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:

• 

  Real world mpg is 50+ - 2010 Honda Insight
  By Donna - October 16 - 2:00 am

  I have had this car for a year now and I love it. My mpg has averaged 51 over 20K miles. The dash def teaches you how to drive efficiently and it is fun to try to continually improve your driving habits and mpg. I am baffled by the "official" mpg rating of 41-43, I do try to drive well but I dont do anything crazy to get my results. I have no complaints at all, I love driving this car.

• 

  First Hybrid, I will never go back. - 2010 Honda Insight
  By waypeter - September 29 - 2:00 am

  After driving the Insight for a month, I am in love it it. My old car was a 99 Lexus ES300. Although going from Lexus to Honda is a step down in brand, the technology in Insight is more advance then my old Lexus. Im 59" and I dont feel the car is small in the front or rear. However, I do wish the electronic system do more job, so it will get more MPG. So far, Im doing 41 MPG combined.

• 

  The Car that refunds money at the pomp - 2010 Honda Insight
  By walt - September 28 - 2:00 am

  I have 40,000 miles on the car now and drive 2000 to 7000 miles on trips. I would like a seat that is not so uncomfortable. But the 42 lo in town and 54 (as Hi as 57 hi) on the road is better than expected. On road trips it is always over 52 mpg. So, is it worth it? YES but comfort could improve. Also, a turbo or some additional power is needed.

• 

  Great car for the price! - 2010 Honda Insight
  By ThreeHondaFamily - September 17 - 2:00 am

  An excellent economy car overall. Many of the observations made by others are true: The motor is buzzy at high RPM. ECON mode turns it into a total slug. Forget using this mode if you live in a hilly area. I do, and I leave it turned off and shift into Sport mode almost exclusively. Even so, Im still averaging 39 MPG. A worthy sacrifice for improved pep. Handling is good for a car with tires that skinny. The styling is pleasing and it draws positive attention from onlookers. Theres a lot of hard plastic in the interior. Some slightly softer surfaces might have been nice. Predictable Honda road noise, but hey, its a $19k car, not a Lexus. Overall, Im very pleased.

• 

  Bang for the buck - 2010 Honda Insight
  By seahurst - September 4 - 8:34 pm

  We have now driven a year. Previously had a Toyota Celica for 20 yrs. Toyota service locally had gone downhill, so looked at the Honda. More care for the money. I like the fact that the car starts from gasoline power versus the battery. You give up a couple of miles per gallon, but I like getting out of dodge from a dead stop. Auto-Stop takes some getting used - when you change the temp, you have reset Auto- Stop. Minor issue. I hope the paint holds up as well as my Toyota did.

• 

  The Car That ONLY Last 6 Months! - 2010 Honda Insight
  By Liz - September 4 - 10:24 am

  I have had my Insight for almost a year. I love the lights in the inside and the cool gadgets within the car. There is just one major problem! The car completely falls apart. I can take apart ever piece of my car without any muscle used. Between the water protective rubber around the windows and car.. to the visors and handle bars within the cars. The paint job is poor and the car always feels like is having a hard time slowing down. Not the smoothest ride. The back ceiling is very low. Too low in fact.

• 

  Better Than Advertised - 2010 Honda Insight
  By Climatechanger - August 30 - 3:51 pm

  Just filled up for the first time with my Honda Insight. 9 gallons even on 485 miles. Thats nearly 53.9 MPG! I am very pleased with the mileage. I watch the iP screens like a hawk and drive to maximize my mileage. Its my new hobby and its fun. I wont win any drag races, but when gasoline hits 4 bucks a gallon I wont care so much.

• 

  Had Civic Hybrid and Prius - 2010 Honda Insight
  By lindguini - August 28 - 1:02 am

  My previous car was a 2007 Civic Hybrid and so the Insight was an easy transition. Our second car is a 2008 Prius which is our preferred people hauler. The Insight is much more responsive in acceleration and handling. The front seats are very supportive and the car has a firm, European feel in the steering and suspension. The engine is quiet except under hard acceleration where it gets a bit buzzy. The build quality is superb inside and out --it just feels solid. I mainly drive stop-and-go Los Angeles streets and average 44+ mpg. The Insight is hands-down more fun-to-drive than our Prius but the Toyota is capable of higher fuel efficiency. The Insight is Hondas best hybrid effort so far.

• 

  Great car but terrible seats! - 2010 Honda Insight
  By Pingwiny - August 24 - 1:57 pm

  I just purchased this car and I love it! My only complaint is the seats- the lumbar support juts into my lower back causing extreme pain even after I get out. Ive placed a small foam pillow on the seat that seems to help a tiny bit but I hope Honda figures out how to fix this issue. It seems to be a problem in other recent Hondas as well. Other than that its a fun car to drive and I really enjoy it.

• 

  Great mileage - 2010 Honda Insight
  By Gruncle - August 20 - 2:09 pm

  When I first drove it hated it. Needed something with good mileage. So I settled for the Insight. Best decision Ive made in a long time. Have had the car for just under 6 months over 15,000 miles. Drive 120 miles round trip everyday. If you keep the cruise control at the speed limit your mileage will continue to rise. I am getting 45.3 per gallon all types of driving and it is climbing higher. Looking forward to hitting 50 MPG.