“These estimates help manufacturers and marketers better understand the markets that have ‘green’ potential, and help them focus their resources,” said Bruce Wilkinson, Vice President of Media and Communications for Nielsen Claritas. “Additionally, it helps them to plan media campaigns and determine inventory levels for each model, market-by-market.”

The research looked at the national ownership rates of high-mileage vehicles including the Honda Fit, Toyota Prius, Toyota Yaris and Mini Cooper. Using auto registration data from RL Polk and Nielsen’s PRIZM segmentation, the percentage of each segment owning these vehicles was calculated. Individual market potential then was calculated based upon the segment composition of each market.

The top ten was made up primarily of coastal metropolitan area, including Boston (4th), San Diego (5th), Chicago (6th) and Los Angeles (9th), all with populations of over one million. Two exceptions were the relatively small areas of Monterey-Salinas, CA (7th), which has a population of 234,000 and Honolulu, HI (8th), with a population of 442,000.

Places where gas guzzlers still rule the road tended toward the south and Midwest, with the states of West Virginia and Mississippi holding seven of the ten areas that had the lowest rates of green auto ownership.

Learn more about Segmentation & Targeting.

Some insights on the Insight

The 2010 Honda Insight is having a tough time breaking out of the Prius’ shadow as the majority of consumers often compare the two vehicles. However, keep in mind that the Honda Insight just came on the market in March 2009 while the Toyota Prius has been around for roughly 10 years. Buzz generated by the Insight’s release in March was no comparison to the attention it gained at the Paris & Detroit Auto Shows.

Shoppers, Buyers and Rejecters are turning to Twitter to tweet about their intentions and experiences. Thus far, the 2010 Honda Insight is outpacing both the 2010 Prius and 2010 Ford Fusion on Twitter.

Which hybrid has the most “positive” charge?

2010 Honda Insight online discussion is driven primarily by comparisons to the Toyota Prius. Price is frequently referenced as the Insight’s selling point; however, some do not feel that the difference in price makes up for the Insight’s lower MPG rate (compared to the 2010 Prius) or perceived lack of features. When diving into the topics surrounding the conversations around the Insight and Prius to gauge sentiment, the Insight created a more polarized view.

If consumers regularly evaluate the Insight as a potential “Prius Killer,” the Insight may fail to emerge with a unique reputation, divorced from the Prius. The perception that the design of the Insight is too similar to that of the Prius highlights the belief that the Prius is the gold standard to which all other hybrids must aspire. Insight and future hybrid cars will have to keep an eye not only on the road, but also the web to help shape the conversations of the new breed of hybrid shopper.