cars were tested under basically the same conditions, and there were also real data to confirm the power performance and fuel consumption performance.
First of all, in terms of power performance, we can see through objective data that the Inship 1.5T fuel version is in a better state than the Camry 2.0L in terms of power parameters and actual acceleration performance of the vehicle.
This result can be attributed entirely to the advantages of the turbocharged engine. Although the displacement of the Inshipa is smaller, it has stronger overall power thanks to Dongfeng Honda's more sporty tuning and higher intake efficiency.
It is worth mentioning that although the Camry 2.0L has good data performance, the naturally aspirated engine has a gradually increasing torque characteristic, so during the mid-to-early acceleration process, the intuitive performance feeling is still not as good as that of the turbocharged engine.
In terms of fuel consumption, through actual testing, we found that both the Insignia fuel version and the Camry fuel version have the phenomenon of “reverse false labeling”. The actual fuel consumption of both cars is lower than the fuel consumption displayed on the car, which can be regarded as the traditional “cautious operation” of Japanese manufacturers.
It should be pointed out that although the Insignia fuel version has stronger power, its fuel efficiency is also very high. The Camry is fuel-efficient, and the Insignia fuel version is also fuel-efficient, and because of its stronger performance, it meets the core interests of home consumers.
Focusing on the quality of vehicle design, which one can show more appeal?
If the Camry 2.0L's power performance can score 80 points, then the Insignia fuel version is enough to get a high score of more than 90 points.
In fact, in addition to the core power performance, family car consumers also pay attention to the design quality of the vehicle. Whether a car looks good or not directly determines whether it can stimulate the desire to buy; at the same time, good design can bring additional emotional value.
Currently, the 2024 Insignia fuel version and the 2024 Camry are both brand-new generation models in their respective series.
These two new cars actually take different routes in terms of design.
Intuitively, the fuel version of the Insignia is “elegant and dynamic”. This car adopts a very slender body design, and the overall structure tends to be flat, which can present an elegant and smooth visual experience. Moreover, in the eyes of many consumers, the overall appearance design of the Insignia is relatively coordinated.
The overall “elegant and dynamic” style of its appearance is not directly achieved by relying on the design of a certain part.
First of all, the luxurious vertical waterfall grille, combined with the narrow and crystal clear lighting design, presents a luxurious texture to the vehicle.
On the side, the Insignia is based on a slender body and adopts a characteristic line running through the front and back. This set of characteristic lines creates the characteristics of a “boat-shaped body”, and when matched with 18-inch large wheels, the whole car looks quite smooth and relaxed, bringing a “just right” elegant and sporty atmosphere.
Finally, at the rear, the overall structure of the Insignia is also relatively harmonious. The small ducktail, coupled with the overall shape with a clear sense of hierarchy, makes the visual effect of the vehicle very unified, and also brings a harmonious and aura-filled external style to the whole vehicle.
Let’s talk about Camry. After entering the ninth generation, this car can be said to have completely adopted a sporty style.
Overall, the ninth-generation Camry has a strong sense of sportiness and technology. It can be seen that Toyota designers want to make this generation of Camry out of the “mediocre” circle to attract more young consumers. However, such a design method seems a bit “overdoing it”.
This is clearly reflected in the front of the vehicle. At the front, the Camry uses a mix of horizontal grilles and mesh grilles, plus special-shaped headlights, which gives it a “sports mecha style”. However, most B-class cars are aimed at home consumers, and this avant-garde and radical design may not be easy for everyone to accept.
In addition, the side view of the ninth-generation Camry has not changed much. Its overall lines and contours are basically the same as the eighth-generation model. Coupled with the 17-inch wheels, its side view looks relatively compact and thin, and its temperament is slightly worse.
Finally, in the rear styling, the Camry adopts a “semi-through” taillight design, which is refined enough. However, compared with the Insignia, the tail of this car is wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, so the visual effect it presents will appear thinner.
Of course, although the two cars show some differences in appearance, it is undeniable that the overall workmanship of Japanese brands is very good. Whether it is the Insignia or the Camry, their overall craftsmanship is relatively delicate. The seams of the hood, trunk door, fender, door panel, etc. are relatively uniform and regular, and the overall workmanship is no problem.
Looking at the experience through design, there are also differences in the experience of using the two cars
From the perspective of design, the overall shape of the Dongfeng Honda Insignia fuel version is more slender and beautiful. Such design characteristics are not only reflected in the level of visual performance, but also in the vehicle's use experience and even the riding experience.
First of all, by comparing the noise at various vehicle speeds, we can find that the overall noise of the Inship fuel version during driving is lower than that of the Camry 2.0L.
The difference is not only due to the more comprehensive NVH tuning and thicker sound insulation materials of the Insignia, but also due to the shape. The Insignia fuel version is smoother, which can reduce wind resistance and reduce wind noise during driving.
In the car, there are actually some differences in the space experience between the two:
The maximum lateral distance, rear longitudinal distance and trunk depth of the Insignia fuel version are actually slightly better than those of the Camry. This is due to the advantages of the overall body size, and also due to Dongfeng Honda's continuation of the MM space design concept, which maximizes the utilization of the passenger compartment space.
In conclusion:
In fact, whether through data comparison or design comparison, we can find that the overall practicality and aesthetics of the Dongfeng Honda Insignia fuel version are better than those of the Camry. In addition, at present, competition in the joint venture B-class sedan market has intensified, and the prices of many models are very advantageous. The starting prices of the fuel version of the Insignia and the Camry 2.0L are both less than 150,000 yuan, and the former has even reduced the starting price of the entry-level model to less than 140,000 yuan. Such a price advantage has also really benefited consumers. There is no doubt that the Dongfeng Honda Insignia can be called the “king of home B-class cars.”