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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  Disappointed - 2010 Honda Insight
  By Disappointed - August 14 - 2:18 pm

  I really, really loved this car until this morning. I was waxing my car and trying to polish out what I thought was water spots. On closer inspection it was obvious that the paint was chipping in radial patterns all over the hood of my car. Worst paint job ever. Dont buy this car if you have expectations of a paint lasting over three months.

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  Bugs in design better than expected MPG - 2010 Honda Insight
  By Bird Dog - August 11 - 5:14 pm

  The Insight is extremely fun to drive. Our average MPG is also much better than the EPA report, 46-48 on every tank.

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  Lacking in many ways - 2010 Honda Insight
  By MrGooch - August 4 - 1:24 pm

  Have had the car for over a month. Mileage has been running about 42-44 commuting to work. The navigation system is not worth it, bugs and out of date database. Entered B of A, selected one a 1000 miles a way. The hybrid battery needs to be about twice the capacity, runs out of steam too soon, any grade of more then 1/4 mile, then the engine revs up, which is noisy. Road noise is not as bad as some have commented on. No XM, should be standard with Nav, can be bought as an accessory but expensive. Worst sounding stereo I have had on new car in many years. Interior materials are flimsy and cheap, push my hand against the door and the material caved in and then popped back out.

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  Great on gas... - 2010 Honda Insight
  By Labrynth - July 30 - 2:54 pm

  I came from an SUV and needed something with better mileage. This fit the bill. Auto stop has to be the most annoying feature, tho cup holder placement is a close second. Enough power for most merging situations, but acceleration is not fast and braking is jerky thanks to auto stop. Full of safety features. Features avail on most ex cars not available here and it annoying. Flash drive for music but boo to Honda for making it an Apple only mp3 player. Im not an Apple lemming, thanks anyway. Feedback from car is adjustable which is nice. I could do without the paddle shifters. Its now ~ 2 months old with ~ 2500 miles on it.

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  Worth money and sacrifice - 2010 Honda Insight
  By commentator - July 26 - 3:18 pm

  I bought Insight for short-distance commute to be green and gas economical. Satisfied with gas mileage, style, and general performance. I mistakenly used Ecomode in hot summer, and it turned off the air conditioner. I changed the mode back to normal, and it worked well. Extremely economical and driver- friendly. I used to drive a Ford Explore and really enjoyed it. But Insight is worth sacrificing the road- ego. Insight has higher ground clearance than Toyota Prius. Prius always hits the front bumper when getting on and off the driveway. For the same amenities, I paid $5,000 less than a Prius. Also, Toyota dealers were hard to deal with when Toyota was hot. They played tricks and price games.

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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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  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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  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.

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  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.

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  Fun Battery Car - 2010 Honda Insight
  By Lund - April 6 - 1:50 pm

  Perfect car for commuter and/or run-about-towners. Handling makes up for lack of acceleration and 45+mpg makes up for everything else. Very up-market exterior styling blows away Prius plus one can stop the car when one wants!