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| 2011 Honda Insight |
Honda brought hybrid technology to America back in 1999 with the groundbreaking, and incredibly insightful, Honda Insight. That first Insight pioneered the aerodynamic tear-dropped silhouette that would not appear on the Toyota Prius until 2004. That first Honda Insightt introduced the concept of a gasoline engine assisted by an electric motor powered by a rechargeable battery pack. It had electric steering, regenerative brakes, automatic stop/start technology, and a whole bunch of software to help the driver understand what was happening, and how it was affecting fuel economy. Sales were limited by its two-seat configuration, lack of cargo capacity, and rather high price tag. Today, the Insight suffers severe myopia. The Insight is no longer insightful, an old-school mild hybrid that competes in a world of full hybrids that can travel as fast as 62 mph without using a drop of gas. Ultimately, the customer is king, and right now the Insight is missing its target.
The Honda Insights EPA-estimated mileage is 40/43 mpg city/highway, which in hybrid terms isnt particularly impressive. The larger Civic Hybrid is rated 40/45 mpg, and the 2009 Prius rates 48/45 mpg. The company promises the Insight will be the most affordable hybrid on the market. Despite the FCX resemblance, the Insight shares its underlying structure, from the front bumper to the A-pillars, with the Honda Fit. The Insight is more than 10 inches longer than the Fit and about 5 inches shorter than the Civic Hybrid.
Like the Civic and Fit, the Honda Insight qualifies as a compact, not a subcompact, based on the EPAs interior volume criteria. Designed specifically as a hybrid, it packages the cabin space, gas tank and high-voltage battery with its associated electronic components more efficiently than a modified Fit could. At 85 cubic feet, the Insight has a bit less passenger volume than the Honda Fit and Civic Hybrid, which both have 91 cubic feet. On the upside, the Insight has more cargo space behind its backseat than the Civic Hybrid has in its trunk: 15.9 cubic feet versus 10.4 cubic feet. Plus, the rear seats fold in the Insight, as they do in the Prius, for maximum cargo volume of 31.5 cubic feet. All other hybrid cars to date — including the original Insight and the first-generation Prius — have sacrificed cargo space or folding seats, or both. The Fit maxes out at 57.3 cubic feet of cargo volume, so it has an edge over the Insight in cargo as well as passenger volume.
The Honda Insight has 1 inch less headroom than the Civic and 2 inches less than the Fit, but I had enough room. Its better known from the Prius hatchback, but it appeared first on the Honda CRX and then the first-gen Insight. At first it seemed like the Insights upright window segment gave a lower view than the Prius does, but, as the photos show, I parked a 2009 Prius and the Insight the same distance from an orange cone and the visible height was almost identical. The fact that the Insights backseat head restraints collapse almost flush with the backrests helps open up the view more than in the Prius.The Insight has about 3 inches less backseat headroom than the Fit, which makes it a bit tight.
The Honda Insight is comparable, with bright gauges and nice, low-gloss surfaces. Im surprised that a hybrid would lack standard cruise control, as it helps maximize efficiency, but Honda is trying to keep the LXs cost low. Nowadays, cruise control costs an automaker practically no hardware and little extra money, but in the Insight the feature requires the EXs more complex steering wheel.
That means the Insight doesnt give the silent electric-only experience that most hybrids do. The Honda Insight is pretty seamless as far as hybrids go. The brakes feel natural, as does the steering — pretty good for rear drum brakes and electric power steering. The Insight does, and the slight lag comes from that more than any hybrid aspect. (There is no manual Insight.)The Insights cabin noise is admirably low considering affordable, efficient cars often shed noise-abatement measures in order to shave weight and improve mileage.
The Insights acceleration is merely good. The Honda Insight is 100 or so pounds lighter than the higher-rated Civic Hybrid, but its electric motor has 13 horsepower versus the Civic Hybrids 20 hp. Econ is the default mode when you turn the car on. Compared to some hybrids, especially the new Ford Fusion Hybrid, the Insights readouts are minimalist. Unlike most hybrids, the Insights navigation system (available on the EX) doesnt have supplemental hybrid graphics, nor does it have a backup camera.
The front seats also have active head restraints, and the EX adds an electronic stability system with traction control.For example, Ive effortlessly achieved mileage well into the 50-mpg range in the current Prius.
It makes sense; hybrids cost more than comparable non-hybrids. This could bode well for the Insight. If and when gas prices go back up, some of these people will be driven back to the market, where its combination of a low sticker price and good, if not exceptional, mileage could make the Honda Insight look like the right investment.
