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"Honda handling; great packaging; fabulous gas mileage" on by insightman
Pros: Low price, great handling and gas mileage, more cargo space than Prius, and great looks, carrying forward the great Honda designs of the 1984 CRX, 2000 Insight, and 2008 FCX Clarity fuel-cell vehicle.
Cons: No satellite radio option and the US is denied the European Insight's heated seats, foglights, rear disc brakes, and 16-inch wheels.
Summary: Tthe CNET review is incorrect: the Insight CAN run on electric-only power--but only after you're under way, not from rest. The low pricing of the new Honda Insight should make it a viable option for anyone who believes that the low-price gas bubble will pop as soon as the economy recovers.
I've owned two Insights and loved them. Fortunately, the true fuel economy of the new Insight is much greater than the EPA tests reveal. None of the testers of this car have been able to drive it hard enough to get their gas mileage DOWN to the EPA-test ratings of 40 city and 43 highway mpg. Some have achieved greater than 70 mpg. Unfortunately, due to the packaging requirements of the hybrid electronics and batteries, there was room for a gas tank holding only 10.6 gallons, so the new Insight will not be able to match the astounding 700+ mile range of the original Insight.
It's a slick car with great handling and Honda quality. The Prius may get better gas mileage in stop-and-go city driving, but on the open highway, no car you can buy will exceed the Insight's fuel economy. -
"The 2010 Honda Insight > you think" on by wentzr
Pros: Actual MPG - HIGHER than EPA estimates
Affordable
INSANELY fun to drive.
Obvious intent to design instrument panels which help train you to be a more efficient driver.
Highly maneuverable, lightweight, tight handling and incredibly responsive carCons: No two door version (yet)
Not a plug-inSummary: Lets get it out of the way. It looks like a Prius. But really where did the Prius get it's styling from? Is it a crime for Honda to steal back the design which originally showed up as the 1st gen Honda Insight? Lets not forget it was Toyota who borrowed the look of the current Prius from the original Insight... Lets separate fact from fiction: Honda did this first. Toyota gets the credit because the prius was mass-produced, the insight wasn't... but that doesn't put Toyota on the map first.
Another thing to get out of the way: there is no EV only mode. Big deal. It's a "mild-hybrid".. call it what you like. Mild spicy or hot, the 1st Gen Insight is also a mild hybrid but leaves every other car in the dust with EPA ratings of 60+ MPG.
I took this car out for a test drive at my local Honda dealership last week, It happened to actually be the first time the car was ever driven, outside of the four miles spent getting it from the factory to the truck and the truck to the showroom floor, so this was quite an exciting drive!!
I'm a 5 year owner of a 2003 Insight and am not looking to buy, and was hoping I would be disappointed with the new insight so I wasn't tempted to buy! Well I was actually floored. I'm used to my CVT, but the addition of paddle shifters for manual shifting added to the driving experience, and with a little practice I'm sure you could increase your fuel efficiency by using them to override the econ mode in driving situations where you can see what the car can't: grades in the road, turns, traffic conditions etc.
The Odometer is backdropped with a color changing gauge which gives the driver immediate feedback on how their driving style is impacting fuel efficiency. When you are driving efficiently with the gas pedal, the backdrop turns green. If you're heavy on the pedal the color shifts blue. Point is you want to keep this in the green, and you can see this gauge at all times out of your peripheral vision.
I took the car for a 12 mile loop on the freeway and through downtown Oakland, Ca. I got an average of 62.5 mpg. This is better than I get in my 2003 Insight which has an EPA rating of 56/57 (according to the old EPA standards).. at this I am totally stunned. At several points of the test drive I accelerated heavily and was experimenting with the paddle shifters, which deepens my wondering... "What MPG could I get if I *really* tried??" So I will likely testdrive this car again, and will likely be even more tempted than I am every day since my first spin last week to buy this car. . we'll see how long I can hold out. -
"Insightman is right on!" on by jonniedee
Pros: The 2010 Insight can and does run on electric power alone sometimes.
Cons: Too many folks think Honda ripped off the prius shape when it's just the opposite
Summary: The Honda insight IMA system allows the vehicle to move WITHOUT the engine actually firing, but it is still rotating the engine with its valves closed. Guess the reviewer just made assumptions by the way he thought the vehicle was driving.
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"What's all the fuss??" on by schlachtos
Pros: Comfortable driver's seat. Attractive (in a standard hybridy sort of way). Easy to park. Better mileage than most of today's other cars. Decent sound system. Affordable. Gives you solid "Green cred."
Cons: Feels tinny. Distracting and confusing dash layout. No rear legroom. Tiny hatchback. Econo mode unusable for city driving in hot climates. Jerky stops.
Summary: Overall I enjoy the Insight when I remember it's a basic economy car. However, I expected more in terms of fuel economy. I have never been able to achieve more than 35 mpg in this car and usually get closer to 33--no matter what the dashboard read outs tell me. Granted I don't attempt to drive in a way that keeps the gauge glowing green all the time but I'm not a 75 year old grandma either. I used to own a '92 Honda Civic 5 speed in which I could easily exceed that kind of mileage most of the time no matter how hard I drove it. So what's the big deal about hybrid technology if a nearly 20 year old car could give you the same or better result?
The main problem with my poor mileage I am guessing is that you cannot turn on the econo mode in town--I live in Honolulu. Whenever you stop at a red light (every block on our congested streets) the engine shuts off, which is great for fuel economy I suppose. However, the air conditioning compressor also shuts down meaning you are immediately blasted with hot air making any ride in the city comparable to stepping in and out of a sauna every 5 minutes. I would love this car if I still lived in a cool climate where rolling down the windows is an option and where the vast majority of my driving isn't constant stop and go. Too bad that's not my situation. -
"Great fun car to drive" on by topavanp
Pros: Excellent Fuel economy
Fun to driveCons: Interiors could have been better
Cargo roomSummary: This car is an excellent alternative to the PRIUS.
Yes, Prius gives better gas mileage than the Insight, but comparing the "True cost to own" values over a 5 year period, Insight looks a better alternative.
Mileage : I have achieved anywhere between 40-55 mpg while driving at a speed of 30-40 mph.
And about 40-45 mpg when I drive at 70 mph. But for a drive which had a lot of stops I only could achieve about 35 mpg. Turning the A/C full blast did lower my fuel economy by about 2-3 mpg.
Performance: I love driving my Insight. Turning off the ECON button gives a much more fun ride but at the cost of fuel economy.
Interiors : Quality could have been better. Small front seats. Less cargo space, but with the rear seats folded, its not too bad. The stereo system is quite good and I can charge and play my Iphone/Ipad through the USB connector.
Summary: Very happy to drive this beauty.
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