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Road Test: 2010 Honda Insight hybrid: it is a winner
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Photo 2010 Honda Insight hybrid by Evelyn Kanter
I’ve just spent a week with the 2010 Honda Insight, and I’m in love. Not just with the 38mpg fuel economy – okay, it was 37.9 – but with its visibility, handling and a bunch of creature features you don’t expect in a car at this price.
High fuel economy and low price are a one-two punch that is the biggest selling point for the Honda Insight and a good reason why it is out-selling the Prius in Europe and Japan. Okay, the Toyota Prius gets better fuel economy than the Honda Insight, but the Prius also costs more.
The Insight is the least expensive hybrid on the planet. That’s a compelling argument in what some automotive writers are calling ‘the battle of the hybrids’. There are two Insight models. Prices start with the LX at $19,800, substantially less than the Honda Civic Hybrid at $24,320. The upgraded EX model, with a navigation system, cruise control and stability control, starts at $21,300. That’s the one I drove.
How does that compare with the Prius? The 2010 Toyota Prius is $22,750. Toyota has a stripped-down version that’s closer to the Insight price, but that model is primarily for government and corporate fleets and all but impossible for you to buy
In a week of normal driving around Los Angeles, where I was visiting, the Insight was flawless on highways, with ample acceleration for zooming onto the 405 and the 101. And when traffic allowed, there was plenty of power to cruise at 70mph. It has a super-tight turning radius that allowed me to u-turn even in a private home driveway. And on the city’s famously curvy and hilly Mulholland Drive, the Insight was lively and precise, t like it wished it was a sports car. Maybe that’s why the EX model has paddle shifters.
Let’s repeat this – paddle shifters! A $21,300 hybrid with paddle shifters! And a reason to use them.
The Insight has an idle stop feature, which cuts off the juice to save power. The only time the Insight seemed to struggle was when I was at a full stop at the bottom of a steep hill and accelerated for the climb. But then, if I were walking up that hill instead of driving, I’d have to take a deep breath, too, before starting. When I took that same hill from a low speed instead of from a full stop, no hesitation. Problem solved.
The 2010 Insight has a four-cylinder 88-horsepower, 1.3-liter engine mated with a 13-hp electric motor. The 2010 Prius is slightly more powerful, with a larger 98-horsepower, 1.8-liter engine and an 80-hp electric motor. Both can cruise on electric power only.
What else do you get for the money?
- Anti-lock brakes (ABS)
- Tire pressure monitoring system
- Child-proof rear door locks
- Immobilizer theft-deterrent system
- Front side airbags with passenger-side occupant detection
- Side curtain airbags
I drove with the ECON button engaged. That’s a neat little feature that improves the efficiency of several things that require either gas or electric power, thereby improving fuel economy. ECON mode engages the idle-stop feature sooner, keeps air conditioning in recirculation mode longer, and what Honda describes as “optimizes” throttle and CVT operation for smoother, more fuel efficient acceleration.
I loved the open road feel of the car. Lots of glass, lots of visibility, no claustrophobia, even for backseat passengers. The sharply sloping windshield allows for a triangle-shaped glass in front of the side window that gives additional visibility. That's much the same design as the Honda FCX Clarity, voted Green Car of the Year at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November 2008. The Insight's rear windshield and glass panel below it give unobstructed visibility in the rear – better than any other car I’ve driven lately. The only problem is a thick rear pillar which made my blind spot larger than usual. But I got used to that pretty quickly.
The bottom line -- EV Evelyn says buy this car -- despite what Consumer Reports says.
Find more articles by Evelyn Kanter on www.greatdrives.net.
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