Honda Insight is a hybrid electric vehicle manufactured by Honda and the first production vehicle to feature Honda's Integrated Motor Assist system
The Honda Insight is a hybrid electric vehicle manufactured by Honda and the first production vehicle to feature Honda's Integrated Motor Assist system. The first-generation Insight was produced from 1999 to 2006 as a three-door hatchback.[1][2] The 2000 Insight ranks as the most efficient United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certified gasoline-fueled vehicle ever, with a highway rating of 61 miles per US gallon (3.9 L/100 km; 73 mpg-imp) and combined city/highway rating of 53 miles per US gallon (4.4 L/100 km; 64 mpg-imp).[3]
Honda introduced the second-generation Insight to its home market of Japan in February 2009. The car went on sale in the United States on March 24, 2009.[4] At $19,800 as a five-door hatchback it is the least expensive hybrid available in the US.[5] In December 2010, Honda introduced a less expensive base model for the 2011 model year priced US$18,200. The Insight was launched April 2009 in the UK as the most affordable hybrid on the market with a starting price from £15,490 (otr), which was more than £2,000 lower than other hybrids, and became the best selling hybrid for the month.[6][7]
Honda's Insight, billed as the cheapest gas-electric hybrid on the market, ranked as the top-selling vehicle in Japan for the month of April 2009, the first time a hybrid has clinched that spot.[8] During its first twelve months after first available in the Japanese market, the second-generation Insight sold 143,015 units around the world.[9]
It's easy to panic when you're stranded by the side of the road after your car breaks down or you're late for an early morning meeting and it just won't start. Helping you keep your cool and stay safe, AAA has some advice for stranded motorists.
In a case where your car just won't start, the problem may lie with the battery. It could be that it's discharged or there's a poor connection. Open the hood and check out the battery to see if it's securely mounted in place and see if the cable clamps are connected to the battery. Cable clamps that are loose or corroded may be the problem. Clean the corrosion from the battery terminals and cable clamps and make sure the clamps are secured tight. If that doesn't work, check to see if your car is fully in park and that there's enough fuel in the vehicle. If all else fails, it's time to call in a road service provider.
If you ever find yourself experiencing car problems while driving, your first priority is pulling off to a safe location. This should be away from the flow of traffic, and you should stay in your car while waiting for roadside assistance. Once you're safe, you can call your road service provider. Take a look around and take note of your surroundings, landmarks and signs anything that will help roadside assistance find your location. There are even certain smartphone apps (such as AAA TripTik Mobile and AAA Roadside) that will send your GPS location right to your roadside assistance provider.
hen the current Honda Insight was introduced in March 2009 as a 2010 model it was hailed as the “Toyota Prius fighter.” Making the best use of the most cost-effective Honda hybrid technology, the Insight was touted as a 40-mpg+ compact car for less than $20,000—a figure designed to undercut the least expensive Toyota Prius by about $2,000. But Toyota countered with a lower priced Prius. With around $1,500 difference in price, combined with the Prius’s 51 mpg city and 48 highway versus the Insight’s 40 city/43 highway, the projected Insight sales of 70,000 per year hasn’t happened. In fact, Honda only sold 20,962 in the United States, even though it is the second most popular hybrid in 2010. (Toyota sold more than seven times as many Priuses.)
The Honda Insight, which was introduced in early 2000 in the United States, is designed to get the best possible mileage. The Insight is no longer part of Honda's line, but it's still a good example of how a hybrid car can work.
Honda used every trick in the book to make the car as efficient as it can be. The Insight is a small, lightweight two-seater with a tiny, high-efficiency gas engine. The Insight has the best EPA mileage ratings of any hybrid car on the market.
The Honda Insight is a simplified parallel hybrid. It has an electric motor coupled to the engine at the spot where the flywheel usually goes. Honda calls this system "Integrated Motor Assist." The Insight has either a conventional, five-speed manual transmission or an automatic CVT (continuously variable transmission).
Based on the Honda J-VX concept car unveiled at the 1997 Tokyo Motor Show, the Insight was first introduced in Japan in November 1999 [10] as the first production vehicle to feature Honda's Integrated Motor Assist system. In the following month, December 1999, Insight became the first hybrid available in North America, beating Toyota's Prius by seven months.[11] It featured optimized aerodynamics and a lightweight aluminum structure to maximize fuel efficiency and minimize emissions.
The Honda Insight is a subcompact hatchback 3,945 mm (155.3 in) in length with a wheelbase of 2,400 mm (94.5 in) a height of 1,355 mm (53.3 in) and a width of 1,695 mm (66.7 in). The Insight was only produced as a two-seater. The model launched with only a single trim- manual transmission, no air-conditioning- a choice made to reduce weight and maximize economy.[12] In the second year of production another two trims became available: a manual transmission with automatic climate-control system, and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with automatic climate-control system. The only major change during its life span was the introduction of a trunk mounted, front controlled, multiple CD changer.
Nearly all practical means were used to reduce fuel consumption while meeting modern requirements. In addition to the hybrid drive system, it was small, built of light materials and streamlined.
The gasoline engine is a 67 hp (50 kW; 68 PS), 1.0 litre, ECA series 3-cylinder unit providing lean burn operation with an air-to-fuel ratio that can reach 25.8 to 1.[13] The engine utilizes lightweight aluminum, magnesium, and plastic to minimize weight.[14] The electrical motor assist adds another 10 kW (13 hp) and a maximum of 36 pound-feet (49 Nm) of torque when called on, with the aim to boost performance to the level of a typical 1.5L petrol engine.[15] It also acts as a generator during deceleration and braking to recharge the vehicle's batteries, and as the Insight's starter motor.[14] (This both improves fuel efficiency and also extends the lifetime and fade resistance of the brakes, without adding unsprung weight). When the car is not moving, for example, at a stop light, the engine shuts off.[15] Power steering is electric, reducing accessory drag.[15]
The Insight uses the first generation of Honda's Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid technology. (The next generation, used in the Honda Civic Hybrid, is much more space-efficient.) The Insight's electric assist is a ultrathin (about 2.5 inches) brushless 10-kW electric motor located on the crankshaft.[16] Located behind the seats are a series of commercial grade "D" sized NiMH batteries wired to provide a nominal 144 V DC. During heavy acceleration, the NiMH batteries drive the electric motor, providing additional power; during deceleration, the motor acts as a generator and recharges the batteries using a process called regenerative braking. A computer control module regulates how much power comes from the internal combustion engine, and how much from the electric motor; in the CVT variant, it also finds the optimal gear ratio. The digital displays on the dashboard display fuel consumption instantaneously. On the manual transmission up and down arrows suggest when to shift gears. Dashboard gauges monitor the current battery status, instantaneous fuel consumption, and mode of the electric motor — standby, engine assist or charging the batteries. High pressure, low rolling resistance tires and the use of low viscosity "0W-20" synthetic oil also enhance fuel economy.
The original Insight had a conventional manual transmission. Starting with the 2001 model, a CVT variant of the Insight was available; the CVT is similar to that used in the Honda Civic Hybrid and the Honda Logo. A traditional transmission shifts between a fixed set of engine-to-wheel ratios; however, a CVT allows for an infinite set of ratios between its lowest gear and its highest. A feature shared by the two hybrids (and now appearing in others) is the ability to automatically turn off the engine when the vehicle is at a stop (and restart it upon movement). Since it is more powerful than most starters of conventional cars, the Insight's electric motor can start the engine nearly instantaneously. The Integrated Motor Assist is run by an "Intelligent Power Unit (IPU)", a desktop computer-sized box. The Intelligent Power Unit, the Power control Unit, the Electronic Control Unit, the vehicle's batteries, converter and a high-voltage inverter are all located under the cargo floor of the vehicle, behind the seats.[16]
One key in increasing the vehicle's fuel efficiency was reducing the mass via the extensive use of aluminum and plastic. Both the body and the frame are lightened over conventional vehicles by the use of aluminum. Honda achieved a body weight less than half that of the contemporary Civic 3-door, but simultaneously increased torsional rigidity by 38% and bending rigidity by 13%.[15] Honda built the Insight with aluminum front brake calipers and rear brake drums, and with a largely aluminum suspension, in addition to standard aluminum wheels; all these reduced the ratio of un-sprung to sprung weight as well as the total weight. (This may have been needed to compensate for the bouncy ride of the high pressure low friction tires.) The fuel tank is plastic; the engine mounts were aluminum; and the exhaust is a small, thin wall pipe.[16] Even the compact spare is aluminum. The Insight weighed 1,847 lb (838 kg) in manual transmission form or 1,964 lb (891 kg) with CVT and air conditioning. The combination of materials and design gave the Insight body structure 13 percent more bending strength and 38 percent more torsional rigidity than a comparably-sized steel body, despite weighing 40 percent less.
To maximize fuel efficiency and give good high speed performance with its small engine, the Insight is very aerodynamic. It has a coefficient of drag of 0.25, one of the lowest of any marketed automobile. Because it has no rear seat, the body can start tapering narrower and lower just behind the driver's head, approximating the classic tear drop more closely than is possible in a four passenger car. The rear fenders limit the taper of the lower part, but the rear track is narrower than the front track.
The CVT-equipped Insight is classified as a super-low emissions vehicle.[17] The Insight features low emissions: the California Air Resources Board gave the 5-speed model a ULEV rating, and the CVT model earned a SULEV rating – the 5-speed model's lean-burn ability traded increased efficiency for slightly higher NOx emissions.[18]
The Insight was assembled at the Honda factory in Suzuka, Japan,[19] where the Honda NSX and the Honda S2000 were also assembled. The Insight and the NSX are aluminum-bodied, while the S2000 employs a steel body.
At the 2003 Tokyo Motor Show, Honda introduced the concept car Honda IMAS, an extremely fuel-efficient and lightweight hybrid car made of aluminum and carbon fiber, which was perceived by most observers to be the future direction where the Insight is heading.
With its aluminum body and frame, the Insight was an expensive car to produce and was never designed for high-volume sales.[20] Instead it was designed to be a real world test car for hybrid technology and a gauge to new consumer driving habits. With an aerodynamic fuel-saving shape similar to Audi A2, and some unconventional body colors it was a bit more than mainstream car buyers could handle, preferring more conservative styles.[21] Production halted announced in May 2006, with plans announced to replace Insight with a new hybrid car, smaller than the eighth generation Civic, but not earlier than in 2009.[2] Ahead of this announcement, Honda stopped selling Insight in the UK, for example, as early as December 2005.[22]
To fill the market niche void, in 2002 Honda rolled out a hybrid version of the Honda Civic – Honda Civic Hybrid, followed by Toyota's relaunch of the Prius in 2003.
The car was the most fuel efficient car available in the U.S. for the length of its production run and is still the leader of any current mass market car.[12] The Insight earned an EPA fuel economy estimate of 70 miles per US gallon (3.4 L/100 km; 84 mpg-imp) in highway driving, 61 mpg-US (3.9 L/100 km; 73 mpg-imp) city. With air conditioning it was 66 mpg-US (3.6 L/100 km; 79 mpg-imp)/60 mpg-US (3.9 L/100 km; 72 mpg-imp). With a CVT it was 57 mpg-US (4.1 L/100 km; 68 mpg-imp)/56 mpg-US (4.2 L/100 km; 67 mpg-imp). Insight aficionados who are "hypermilers" compete to eke out as many miles as possible from a tank, with some achieving considerably more than the EPA estimates.[23]
Upon the Insight's release, Honda challenged several automotive magazines to a competition[12] to see who could obtain the best fuel efficiency on the 195-mile (314 km) drive from Columbus, Ohio to Detroit. The contest was won by Car and Driver magazine, which rigged a box behind a Ford Excursion, and had the Insight drive within the confines of the box. With much less wind resistance, the Insight made the trip with a fuel consumption of 121.7 miles per US gallon (1.933 L/100 km; 146.2 mpg-imp), while averaging 58 miles per hour (93 km/h). A two-year test of an Insight with air conditioning, driven 40,000 miles (64,000 km), averaged 48 miles per US gallon (4.9 L/100 km; 58 mpg-imp). The New York Times noted that "[if] you drive the car badly, you will get bad mileage."[12]
In the EU fuel economy tests, the Insight achieved a combined efficiency figure 69.2 mpg-US (3.40 L/100 km; 83.1 mpg-imp) with an Extra-Urban figure of 78.4 mpg-US (3.00 L/100 km; 94.2 mpg-imp) and Urban figure of 57.4 mpg-US (4.10 L/100 km; 68.9 mpg-imp).)[24] This remains unbeaten in the UK market for a petrol car, and has only recently been eclipsed by the Smart ForTwo cdi. However the original Smart diesel matched the combined figure when release in Europe in 2000. The Insight has an official CO2 emissions figure of 80 g/km which is still the lowest of any UK market car. It was also the only car to fall into the VED band A (up to 100g/km CO2), introduced in 2005, until 2008 when other manufacturers started developing cars to benefit from the tax free status.
Estimated fuel efficiency according to the U.S. EPA testing methodology is: City 40 mpg-US (5.9 L/100 km; 48 mpg-imp), Highway 43 mpg-US (5.5 L/100 km; 52 mpg-imp), Combined 41 mpg-US (5.7 L/100 km; 49 mpg-imp).[30]
Honda UK state that the official UK fuel efficiency data for the Insight SE is: Urban 61.4 mpg-imp (4.60 L/100 km; 51.1 mpg-US), Extra urban 67.3 mpg-imp (4.20 L/100 km; 56.0 mpg-US), Combined 64.2 mpg-imp (4.40 L/100 km; 53.5 mpg-US) and the CO2 emissions rating is: 101 g/km,[31] putting it in the second lowest UK road tax band.
Car and Driver magazine performed a comparison between the 2010 Honda Insight and the 2010 Toyota Prius.[33] In this test, the Insight achieved 0–60 mph in 10.3 seconds (Prius, 10.0 seconds), the quarter mile in 17.9 seconds at 78 mph (Prius, 17.6 at 79 mph), and 70–0 mph braking in 181 feet (Prius, 182 feet). The Insight's average fuel economy during a 600-mile controlled evaluation was 38 mpg (Prius, 42 mpg). Overall, Car and Driver selected the Insight as their preferred vehicle due to its "fun-to-drive" qualities including superior handling, steering, braking, and paddle-shifted transmission.
Honda chose a 5-door hatchback configuration for the latest Insight. The wedge-shaped body assists aerodynamics and reduces drag for improved fuel economy. The 5-passenger accommodations enhance marketability and the overall vehicle shape, as Honda puts it, is “clearly identifiable as a hybrid.”[34]
The wedge shape of the second-generation Insight has been criticized by many automotive journalists for its similarities with the more successful and older second-generation Toyota Prius.[35][36] This is, however, an unfair comparison as the fastback profile was first seen on the first-generation insight, before the Toyota Prius used such a design.[37]
The reason we chose a five-door hatchback was that we wanted the car to be popular in Europe. American Honda – the biggest market – asked us to build a car with a boot, but we rejected that idea, because to compete with other green cars and sell more in Europe, it had to be a five-door hatchback. Of course, aerodynamically it is also a more favourable shape.
—Yasunari Seki, Honda Insight Project Leader, [38]
The Insight's exterior design merges design cues from both the first generation Insight (the tapered tail and triangular taillights) and Honda’s production hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, the FCX Clarity (the low hood, six-point front grille, and wedge-shaped profile).[39]
The interior of the new Insight includes a variation of the two-tier instrument panel first introduced on the 2006 Honda Civic. In this arrangement, a digital speedometer is mounted high on the instrument panel within the driver’s normal line-of-site for ease of visibility. An analog tachometer, fuel gauge, hybrid assist gauge, and Multi-Information Display are housed in the lower tier.[34]
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The Honda Insight is a hybrid electric vehicle manufactured by Honda and the first production vehicle to feature Honda's Integrated Motor Assist system. The first-generation Insight was produced from 1999 to 2006 as a three-door hatchback.[1][2] The 2000 Insight ranks as the most efficient United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certified gasoline-fueled vehicle ever, with a highway rating of 61 miles per US gallon (3.9 L/100 km; 73 mpg-imp) and combined city/highway rating of 53 miles per US gallon (4.4 L/100 km; 64 mpg-imp).[3]
Honda introduced the second-generation Insight to its home market of Japan in February 2009. The car went on sale in the United States on March 24, 2009.[4] At $19,800 as a five-door hatchback it is the least expensive hybrid available in the US.[5] In December 2010, Honda introduced a less expensive base model for the 2011 model year priced US$18,200. The Insight was launched April 2009 in the UK as the most affordable hybrid on the market with a starting price from £15,490 (otr), which was more than £2,000 lower than other hybrids, and became the best selling hybrid for the month.[6][7]
Honda's Insight, billed as the cheapest gas-electric hybrid on the market, ranked as the top-selling vehicle in Japan for the month of April 2009, the first time a hybrid has clinched that spot.[8] During its first twelve months after first available in the Japanese market, the second-generation Insight sold 143,015 units around the world.[9]
It's easy to panic when you're stranded by the side of the road after your car breaks down or you're late for an early morning meeting and it just won't start. Helping you keep your cool and stay safe, AAA has some advice for stranded motorists.
In a case where your car just won't start, the problem may lie with the battery. It could be that it's discharged or there's a poor connection. Open the hood and check out the battery to see if it's securely mounted in place and see if the cable clamps are connected to the battery. Cable clamps that are loose or corroded may be the problem. Clean the corrosion from the battery terminals and cable clamps and make sure the clamps are secured tight. If that doesn't work, check to see if your car is fully in park and that there's enough fuel in the vehicle. If all else fails, it's time to call in a road service provider.
If you ever find yourself experiencing car problems while driving, your first priority is pulling off to a safe location. This should be away from the flow of traffic, and you should stay in your car while waiting for roadside assistance. Once you're safe, you can call your road service provider. Take a look around and take note of your surroundings, landmarks and signs anything that will help roadside assistance find your location. There are even certain smartphone apps (such as AAA TripTik Mobile and AAA Roadside) that will send your GPS location right to your roadside assistance provider.
hen the current Honda Insight was introduced in March 2009 as a 2010 model it was hailed as the “Toyota Prius fighter.” Making the best use of the most cost-effective Honda hybrid technology, the Insight was touted as a 40-mpg+ compact car for less than $20,000—a figure designed to undercut the least expensive Toyota Prius by about $2,000. But Toyota countered with a lower priced Prius. With around $1,500 difference in price, combined with the Prius’s 51 mpg city and 48 highway versus the Insight’s 40 city/43 highway, the projected Insight sales of 70,000 per year hasn’t happened. In fact, Honda only sold 20,962 in the United States, even though it is the second most popular hybrid in 2010. (Toyota sold more than seven times as many Priuses.)
The Honda Insight, which was introduced in early 2000 in the United States, is designed to get the best possible mileage. The Insight is no longer part of Honda's line, but it's still a good example of how a hybrid car can work.
Honda used every trick in the book to make the car as efficient as it can be. The Insight is a small, lightweight two-seater with a tiny, high-efficiency gas engine. The Insight has the best EPA mileage ratings of any hybrid car on the market.
The Honda Insight is a simplified parallel hybrid. It has an electric motor coupled to the engine at the spot where the flywheel usually goes. Honda calls this system "Integrated Motor Assist." The Insight has either a conventional, five-speed manual transmission or an automatic CVT (continuously variable transmission).
Based on the Honda J-VX concept car unveiled at the 1997 Tokyo Motor Show, the Insight was first introduced in Japan in November 1999 [10] as the first production vehicle to feature Honda's Integrated Motor Assist system. In the following month, December 1999, Insight became the first hybrid available in North America, beating Toyota's Prius by seven months.[11] It featured optimized aerodynamics and a lightweight aluminum structure to maximize fuel efficiency and minimize emissions.
The Honda Insight is a subcompact hatchback 3,945 mm (155.3 in) in length with a wheelbase of 2,400 mm (94.5 in) a height of 1,355 mm (53.3 in) and a width of 1,695 mm (66.7 in). The Insight was only produced as a two-seater. The model launched with only a single trim- manual transmission, no air-conditioning- a choice made to reduce weight and maximize economy.[12] In the second year of production another two trims became available: a manual transmission with automatic climate-control system, and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with automatic climate-control system. The only major change during its life span was the introduction of a trunk mounted, front controlled, multiple CD changer.
Nearly all practical means were used to reduce fuel consumption while meeting modern requirements. In addition to the hybrid drive system, it was small, built of light materials and streamlined.
The gasoline engine is a 67 hp (50 kW; 68 PS), 1.0 litre, ECA series 3-cylinder unit providing lean burn operation with an air-to-fuel ratio that can reach 25.8 to 1.[13] The engine utilizes lightweight aluminum, magnesium, and plastic to minimize weight.[14] The electrical motor assist adds another 10 kW (13 hp) and a maximum of 36 pound-feet (49 Nm) of torque when called on, with the aim to boost performance to the level of a typical 1.5L petrol engine.[15] It also acts as a generator during deceleration and braking to recharge the vehicle's batteries, and as the Insight's starter motor.[14] (This both improves fuel efficiency and also extends the lifetime and fade resistance of the brakes, without adding unsprung weight). When the car is not moving, for example, at a stop light, the engine shuts off.[15] Power steering is electric, reducing accessory drag.[15]
The Insight uses the first generation of Honda's Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid technology. (The next generation, used in the Honda Civic Hybrid, is much more space-efficient.) The Insight's electric assist is a ultrathin (about 2.5 inches) brushless 10-kW electric motor located on the crankshaft.[16] Located behind the seats are a series of commercial grade "D" sized NiMH batteries wired to provide a nominal 144 V DC. During heavy acceleration, the NiMH batteries drive the electric motor, providing additional power; during deceleration, the motor acts as a generator and recharges the batteries using a process called regenerative braking. A computer control module regulates how much power comes from the internal combustion engine, and how much from the electric motor; in the CVT variant, it also finds the optimal gear ratio. The digital displays on the dashboard display fuel consumption instantaneously. On the manual transmission up and down arrows suggest when to shift gears. Dashboard gauges monitor the current battery status, instantaneous fuel consumption, and mode of the electric motor — standby, engine assist or charging the batteries. High pressure, low rolling resistance tires and the use of low viscosity "0W-20" synthetic oil also enhance fuel economy.
The original Insight had a conventional manual transmission. Starting with the 2001 model, a CVT variant of the Insight was available; the CVT is similar to that used in the Honda Civic Hybrid and the Honda Logo. A traditional transmission shifts between a fixed set of engine-to-wheel ratios; however, a CVT allows for an infinite set of ratios between its lowest gear and its highest. A feature shared by the two hybrids (and now appearing in others) is the ability to automatically turn off the engine when the vehicle is at a stop (and restart it upon movement). Since it is more powerful than most starters of conventional cars, the Insight's electric motor can start the engine nearly instantaneously. The Integrated Motor Assist is run by an "Intelligent Power Unit (IPU)", a desktop computer-sized box. The Intelligent Power Unit, the Power control Unit, the Electronic Control Unit, the vehicle's batteries, converter and a high-voltage inverter are all located under the cargo floor of the vehicle, behind the seats.[16]
One key in increasing the vehicle's fuel efficiency was reducing the mass via the extensive use of aluminum and plastic. Both the body and the frame are lightened over conventional vehicles by the use of aluminum. Honda achieved a body weight less than half that of the contemporary Civic 3-door, but simultaneously increased torsional rigidity by 38% and bending rigidity by 13%.[15] Honda built the Insight with aluminum front brake calipers and rear brake drums, and with a largely aluminum suspension, in addition to standard aluminum wheels; all these reduced the ratio of un-sprung to sprung weight as well as the total weight. (This may have been needed to compensate for the bouncy ride of the high pressure low friction tires.) The fuel tank is plastic; the engine mounts were aluminum; and the exhaust is a small, thin wall pipe.[16] Even the compact spare is aluminum. The Insight weighed 1,847 lb (838 kg) in manual transmission form or 1,964 lb (891 kg) with CVT and air conditioning. The combination of materials and design gave the Insight body structure 13 percent more bending strength and 38 percent more torsional rigidity than a comparably-sized steel body, despite weighing 40 percent less.
To maximize fuel efficiency and give good high speed performance with its small engine, the Insight is very aerodynamic. It has a coefficient of drag of 0.25, one of the lowest of any marketed automobile. Because it has no rear seat, the body can start tapering narrower and lower just behind the driver's head, approximating the classic tear drop more closely than is possible in a four passenger car. The rear fenders limit the taper of the lower part, but the rear track is narrower than the front track.
The CVT-equipped Insight is classified as a super-low emissions vehicle.[17] The Insight features low emissions: the California Air Resources Board gave the 5-speed model a ULEV rating, and the CVT model earned a SULEV rating – the 5-speed model's lean-burn ability traded increased efficiency for slightly higher NOx emissions.[18]
The Insight was assembled at the Honda factory in Suzuka, Japan,[19] where the Honda NSX and the Honda S2000 were also assembled. The Insight and the NSX are aluminum-bodied, while the S2000 employs a steel body.
At the 2003 Tokyo Motor Show, Honda introduced the concept car Honda IMAS, an extremely fuel-efficient and lightweight hybrid car made of aluminum and carbon fiber, which was perceived by most observers to be the future direction where the Insight is heading.
With its aluminum body and frame, the Insight was an expensive car to produce and was never designed for high-volume sales.[20] Instead it was designed to be a real world test car for hybrid technology and a gauge to new consumer driving habits. With an aerodynamic fuel-saving shape similar to Audi A2, and some unconventional body colors it was a bit more than mainstream car buyers could handle, preferring more conservative styles.[21] Production halted announced in May 2006, with plans announced to replace Insight with a new hybrid car, smaller than the eighth generation Civic, but not earlier than in 2009.[2] Ahead of this announcement, Honda stopped selling Insight in the UK, for example, as early as December 2005.[22]
To fill the market niche void, in 2002 Honda rolled out a hybrid version of the Honda Civic – Honda Civic Hybrid, followed by Toyota's relaunch of the Prius in 2003.
The car was the most fuel efficient car available in the U.S. for the length of its production run and is still the leader of any current mass market car.[12] The Insight earned an EPA fuel economy estimate of 70 miles per US gallon (3.4 L/100 km; 84 mpg-imp) in highway driving, 61 mpg-US (3.9 L/100 km; 73 mpg-imp) city. With air conditioning it was 66 mpg-US (3.6 L/100 km; 79 mpg-imp)/60 mpg-US (3.9 L/100 km; 72 mpg-imp). With a CVT it was 57 mpg-US (4.1 L/100 km; 68 mpg-imp)/56 mpg-US (4.2 L/100 km; 67 mpg-imp). Insight aficionados who are "hypermilers" compete to eke out as many miles as possible from a tank, with some achieving considerably more than the EPA estimates.[23]
Upon the Insight's release, Honda challenged several automotive magazines to a competition[12] to see who could obtain the best fuel efficiency on the 195-mile (314 km) drive from Columbus, Ohio to Detroit. The contest was won by Car and Driver magazine, which rigged a box behind a Ford Excursion, and had the Insight drive within the confines of the box. With much less wind resistance, the Insight made the trip with a fuel consumption of 121.7 miles per US gallon (1.933 L/100 km; 146.2 mpg-imp), while averaging 58 miles per hour (93 km/h). A two-year test of an Insight with air conditioning, driven 40,000 miles (64,000 km), averaged 48 miles per US gallon (4.9 L/100 km; 58 mpg-imp). The New York Times noted that "[if] you drive the car badly, you will get bad mileage."[12]
In the EU fuel economy tests, the Insight achieved a combined efficiency figure 69.2 mpg-US (3.40 L/100 km; 83.1 mpg-imp) with an Extra-Urban figure of 78.4 mpg-US (3.00 L/100 km; 94.2 mpg-imp) and Urban figure of 57.4 mpg-US (4.10 L/100 km; 68.9 mpg-imp).)[24] This remains unbeaten in the UK market for a petrol car, and has only recently been eclipsed by the Smart ForTwo cdi. However the original Smart diesel matched the combined figure when release in Europe in 2000. The Insight has an official CO2 emissions figure of 80 g/km which is still the lowest of any UK market car. It was also the only car to fall into the VED band A (up to 100g/km CO2), introduced in 2005, until 2008 when other manufacturers started developing cars to benefit from the tax free status.
Estimated fuel efficiency according to the U.S. EPA testing methodology is: City 40 mpg-US (5.9 L/100 km; 48 mpg-imp), Highway 43 mpg-US (5.5 L/100 km; 52 mpg-imp), Combined 41 mpg-US (5.7 L/100 km; 49 mpg-imp).[30]
Honda UK state that the official UK fuel efficiency data for the Insight SE is: Urban 61.4 mpg-imp (4.60 L/100 km; 51.1 mpg-US), Extra urban 67.3 mpg-imp (4.20 L/100 km; 56.0 mpg-US), Combined 64.2 mpg-imp (4.40 L/100 km; 53.5 mpg-US) and the CO2 emissions rating is: 101 g/km,[31] putting it in the second lowest UK road tax band.
Car and Driver magazine performed a comparison between the 2010 Honda Insight and the 2010 Toyota Prius.[33] In this test, the Insight achieved 0–60 mph in 10.3 seconds (Prius, 10.0 seconds), the quarter mile in 17.9 seconds at 78 mph (Prius, 17.6 at 79 mph), and 70–0 mph braking in 181 feet (Prius, 182 feet). The Insight's average fuel economy during a 600-mile controlled evaluation was 38 mpg (Prius, 42 mpg). Overall, Car and Driver selected the Insight as their preferred vehicle due to its "fun-to-drive" qualities including superior handling, steering, braking, and paddle-shifted transmission.
Honda chose a 5-door hatchback configuration for the latest Insight. The wedge-shaped body assists aerodynamics and reduces drag for improved fuel economy. The 5-passenger accommodations enhance marketability and the overall vehicle shape, as Honda puts it, is “clearly identifiable as a hybrid.”[34]
The wedge shape of the second-generation Insight has been criticized by many automotive journalists for its similarities with the more successful and older second-generation Toyota Prius.[35][36] This is, however, an unfair comparison as the fastback profile was first seen on the first-generation insight, before the Toyota Prius used such a design.[37]
The reason we chose a five-door hatchback was that we wanted the car to be popular in Europe. American Honda – the biggest market – asked us to build a car with a boot, but we rejected that idea, because to compete with other green cars and sell more in Europe, it had to be a five-door hatchback. Of course, aerodynamically it is also a more favourable shape.
—Yasunari Seki, Honda Insight Project Leader, [38]
The Insight's exterior design merges design cues from both the first generation Insight (the tapered tail and triangular taillights) and Honda’s production hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, the FCX Clarity (the low hood, six-point front grille, and wedge-shaped profile).[39]
The interior of the new Insight includes a variation of the two-tier instrument panel first introduced on the 2006 Honda Civic. In this arrangement, a digital speedometer is mounted high on the instrument panel within the driver’s normal line-of-site for ease of visibility. An analog tachometer, fuel gauge, hybrid assist gauge, and Multi-Information Display are housed in the lower tier.[34]
Honda insight
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