Design Puzzle for New Honda Hybrid

It’s been five years since a hybrid-specific car was introduced to the market. That was the second-generation Toyota Prius. The Prius’s design—raking windshield, rounded roof line and swooping hatchback—has been emblazoned in the public consciousness as the very definition of what a hybrid is supposed to look like. That will present a difficult challenge for Honda, as it prepares to launch its new hybrid-only subcompact, a 2009 model with a purchase price below $20,000.