2010 Honda Insight 5dr CVT LX

Introduction

Beyond that obvious surrender to a take-no-big-chances market, however, the 2010 Honda Insight does manage to march to a slightly different drummer.

Beyond this, it generally stays the course, with the common array of standard features plus an optional navigation system and Bluetooth capability.

Perhaps the most significant change Honda brings to the hybrid market is price competition.

The 2010 Insight comes in one configuration: a four-door, five-passenger sedan.

When the new Honda Insight is measured against the outgoing-generation 2009 Toyota Prius, it definitely hums a different tune. And that, apparently, given the sales numbers, is a Toyota Prius. But it's lighter, which is a plus, as less weight contributes to it's being a somewhat livelier driver. Hence, the all-new, Honda Insight is virtually a carbon copy of that market leader. Honda appears finally to have learned how to play in the hybrid game. Honda appears to believe its faithful will willingly trade a few miles per gallon for a modestly quicker car. If a carmaker wants to be taken seriously, it had better deliver a hybrid that looks like what the market has said it wants a hybrid to look like. In the top two of the three models offered, steering wheel-mounted shift paddles manage a computer-generated seven-speed, simulated-manual gearbox. It also can be ordered with gimmicky paddle shifters that imposes an artificial construct of seven electronically created ratios on the continuously variable automatic transmission. It's smaller than the Prius, for instance, which isn't necessarily a plus, as interior room suffers. One powertrain is available: a combination of a 1.3-liter, 88-horsepower, inline four-cylinder gasoline engine and a 10-kilowatt, 13-hp, brushless, DC motor. Power goes only to the front wheels through a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). Put simply, the Insight's EPA-rated City/Highway 40/43 miles per gallon trails significantly the 48/45 mpg rating for the Prius. Simply putting a hybrid powertrain in a regular car doesn't cut it. The 2010 Honda Insight's $19,800 Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price just slightly undercuts the $21,000 MSRP of the all-new 2010 Toyota Prius. The base model uses a standard CVT that's efficient and highly competent. The first-generation 2009 Prius retailed for $23,375. With the Insight, shoppers now have two similar cars from which to choose.

Walkaround

Side view shows a deeply wedged hood leading to a very fast, or raked, windshield.

Squinting headlights peer out from the front corners, bracketing a grille that, save for the H logo, eerily reminds of a Ford Fusion, or a Gillette Fusion, for that matter.

The rear aspects hews the closest to the original Insight's super-aero styling, showing lines that, if extended, would taper to a pointed terminus some 10 feet or 12 feet behind the mostly vertical rear fascia. A close look reveals glimpses through the gaps of suspension hardware, again hinting at a hyper-consciousness about shaving weight. A shallow, sculpted character line across the bottoms of the doors links matching indents creasing the lower portions of the front and rear bumpers. A single, almost demure exhaust tip peeks out from beneath the right side. Although in every dimension the 2010 Insight is an inch or three smaller than the Prius, only with the two parked door to door does this become visible to the eye. An open-mouth smile below the grille seems the more functional of the two openings as far as breathing cooling air for the radiator and engine compartment. Flip-up door handles sit flush with the body panels, making for good drag numbers but not for easy gripping; gloves are helpful for preserving long fingernails. Otherwise, they could be twins separated at birth and only reacquainted in their mid-20s. Putting a bit of a spin on the old saw that imitation is the best form of flattery, Honda apparently has concluded that imitation is the best form of cashing in on somebody else's success, as in, Toyota's with the Prius. Roofline continues the arc over the passenger compartment and equally fast backlight, ending abruptly at a sharply chopped, relatively high, hind quarter. Slit-shaped vents to each side break up the expanse of the front bumper and accent chin-link splitters at the corners that help keep the front end planted while it cleaves the air. Smallish, triangular taillight housings tuck into the upper corners of the rear fenders. The beltline runs straight back beneath black-framed side glass, rising gently, from just aft of the centerline of the front wheelwell to just forward of the centerline of the rear wheelwell, emphasizing the Insight's short wheelbase (distance between the centers of the wheels, front to back). The Prius flattery continues here, with an understated rear spoiler splitting two parts of the backlight, the one above steeply raked, the one below upright and easing rearward visibility, especially when backing into a parking slot. The rear license plate sits in a recess in the liftgate, itself resting in a cutout cupped by the rear bumper. Tires don't quite fill the wheelwells, implying light weight and compactness.

Driving Impression

Road and tire noise is more intrusive than in either the current Prius or the most recent Civic hybrid.

The aforementioned ECON button is more in keeping with the Insight's mission.

Transitions between power sources are markedly smoother in the new Insight than in the Civic Hybrid and easily on a par with the '09 Prius.

With ECON engaged or not, lifting off the gas eases the needle metering the power flows into the regenerative Charge range; applying the brake pushes the needle even deeper. Although equally unnecessary, it at least fulfills a purpose, giving the driver real-time indications on how frugally the powertrain is functioning while still leaving the driver free to tap the powertrain's full potential when and if desired or necessary. And that's about where they belong. And the Insight does. Driven normally, the powertrain operates at optimum fuel efficiency. Likewise, fit and finish is Honda-spec, for the most part quality plastics with consistent gaps between panels. Neither is heart-pumping response to quick, right-left-right steering inputs, or even impressive stickiness around long sweeping curves. Pressed, it dutifully pumps out everything it has, shifting back and forth between the two effortlessly, with the only indicator being the changing colors backlighting the digital speedometer. Ride is firm, but not stiff; it is a hybrid, after all, not one of those traditional family sedans with all that road-hugging weight to suppress pavement heaves and bumps. Speaking of brakes, the Insight's did their job without any drama, with the only limitation on their stopping power resulting from the small foot print of the tires. Straight-line acceleration is not a strong point for hybrids. The 2010 Insight is a hybrid, so expectations for ride and handling rightly ought to be on the conservative side. The dash-mounted, 360-degree rotating a/c registers are a nice, much-appreciated touch. The new Insight's regenerative brake system is slicker than the Civic's, too, masking more fully the system's disengagement as the car nears a full stop. The paddle-shifted, simulated manual seven-speed seems to us an unnecessary, even wasteful, gewgaw, more a gratuitous tipping of a braggart's hat to Honda's high-tech heritage than a functional addition to an already very competent, and fuel-efficient, powertrain. Where hybrids by right ought to shine is on the daily commute. Wind noise, though, is minimal; props to that wind-cheating, Prius-like body.

Interior

Audio controls are ergonomically positioned and proportioned, except for the on/off button, that is, which is seriously undersized and placed way up in the left corner of the control panel, about as far away as possible from the volume knob, which is the logical location.

Front seats are comfortable, if not especially assertive in terms of side bolsters on the bottom cushion.

Not the least of these is the cyclopean pod perched on top of the dash, like a single eye glaring at the driver over the top of the steering wheel, projecting a digit rendition of the car's speed.

Where the Insight should have stuck with imitation is in interior roominess. All three head restraints adjust, however, and each position has the requisite three-point seatbelt. Although it ekes out a win over the 2009 Toyota Prius in two measurements, front seat legroom and front seat hip room, both are by less than an inch. And against the 2010 Prius, in not one interior measurement does the Insight come out on top. Front seatbacks, however, do a decent job of keeping the driver's and passenger's torso in place through relatively hurried changes in direction, provided occupants' backs are comfortable with the mildly aggressive lumbar support. In no small part this is a credit to the six-inch longer wheelbase of the Prius and almost two inches more of overall length. In the Insight, however, it serves another purpose, indicating by gradual changes between otherworldly bluish and greenish tints the efficiency a driver is achieving with the hybrid powertrain. Otherwise, the instrument cluster comprises the usual gauges that occupy the usual locations and report the usual information for a hybrid. Radar detector users should order the longer cord, as the power point is tucked away back up under the dash beneath the A/C control pod. Save for the shapes of the functions embedded in the dash, which go to oval from squarish, and the resurrection of a traditional placement for the shift lever and hand brake, the Insight's interior shows all the telltales of a direct descendent from that predecessor. That takes some acclimation, but once that's achieved, the layout feels less illogical. The air conditioning controls are uniquely consolidated in a circular array below and to the left of the audio panel (which the Navi system displaces on the top-of-the-line EX and with which the text EX was not outfitted). The flattery game ends inside the new Insight. The rear seat is contoured more for two passengers than for three, with an elevated center section relegating that position to use only on short runs around town. The rear seat trails especially, by more than two inches in every dimension. There, Honda looks to its most recent hybrid, the Civic version, for inspiration. These, plus a roof that's two-and-one-half inches higher, also mean the cargo area of the new Prius will hold about five more foot-square boxes than the Insight. To see this, it's necessary to have pressed the ECON button at the left end of the dash to activate a collection of efficiency-enhancing alternative algorithms in the engine control computer that optimize throttle control; CVT operation; idle-stop activation and duration; air conditioning; and cruise control for best-possible fuel economy.

Summary

NewCarTestDrive.com correspondent Tom Lankard filed this report from the northern regions of California's Central Valley. And while the jury's out on whether Honda guessed right, the result is a clear choice in the hybrid segment. Believing its faithful prefer a more responsive gas pedal over fewer visits to the local gas station, Honda geared the Insight accordingly. Finally. Honda has done almost everything right with the new, 2010 Insight, with that almost relating exclusively to the hybrid's fuel economy.
Media Snapshots

Comparison

" Amazingly, it delivers nearly identical mileage as the current Prius at about 85 percent of the price."

Liked Most

"The Insight is the car your accountant would recommend-and maybe demand after reading that disastrous 401K statement of yours. Imagine paying $24 for a fill-up that gives you a 435-mile driving range."
By MOTOR TREND

"Likely the least expensive hybrid on the market."
By ROAD & TRACK

Liked Least

"The smaller, lighter Insight, using a smaller-displacement gasoline engine, seems to be an underachiever."
By USA TODAY

One-Liners " The 2010 Honda Insight largely improves upon the tried-and-true formula of the rival Prius, and it costs thousands less. An imperfect car, loud and coarse-riding, and also perhaps the most important hybrid ever built."

Car Connection Review

2010 HONDA INSIGHT STYLING | [7 out of 10]
Cars.com: "More distinctive and much better-looking than the current Prius"

Jalopnik: "Looks like a cynical attempt to copy the Toyota Prius. It's not"

Automobile Magazine: "Honda owners who get behind the wheel of the new Insight will feel instantly at home"

It's easy to write off the 2010 Honda Insight as a Toyota Prius--the two hybrids do, after all, share strikingly similar profiles--but reviews read by TheCarConnection.com indicate there's more to this 2010 Insight than you'll take in at first glance.

The 2010 Honda Insight is "an affordable four-door, five-seat hatchback," according to Cars.com, and it is currently available in both LX and EX trim levels. If the Insight nameplate sounds familiar, it is because Honda originally released a quirky-looking two-door hybrid under the same moniker back in the late 1990s, but this latest 2010 Honda is an all-new model. Comparisons to the Toyota Prius are almost inevitable--Car and Driver observes that the 2010 Honda Insight "fits almost perfectly into the Prius mold," thanks to the fact that the "body has the same high-tail fastback silhouette, surely dictated by aero drag considerations." Aerodynamic considerations definitely play a large part in shaping the 2010 Insight, and Cars.com notes that "this is one of the most efficient shapes" for pushing air aside. While the Prius has a slightly better drag coefficient, Jalopnik says, "if anything, the Honda's the better looking car, benefiting from its five year younger age, sharper lines and more refined detailing." Cars.com agrees, commenting that this 2010 Honda is "more distinctive and much better-looking than the current Prius" with a nose that "looks like Honda's growing fleet of experimental FCX Clarity fuel-cell cars."

The cabin of the 2010 Honda Insight is typical of Honda's other interiors, and indeed Automobile Magazine reports that current "Honda owners who get behind the wheel of the new Insight will feel instantly at home." Like the new Ford Fusion Hybrid, Car and Driver says this 2010 Honda hybrid offers a few visual fuel economy aids, including the "glowing background of the digital speedometer, which varies through a range of peacock hues from electric lime green at the thrifty extreme to double-strength indigo blue at full power." Edmunds reviewers rave about the Honda Insight's "sensible gauges and superior driving position," while Automobile Magazine likewise appreciates the "effective ergonomics" and "intuitive controls" inside the Insight's cabin. The Honda Insight breaks from other hybrid options in several ways, however, with Cars.com pointing out that, "unlike most hybrids, the Insight's navigation system (available on the EX) doesn't have supplemental hybrid graphics, nor does it have a backup system." The 2010 Honda Insight also lacks the increasingly popular push-button start, but rather has a more traditional keyed ignition.

Conclusion: The 2010 Honda Insight is defined by its slippery silhouette and efficient interior.



2010 HONDA INSIGHT PERFORMANCE | [9 out of 10]

Cars.com: "Acceleration is merely good"

Automobile Magazine: "Driving, for the most part, does feel quite natural"

Car and Driver: "Braking was above average at 177 feet from 70 mph, with no surprises during a panic stop"

For a hybrid vehicle, the 2010 Honda Insight doesn't offer exceptional fuel economy, though it's still pretty good. Instead, for 2010 Honda decides to focus on the fun-to-drive factor and the low base price. Based on reviews read by TheCarConnection.com, it appears that Honda is successful on both counts.

The hybrid powertrain that propels the 2010 Honda Insight is the same on both trim levels. Car and Driver reports that "all [2010] Insights have the same 88-hp, 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine supplemented by a 13-hp electric motor that is sandwiched between the engine and the transmission." In this instance, the combination works quite well, and Automobile Magazine notices "little of the surging and hiccupping that sometimes afflict hybrids." One unique aspect of the Honda Insight's hybrid setup is that "the crankshaft and pistons are always moving, even if the fuel injectors aren't squirting gas," which Cars.com says "means [that] the Insight doesn't give the silent electric-only experience that most hybrids do." In terms of driving response, Car and Driver claims that the 2010 Honda Insight is "reasonably energetic around town if you keep in mind the fuel-saving goal," with a 0-60 mph time of "10.6 seconds, a bit behind the 10.1-second mark of the...Prius."

Like most hybrids, the 2010 Insight offers "a CVT [as] the only available transmission," according to Car and Driver. For those who dislike the operation of standard CVTs, Automobile Magazine says this 2010 Honda in EX trim "at least has a sport setting and available paddle shifting." The usual downsides remain, however, as USA Today reviewers report the transmission "has the unpleasant slipping-clutch sound and feel found in most hybrids."

Anyone expecting the 2010 Honda Insight to live up to the previous Insight's stellar fuel economy will be disappointed; unlike the first-generation Insight's 60-mpg-plus ratings, this 2010 Honda gets an EPA-estimated 40 mpg city and 43 mpg on the highway. Cars.com points out the rating "isn't particularly impressive" for a hybrid vehicle, but reviews read by TheCarConnection.com show that real-world fuel economy will likely be higher than the estimates. Automobile Magazine reviewers "achieved an indicated average of 57 mpg with the Econ mode engaged and while making a mild effort to keep the digital speedometer's background lighting green." Speaking of Econ mode, Jalopnik says the new Honda Insight features an "Econ button [that] is capable of making the Insight about 10 percent more efficient on its own" by smoothing out the throttle inputs.

Hybrid vehicles like the Honda Insight have long enjoyed a green reputation, but they've also been known as rather boring to drive. Honda is hoping to change that with the 2010 Honda Insight, which TheCarConnection.com finds to be a rather entertaining four-door. Reviewers tend to agree, with Car and Driver reporting that the Honda Insight features "tight suspension motions, a firm ride, well-connected steering, and a no-fat musculature." Automobile Magazine adds that "the brake and accelerator pedals have been tuned for conventional-feeling responses, with none of the mushiness that mars the Prius," while Jalopnik calls the new Honda Insight "actually somewhat fun to drive." In terms of the engine transition, Cars.com remarks that it is "pretty seamless as far as hybrids go," while also noting that the 2010 Honda Insight has "good steering feel and the handling is crisp." Edmunds effectively summarizes the reviewer sentiment by declaring the 2010 Honda Insight "by far the most enjoyable hybrid hatchback to drive."

Conclusion: Though it's not overtly sporty, the 2010 Honda Insight is far more engaging than anything else with a true two-mode hybrid powerplant.



2010 HONDA INSIGHT COMFORT AND QUALITY | [7 out of 10]

Cars.com: "A bit less passenger volume than the Fit and Civic Hybrid"

Jalopnik: "A remarkably practical vehicle given its overall size and low roofline"

Automobile Magazine: "One of the things you give up at this price point over the Civic Hybrid is the ability to pay extra for leather upholstery"

Unlike previous generations of hybrids, which featured monstrous battery packs that ate into both cargo and passenger space, the high-tech 2010 Insight features a small pack that allows drivers to make the most of the car's interior space.

Inside the cabin of the 2010 Honda Insight you'll find a decent amount of passenger space and seating arrangements for five occupants. However, Cars.com states that the backseat has "three seat belts...but functionally [it's] a two-passenger backseat." Up front, Car and Driver reports that the "cockpit space is generous for two," while Automobile Magazine deems the front seats "simple and comfortable." The back of this 2010 Honda gets cramped in a hurry, though, with Edmunds calling it "considerably tighter than the Toyota's family-sedan-grade rear quarters" and USA Today asserting that "headroom in back is limited." Overall space is "substantially less than in the Prius (85 cubic feet versus 96)," according to reviewers at Car and Driver.

One area where the 2010 Honda Insight clearly outclasses its competitors is in terms of usable cargo space, which is abundant in both trim levels. Cars.com finds that this 2010 Honda "has more cargo space behind its backseat than the Civic Hybrid has in its trunk," while also pointing out that "the rear seats fold...for maximum cargo volume of 31.5 cu. ft." Jalopnik raves that the 2010 Insight is "a remarkably practical vehicle given its overall size and low roofline," while Automobile Magazine reviewers award the Honda Insight a big thumbs-up for its "low and easily accessible" cargo floor.

Reviews read by TheCarConnection.com are somewhat divided when it comes to overall materials quality on this 2010 Honda model. Cars.com feels that "Honda has been ahead of the curve in terms of the quality of its affordable-car interiors" and approves of the "bright gauges and nice, low-gloss surfaces." Taking the other side of the debate are reviewers from Automobile Magazine, who warn that "one of the things you give up at this price point over the Civic Hybrid is the ability to pay extra for leather upholstery," among other things, which they say "you'll be reminded of...every time you run your fingertips over the cheap seat fabric."

Reviewers are also split over the amount of road noise that makes its way into the cabin of the 2010 Honda Insight. While TheCarConnection.com's editors feel that road noise is suitably suppressed, Edmunds says there is "bothersome road noise at highway speeds." However, Cars.com reviewers point out that the Honda Insight's "cabin noise is admirably low considering affordable, efficient cars often shed noise-abatement measures in order to shave weight and improve mileage."

Conclusion: For a $20,000 car, the 2010 Honda Insight delivers what we'd expect, though the backseats are tight.



2010 HONDA INSIGHT SAFETY | [8 out of 10]

IIHS: Not yet tested

NHTSA: Not yet tested

Edmunds: "All Insights come standard with antilock brakes (front disc/rear drum)

As of this writing, the 2010 Honda Insight hasn't been crash-tested yet. However, Honda has a long safety pedigree, and editors at TheCarConnection.com expect better-than-average scores for this compact 2010 Honda hybrid. Stay tuned to TheCarConnection.com for the latest updates on the 2010 Insight's crash-test scores.

Aside from the pending crash-test scores, TheCarConnection.com's editors note that the 2010 Honda Insight has most of the requisite safety equipment. Standard safety features on the 2010 Insight include "antilock brakes and side-impact and side curtain airbags," according to Cars.com. Cars.com reviewers also point out that "the front seats also have active head restraints." Unfortunately, Edmunds reports that the base 2010 Honda hybrid "LX lacks stability control and traction control, which come standard on the EX." These lifesaving features alone might make the jump up to the EX trim of the 2010 Honda Insight worth the extra couple thousand dollars that the upgraded model will cost you.

One area where this 2010 Honda excels is, surprisingly, driver visibility. Typically, these teardrop-shaped hatchbacks have poor rearward visibility, but Automobile Magazine reports that "rear visibility isn't bad through the CRX-style split hatch glass" that adorns the tailgate of the 2010 Honda Insight. Cars.com also states that "visibility is very good to the front and sides" from the driver's seat of the Honda Insight.

Conclusion: Crash-test data should only confirm that the 2010 Honda Insight is family-safe.



2010 HONDA INSIGHT FEATURES | [6 out of 10]

Cars.com: "Mainly functional features that distinguish the EX"

Car and Driver: "Emphasis here is on bringing down the price of hybrid benefits more than pushing out the technical frontier"

USA Today: "Base LX is surprisingly deficient: no stability control, center storage or map lights"

When you make the decision to purchase a 2010 Honda Insight, you won't have many options to choose from. In fact, the only real question is whether you want the 2010 Insight in EX or LX trim, since TheCarConnection.com's research shows that virtually no options are available on the all-new Honda Insight.

Although both trims of the 2010 Honda Insight are quite cheap, there is a huge disparity between the equipment levels found on each. Cars.com reports that "it's mainly functional features that distinguish the [2010 Insight] EX, including cruise control, a USB audio interface, seatback pockets, visor vanity mirrors, [and] a center armrest storage console between the front seats." Car and Driver remarks that "the emphasis here is on bringing down the price of hybrid benefits more than pushing out the technical frontier," which explains why the base 2010 Honda LX is so lightly equipped. According to Edmunds, the 2010 Honda Insight LX "comes standard with 15-inch steel wheels, full power accessories, automatic climate control...and a four-speaker CD audio system with an auxiliary jack," and not much else after that. USA Today properly describes the 2010 Honda Insight LX as "surprisingly deficient," with "no stability control, center storage or map lights," and thus, "Honda expects 65% of buyers to take the fancier EX."

You might expect that, with such a limited standard features list, options would play a large role in outfitting and personalizing this 2010 Honda. In reality, however, absolutely no options are available for the Honda Insight LX. With the 2010 Honda Insight EX, Edmunds reports "the lone option is a navigation system...that includes voice-activated controls and Bluetooth connectivity."

Conclusion: The 2010 Honda Insight is the obvious choice for a fun and cheap hybrid, but for cutting-edge technology features, you'll have to look elsewhere.