The battle between Honda’s new hybrid warrior, the Insight and Toyota’s established player, the Prius, is finally underway.  Of course, the Prius in question is the current second-generation model, not the upcoming third generation Prius.

After months of competitive pricing announcements and fuel economy counter-claims between the two Japanese giants, Honda has stepped up to claim victory for its first month of sales in the UK.

The Insight has found 229 new homes since going on sale on April 4, compared to the Prius with 198 sales for the same period. The figures are based purely on Honda’s own data however.

While the Insight’s sales figures are a positive sign for Honda, Toyota will be launching its refreshed third-generation Prius in Britain in July, which may be prompting some intending Prius buyers to hold off. Of course, it also grants the opportunity for the battle to start anew when it does arrive.

For the UK Market, the Insight, at £15,490 (AUD$31,575), sits below the Prius, which starts at £18,370 (AUD$37,445).

Honda is looking at projected worldwide sales of 200,000 units for its ‘low cost’ hybrid. Australian deliveries are scheduled for later this year, where the battle should continue unabated on Aussie turf.