The 2010 Honda Insight
This is not the first time that Honda has sold a hybrid car that bears the Insight name. The earlier version of the Honda Insight, first sold in 1999, predated Toyota’s popular Prius and was the first gasoline/electric car ever sold in North America. That groundbreaking vehicle featured stellar fuel economy but had a look that perhaps was a bit too futuristic and impractical. It acquired an avid cult following but production was phased out in 2006.
Honda resurrected the Insight name and this time the company got it right. The 2010 Honda Insight is a four-door hatchback that offers excellent fuel economy, a smooth hybrid powertrain, sensible gauges, a superior driving position and a pleasant although not sporty driving experience. That description could also apply to the Prius, but unlike the Toyota, the 2010 Honda Insight provides all of this at an affordable price. The Insight has an appearance that is similar to the Prius and it offers comparable fuel efficiency. It has only two notable drawbacks: a back seat that is tight for adults and road noise that could be considered excessive at high speeds.
The Insight uses Honda’s tested Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid powertrain. The IMA starts with a 1.3-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine that develops 88 horsepower and 88 pound-feet of torque, then adds an electric motor that is sufficiently strong to power the car up to 30 mph without needing any assistance from the gasoline engine. The electric motor incorporates regenerative braking, which charges the nickel-metal hydride battery pack when the brakes are applied. The transition from electric motor to gas engine is seamless, with no coughing or rumbling when the gas engine comes online.
Performance is perky but this is not a sports car. However, with hybrid cars fuel economy is king and the 2010 Honda Insight delivers with an EPA-estimated 40 mpg city/43 highway and 41 mpg combined, slightly less than the Toyota Prius. The difference in gas mileage between the two vehicles is insignificant, but the price difference is not: a loaded Insight EX with in-dash navigation system costs just a bit more than a bare-bones Prius. Even the base LX version of the Insight comes standard with full power accessories, antilock brakes, automatic climate control, a tilt/telescoping steering column, a height-adjustable driver seat and a CD audio system with an auxiliary jack.
The Insight’s dashboard features a Multi-Information Display which incorporates Honda’s Eco Assist system, a sophisticated driver feedback system which helps drivers learn how to drive more efficiently. The Insight also features an ECON button that automatically helps to increase fuel efficiency, although using this mode decreases straight-line performance.
It’s not sporty, but Honda’s 2010 Insight is by far the most enjoyable hybrid hatchback one can drive, at least in North America. Its ride is firm, its steering is fairly responsive and the transitions between electric-only and full hybrid power are seamless. Its regenerative braking system is much better than those used by some other hybrid cars.
The bottom line? The 2010 Honda Insight gets slightly less fuel economy and has a smaller back seat, but it is an all-around better hybrid car than the Toyota Prius and it costs thousands less.
The Honda Insight can be rented at all the major Fox Rent A Car locations.
Topics: Uncategorized | No Comments »