Overview & Reviews

When the Honda Insight two-door hybrid-powered hatchback first arrived on American shores, few people knew what to make of it. Dwarfed by the day's massive SUVs, this two-seater's oddball styling made it look as if it came off the set of a futuristic movie. Little did we know that it really was the car of the future -- thanks to the volatility of gas prices in the following years, hybrids soon became prized for their superior fuel economy. However, while the original Insight was remarkably fuel-efficient, it ultimately lacked the practicality found both in "real cars" and Toyota's four-door Prius.

Years later, Honda revived the Insight name, determined to rectify the original Insight's shortcomings. Like the first Insight, the current-generation model combines a small gas engine with an electric motor that's powered by a battery pack. The current powertrain falls short of its predecessor's impressive 60-plus-mpg potential on the highway, but the second-generation Insight is a superior car in all other respects. Its convenient four-door hatchback design provides decent cargo space and a tight but usable rear seat, and it still returns around 40 mpg combined. Compared to other modern hybrids like the Ford C-Max and Toyota Prius, however, the latest Insight comes up short in fuel economy, features and overall refinement.

Current Honda Insight
The latest Honda Insight, a four-door hybrid hatchback with seating for five, is available in base, LX and uplevel EX trim. Standard equipment for the base model includes 15-inch steel wheels, antilock brakes, stability control, automatic climate control and a two-speaker sound system. The LX adds cruise control, four speakers for the sound system and an iPod/USB audio interface. The EX comes with 15-inch alloy wheels, heated mirrors, steering-wheel audio controls and six speakers. The EX can also be equipped with a navigation system (that includes a rearview camera) and Bluetooth.

Under the Insight's hood is Honda's familiar Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid system. IMA starts with a 1.3-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine that produces 88 horsepower and 88 pound-feet of torque that's supplemented by an electric motor that kicks in when needed to add another 13 hp and 58 lb-ft. A nickel-metal hydride battery pack keeps the electric motor whirring, and regenerative braking helps keep the battery pack charged. A continuously variable transmission (CVT) directs the power plant's output to the Insight's front wheels.

In reviews, we've found that the current Honda Insight delivers on the promise of miserly fuel economy. However, that fuel economy is still below what rivals like the C-Max and Prius achieve. Other downsides to the Insight include an unsophisticated ride, mediocre rear seat room and elevated amounts of road noise.

Used Honda Insight Models
When the current second-generation Insight debuted in 2010, it was only offered in LX and EX trim levels. The base trim was added the following year. Notable updates occurred for 2012 and included refreshed front and rear styling, more sound insulation, a bit more rear seat headroom (via a reconfigured rear seat), a redesigned gauge cluster and an updated navigation system (with rearview camera). Since then the Insight has been unchanged.

The first-generation Honda Insight was produced from 2000-'06. It was powered by a 1.0-liter inline three-cylinder engine that put out 67 hp. A lightweight electric motor supported the gas engine with low-end torque and provided extra power under acceleration. Combined, the IMA hybrid system was rated at 73 hp and 91 lb-ft of torque when coupled to the five-speed manual transmission. The optional CVT dropped these figures a bit.

Available in just one trim, the Insight came standard with full power accessories and a CD player. Automatic climate control (with air-conditioning) was optional, and many Insights had a dealer-installed CD changer in the hatch area.

In reviews, we found that the original Honda Insight wasn't very practical as a daily driver. It had a small cargo area, a paltry 365-pound payload capacity, a battery pack that drained fairly easily and rather pokey acceleration. The first Insight was also plagued by excessive road noise at highway speeds, and its ride was uncomfortably stiff. With regard to maximum fuel efficiency, though, the original Insight certainly delivered the goods -- manual-transmission models were EPA rated at 52 mpg in mixed driving, and 60 mpg or more was quite feasible in highway driving.

As a used hybrid, a first-generation Honda Insight could make sense for a buyer keen on the car's high fuel economy and distinctive look and willing to put up with the car's faults. Based on our own experience and anecdotal evidence, reliability for first-generation Insights should be similar to that of other Honda products. Since the Insight didn't change much over the years, shoppers can likely pay more attention to actual condition or mileage than model year.

User Reviews:

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  Perfect - 2010 Honda Insight
  By Dave - June 21 - 1:13 pm

  I bought this car from first team honda because no one was buying them. I dont know why. Next door I test drove a new prius because the old ones handled oddly and they wanted over 26 thousand for one. That immediately pulled me from the prius despite their fuel-mileage. The car is fun to drive, and the fuel- mileage challenge is addicting. I am already able to achieve 42 MPG City and 52 MPG highway at 65 MPH. Sport mode with the paddle shifters works very well too. Keep the RPM low and the pedal hard and the motor will help out BIG TIME.

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  I love my Insight! - 2010 Honda Insight
  By Wizard - June 17 - 11:15 pm

  I decided to look at hybrids when my old SUV qualified under the Cash for Clunkers program. I was attracted primarily to the Insight because of its sportier design by comparison to other hybrids I looked at. Any improvement in mileage was a leap forward from my SUV so super duper gas mileage wasnt my primary goal. I just wanted a vehicle kinder to the environment. My mpg almost exactly matched the advertised mpg of 41 city and 43 highway until I got interested in hypermiling techniques about four months ago. Im now consistently getting 48-51 mpg (and rising) with my daily in-town commute. Ive been astounded how a few minor changes in my driving habits have made so much difference.

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  Clear Choice for Commuter - 2010 Honda Insight
  By Chevy2Honda - June 17 - 8:37 pm

  I was driving Chevy Suburban daily for the last several years. With a recent job change, I was spending close to $500 in gas every month. That had to stop. After reading reviews on Prius and Insight, it was pretty clear that I needed Insight. Bought EX model in the middle of June 2010, and I have no regret at all and love driving it. My weekly gas bill is mere $20. Even with my monthly lease payment, I am spending less money every month. The quality is great, and the console is well thought out.

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  Good, but not without its flaws - 2010 Honda Insight
  By Michael B - June 17 - 8:24 pm

  The Insight looks great (nicer than the Prius in my opinion), generally drives well, and gets excellent fuel mileage at a cheap price. Ive only been driving it for 300 miles (roughly 40%/60% city/highway) and it has already topped 42 mpg and is still climbing. Its an extremely quiet car unless you floor it (and even then...) Im not sure why noise is such a common complaint. Overall, I am very satisfied. However, there are a number of annoyances: Auto-stop. Stop and go for any period of time will make you wish you could turn it off. You cant. Accelerating from 0 to 10 is *very* jerky. Above 10 mph its fine. Again, awful in stop and go traffic. The hatch creates a rear blind spot.

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  Fun to drive, good handling in snow - 2010 Honda Insight
  By Galileo - June 9 - 4:01 pm

  Looked at a lot of different cars like Altima, Civic, 2010 Prius, Cube, Fit, xB and finally picked the Insight. It was dealers first Insight and got an okay deal on it with accessories. We had a snowy season here in Oklahoma and this car handled it like a dream. I can get through when most cars cant. Cant beat the value and the car is still hassle free and only maintenance I did is oil change. No squeaks like my old 06 VW Passat when hot or cold. This is my first Honda and far exceed my expectation.

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  60 MPG Except for hills of course - 2010 Honda Insight
  By Phil - June 7 - 5:01 pm

  So far so good! The vehicle was made for A to B commute on level ground. Much more affordable vs Prius! The best is 63 mpg driving from Anh. to Santa Monica for work. You need to follow the path of the ground on the highway, coast up hills, lightly accelerate down hills. Freeways tend to do this with the grading for water run off. I have been really surprised how reviewers dont figure this out and report it in the review. Who else is getting 60 mpg for 19k. NOBODY! The only con is big hills, the Insight dies real quick with limited power. After stopping, and going again up hill it goes to charge mode, then kicks into help mode. Why? But, remember its not for climbing hills.

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  Follow up to previous review. - 2010 Honda Insight
  By Hutch42 - June 6 - 4:54 pm

  I initially wrote a review on this car after only 1,000 miles, but now, about a year later, I have driven it almost 14,000 miles and still love it. I get anywhere between 45 to 62 mpg depending on conditions, weather, and speed. Ive discovered that I get the best mileage when driving between 40 to 50 mph. If I get up on the highway and get my speeds up to 70 to 75 mph, the economy is not as good, but still exceeds 40 mpg. This is a great car: looks good, drives nicely, handles well, great fuel economy and fun to drive. I highly recommend a test drive of an Insight before wasting your money on a Prius or some other so called economy car.

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  Couldnt Be Happier - 2010 Honda Insight
  By Flyer - June 4 - 10:40 am

  Always wanted to go green, but was never impressed by the look of the Prius. The Insight however is totally impressive, from the exterior looks to the interior layout and comfort. It is fun to drive (sporty), quiet and the fuel economy has been better than advertised. The design engineers did a great job keeping things simple yet detailed enough to provide useful formation. Honda hit a home run.

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  good car - 2010 Honda Insight
  By Twee - May 31 - 4:16 pm

  I got mine for 2 months already. Love the fuel economy. I was able to do avg of 50 mpg, compare to my previous rav4, I do average of 60-70 miles daily to work. I should save $1000 per year on gas, nice small vacation trip with that saving. The car is good as transportation to work, but dont expect to do any racing with it, since the horse power on this car is very small. Love the car.

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  Nice for the price but needs improvement - 2010 Honda Insight
  By Peter O - May 29 - 9:38 pm

  Very low depreciation makes lease payments as low as much cheaper entry level vehicles. Build quality is better then other cars under $20k but still needs improvement. The rubber weather strip molding along the roof keep falling off. The body panels seem to be very delicate. Just stare at them and theyll get a ding. I feel like it wont age well. The paint finish is just OK. I noticed several imperfections while waxing it. The interior is nice but again, doesnt seem to be hard wearing. The Auto Stop is annoying and despite the many custom settings in the computer, it cannot be disabled. Steering wheel blocks the view of the digital speedo.