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:

• 

  Great two person car - 2003 Honda Insight
  By catmwarrior - May 29 - 1:10 am

  I am the original owner of the 2003 Insight I have. Easy to maintain. I have the four speaker, six disk change, and tape player for a radio. Sounds really good. The car does have a lot of road noise, but dependable, great on gas, and easy to use. I am 6-2" and I have plenty of room in it for me. I drove mine from Mojave California to Pennsylvania on only four tanks of gas. I only drove it at 55 MPH the whole why though. I usually spend less than $600 dollars on gas for the whole year!

• 

  Little Blue. - 2010 Honda Insight
  By BILL IN THE PINES - May 19 - 3:44 pm

  I have only had the car for about 5 wks. She is very nimble and fun to drive.well built, great on gas.The dash layout is good and the info display keeps you informed. Once I figured out that the car is smarter then me, I just enjoy.

• 

  Enjoying the ride - 2010 Honda Insight
  By David M - May 17 - 2:33 pm

  I decided I wanted a commuter car to save on gas and reduce my contribution to pollution. I was first attracted to the InSights look. Although it has a Prius shape it definitely looks more sporty to me. I realized I was buying a small car so wasnt overly concerned about the space in the back seats. Also, my Insight seems very quiet on the road even on the highway so not sure why some of the reviews say stuff about noise.

• 

  Honda gives us a gem - 2010 Honda Insight
  By Alex - May 14 - 11:43 am

  My initial attitude toward this car was less than enthusiastic, its EPA estimates are 10 mpg less than the Prius and only 10 more than the Fit. However, after driving the Insight a couple of thousand miles and averaging 49.7 mpg, it is apparent that the EPA estimates on the insight are much too conservative. I can easily get 60+ mpg around town if I pay close attention to the innovative fuel economy indicators on the Insights dash. Its more fun to drive than the Prius, gets much better mileage than the EPA estimates, and is around $6,000 less expensive. Undoubtedly, this is the best value new car that can be bought.

• 

  almost 1 yr old - 2010 Honda Insight
  By Billj9876 - May 10 - 12:32 pm

  I have driven in all 4 seasons and commute 75% highway miles. I am seeing > 50 MPG in summer, dropping to 46-47 during freezing weather. Max 1 tank average was 56 MPG. I live in the North East and dont see extreme lows or highs. I do have moderate hills to negotiate on my commute. Hwy speeds are typically 65-70 MPH. I do pay attention to acceleration but will blend with traffic as far as speed. I dont run AC or Defrost much (only at cruse speeds). I am outperforming the econo mode. It was useful for learning to drive conservatively but I have not used it for 6 months.

• 

  Absolutely Impressed - 2010 Honda Insight
  By Happy Hybrid Owner - May 9 - 9:24 am

  Test drove Prius and Honda Insight. Honda Insight won hands down. Truly fun to drive, quiet interior, plenty of power and of course excellent mileage. Driving Prius felt like being in the virtual arcade car. Honda Insight EX is priced thousand of dollars less than Prius II and comes fully loaded. Only extra option is navigation and blue tooth. Easily obtained at the fraction of the cost on the outside Hybrids will not break any speed records but if youre looking for excellent high millage family car Honda Insight is it. Honda Job Well Done!

• 

  My Experience of the Insight - 2010 Honda Insight
  By pkw - May 8 - 2:23 pm

  Ive read numerous ratings and comments about the Insight and I find that its hard to believe theyre talking about the same car Ive owned for a year now. My Insight has never gotten lower than 42 MPG and then only in sub-zero weather. In normal weather I always get 45, 46 or 47 mpg and thats after I do the math, which is just below the instrumentations estimates. I also have a Prius for nearly four years, and the Prius is slightly faster, but the instrumentation is not as concise, but the Prius is now older than the Insight. The Insight is solidly built, and gets mpg greater than ratings which have been publicized.

• 

  Better than EPA - 2010 Honda Insight
  By offy - May 4 - 1:45 pm

  I recently took advantage of the great lease deals at Honda with a 36 month Insight lease. I traded in my not-too- old Mazda 3 and am very happy I did. In my first week of ownership, with the assist of the Econ mode and the computer showing me how to drive efficiently, I am averaging about 47 mpg, about 80% highway driving. Now my mundane drive to work has become just a small contribution to the environment.

• 

  Best-kept secret - 2010 Honda Insight
  By Bob - April 29 - 11:38 am

  Amazing. After six months, still havent seen another Insight on Montreal roads or in huge mall parking lots. If people only knew how much fun this little hatchback is. Zippy, especially under hard acceleration, silky smooth engine, balanced and grounded like a Go-Kart, bright and spacious cabin - whats not to like? And, no, it doesnt look like a Prius. Sure, its form might be similar, just like my form is similar to Tom Cruises. Its the nuances that make all the difference, and theyre considerable.

• 

  Mine is running good at 208,000 miles! - 2001 Honda Insight
  By Johnny916 - April 27 - 1:14 am

  Great car to own, Ive had several of them already. The latest one came with CVT Transmission/AC/Cruise Control. Love them, I think its the most reliable vehicle on the road because its so light and doesnt take a lot of engine power to move it around.