Road Test
Wrap-Up: March 2002
Hybrid Powertrain
Playing the Fuel Economy Game
Ride & Handling
Interior Accommodations
Maintenance/Reliability Outlook
Final Sale & Delivery to New Owner
Summing Up
Changes to the Insight Since 2000
Pros and Cons
Best Logbook Quotes
Recalls & Problem History
Dealer Service Reviews
Consumer Commentary
Introduction
When we leased our Honda Insight two years ago, we had no illusions that this frugal two-seater would be a top seller — just 3,788 Insights found homes in 2000 and 4,726 in 2001. But we knew that the first gas/electric hybrid to make it to the United States (just ahead of Toyota's Prius) was important, perhaps more important than the subsequent winners of our Most Significant Car of the Year Award, the Chrysler PT Cruiser and Mini Cooper (a Cooper S will join our fleet this summer). Consider that the 60-plus-mpg Insight, which is self-sustaining save for infrequent trips to the gas station and scheduled maintenance, proves that ecologically friendly hybrid cars can be both practical and entertaining — something one can't yet say about fully electric cars.
But as we're situated in Southern California, we have to remind ourselves that the rest of the United States hasn't been exposed to the comparatively dense Insight population here. And what of the Prius? Isn't a Corolla-sized five-passenger vehicle more practical? Sure it is. And Honda has enhanced the technology used in the Insight to create a Civic Hybrid Sedan that basically looks and performs like any other Civic while delivering up to 51 mpg on the highway.
So think of the Insight as an early gas/electric hybrid — with luck, it will have many descendants that will surpass it in terms of livability and efficiency. For now, we're impressed by its ability to survive, and even thrive, in lands ruled by high-speed interstates and trucks. We can't say that our Insight was everyone's first choice to drive home at the end of the day, but as months passed, it amassed an adoring fan base, some of whom wouldn't have minded giving it a permanent home. Unlike other owners who have written us, we never managed to pull down sensational fuel economy numbers on a consistent basis, but it's hard for us to be disappointed by a 52.6-mpg lifetime average. Besides that, we never had to deal with any repair hassles, and the car was in perfect condition when we sold it with 33,719 miles.
Recall that due to high regional demand (in relative terms, of course), we had to scour Southern California before locating one of the first 90 Insights to arrive in the U.S. at Pacific Honda in San Diego. Since Honda didn't offer the continuously variable transmission (CVT) for the Insight during the first year, the only available option was air conditioning (via an automatic climate control system) for $1,200, and our Silverstone Metallic model had it, bringing the price on the window sticker to $20,495. The car also had several dealer-installed add-ons — two additional rear speakers (for a grand total of four), a six-CD changer and floor mats — which together added $923 to the price. We didn't really want these items, but we wanted the car, so that was that.
Hybrid Powertrain
At the risk of sounding redundant, the most interesting and revolutionary thing about the Insight is its gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain or in Honda's terms, the Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) system. IMA combines the efforts of a 1.0-liter 12-valve inline three-cylinder VTEC-E gasoline engine and a lightweight permanent-magnet electric motor capable of recharging its own power supply — a bank of 120 D-sized nickel-metal hydride batteries (with a total output of 144 volts) housed under the cargo floor.
The gas engine does the bulk of the work, supplying 67 horsepower at 5,700 rpm and 66 pound-feet of torque at 4,800 rpm. Aided by VTEC-E, or Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control for Economy (previously seen in the Civic HX Coupe and the deceased VX Hatchback), the engine can burn leaner air/fuel mixtures than those in other Hondas, resulting in better fuel economy.
Mounted between the gas engine and the transmission, the electric motor provides only supplemental power. Yet, the motor's contributions at low rpm are what made the Insight feel as livable as it did to our staff, as it improves the total torque output to 91 lb-ft at 2,000 rpm, while adding 6 extra horsepower. During coasting and braking, the electric motor becomes a generator — forward momentum is converted to electrical energy (instead of being lost as heat) — and restores power to the battery pack.
Honda designed a new five-speed manual transmission specifically for the Insight's IMA system that weighs just 91 pounds — about 9 pounds less than the unit used in the Civic. With the five-speed, the 2000 Insight is rated at 61 mpg in the city and 70 on the highway (this was adjusted to 61/68 for the 2001 model year) and qualifies as an ultra-low emissions vehicle or ULEV (you have to get the CVT version if you want the coveted SULEV rating). In practice, the transmission provided the light, precise shift action that Hondas are known for. Gearing is on the tall side, so when we got stuck in traffic, we could easily bump along in first or second gear.
Although the Insight scoots away from stoplights quickly thanks to its electric motor, there still isn't a lot of power to work with in the lower part of the tach, so editors liked to let the gas engine rev up a bit. Of course, this is not what the upshift arrow in the gauge cluster would have us do, as it encourages conservative shift points to maximize fuel economy. To most drivers, though, the arrow illuminated too early to permit smooth operation: "If you shifted up when the light comes on, you'd be lugging the engine big-time," Road Test Editor John DiPietro wrote.
This issue aside, most of our staff found the car's power supply adequate for their daily travels in the city and on the highway. "I found it possible, if sometimes challenging, to merge with freeway traffic, get in front of city traffic and sufficiently place the car when changing lanes in West Los Angeles," Editor-in-Chief Karl Brauer wrote in the logbook. "It will maintain 80 mph on the freeway, and while I'm not willing to call the Insight fast, I'm not willing to dub it a slow, pathetic dog, either."
But with the Insight's maximum payload (of humans and cargo) of just 365 pounds, performance is definitely affected by the addition of a passenger. "Riding alone, the engine provides plenty of zip once you get used to its strange powerband," Road Test Editor Ed Hellwig observed. "Low-end torque is definitely lacking, but if you keep the revs up, this little sucker moves along just fine. Add another person and some junk in the back and things definitely get a little too slow for comfortable maneuvering."
Even then, it is possible to subsist in traffic, provided you plan ahead for lane changes and impending elevation increases. "Even with two occupants and several days' worth of luggage aboard," said one editor, "the Insight did as well as any of the cars and trucks surrounding it on Interstate 5 and pulled in a cool, collected 75 mph through the mountains."
Steep highway grades proved most taxing for the IMA system; on several occasions, drivers reported that the battery charge (as displayed in the instrument cluster) depleted to the point that the electric motor was no longer providing assistance, leaving the gas engine to go it alone. This was more of an annoyance than a safety issue, as one could simply downshift and ride out the climb in the right-hand lane. Having cleared a grade, we found that the batteries quickly recovered their strength during a subsequent descent. Moreover, if you're smooth and deliberate with throttle and brake inputs, it is possible to maintain charge — and electric motor assist — throughout an ascent, as our consumer advice editor did when he crossed Colorado's Vail Pass, which reaches an altitude of 10,000 feet.
One thing to keep in mind when planning a trip in an Insight is that cruise control isn't provided. This gives the car a more spartan feel that its $20,000 price tag would suggest.
In order to make the most of its sophisticated drivetrain, engineers gave the Insight an aerodynamic all-aluminum body, which is 40 percent lighter than a comparable steel body and gives the car a low 0.25 coefficient of drag. This certainly helps fuel economy, but the downside is that aluminum body panels can be expensive to replace and could potentially lead to higher insurance premiums. Also part of the Insight's economical package are skinny, low-rolling-resistance Bridgestone Potenza RE92 165/65SR14 tires and rear wheel skirts (which must be removed to clean the alloy wheels or change a tire). The tires had their own set of consequences, as you'll read in the Ride & Handling section, and we actually lost one of the skirts, ostensibly because someone removed it and failed to re-install it securely with the fussy plastic bolts provided.
We have often written of the IMA's fuel-saving idle-stop feature, which can be a bit alarming to first-time drivers and passengers. When the driver puts the transmission in neutral and disengages the clutch, the IMA shuts off the gas engine, provided that power isn't needed to run the air conditioning. Then, when the driver depresses the clutch pedal and shifts into first, the electric motor restarts the gas engine. For the most part, this transition occurs pretty seamlessly, though one editor reported occasional delays; we never determined whether or not this was a problem.
Playing the Fuel Economy Game
What really sets the Insight apart from other cars we've had in our long-term fleet is the way we drove it — as if it were a game. Seat yourself in an Insight, and you're greeted by a green and orange electroluminescent digital instrument cluster, which includes a meter to show you when the electric motor is assisting and when it's charging the battery pack; a meter to show instantaneous fuel economy and another display to show you the average mpg. If you're the driver of said car, you can't keep your eyes off this stuff. Whether you feel excited by the challenge or merely guilty, you're motivated to improve the numbers before you.
Over the months, nearly every editor had a story to tell about efforts undertaken to keep the battery pack juiced and the miles per gallon up. "It's such a strange sensation to be cut off by another driver on the freeway," Senior Road Test Editor Brent Romans wrote in the logbook. "Instead of being angry at his rudeness, I'm mad that he caused me to hit the brakes, lose my momentum and lower my fuel mileage. Don't these inconsiderate people know I'm trying to keep a more-than-60-mpg average?"
Several editors were particularly enamored with the mileage they achieved while the Insight was under pressure. "...The car carried two people on a 450-mile round-trip journey from Santa Barbara to Big Bear Lake, which is at nearly 7,000 feet in the San Bernardino Mountains," wrote one editor. "Often traveling with the windows down and the A/C off, average speeds were in the 70-to-75-mph range. Over 449.8 miles, the Insight knocked down 58.9 mpg. Impressive for any car. More so for one with A/C, power windows, a six-disc CD changer and enough storage space for two people to travel over a weekend."
Although Honda's first hybrid can be driven much like any other car, extracting the best fuel economy numbers will require a more deliberate approach for most people.
After averaging nearly 80 mpg over a 97-mile test loop, Romans observed, "The Insight is extremely sensitive. Driving style and environmental conditions have a huge effect on gas consumption. Using the fuel consumption display (FCD), I could instantly tell how changing my driving style would alter mileage. Driving at normal highway speeds (70 to 80 mph) with the air conditioning drops fuel mileage by 20 percent, or down to 55 to 65 mpg."
Our road test coordinator, Neil Chirico, found it useful to apply his track driving skills to the task; he averaged upwards of 60 mpg on his demanding 132-mile daily round-trip commute — allowing him to squeeze nearly a week's worth of commuting out of a 10.6-gallon tank of gas. "I find the best way to drive the Insight is to drive it like a race car," he wrote. "When you are driving on a track, the best method is to carry as much speed through the course as possible while trying to be as smooth as you can. This same method works when driving the Insight.
"Abrupt use of the gas and brake pedal takes its toll on the equipment in terms of added wear and tear (and lower fuel mileage), more than when you are smooth in your brake and throttle applications. By planning ahead for where you want the car to be, not only going into corners, but coming out, you put yourself in the correct position for the next maneuver. The Insight really should be driven similarly, only at normal street-legal speeds to maximize efficiency."
Ride & Handling
In keeping with its body and powertrain design, the Insight's suspension, steering and brake components were all designed to be as lightweight and compact as possible, while still resulting in acceptable ride and handling characteristics. Having spent two years with our hybrid, we'll agree that given its intended purpose, it was relatively agile, even fun to drive and generally provided a decent ride. But there is room for improvement, though possibly at the expense of fuel economy.
The suspension components include an all-aluminum independent McPherson strut setup in front and a space-saving semi-independent twist-beam design in rear. Using aluminum, rather than steel, reduces unsprung weight.
In practice, the suspension manages to deliver a comfortable ride on smooth surfaces. Hit a patch of broken pavement, though, and it conspires with the Insight's hard-compound low-rolling-resistance tires to show little compassion for the occupants' comfort.
"Because of my larger body type (6-foot 1-inch, 200 pounds)," said one driver, "I find the car beats me up a little. With the Insight's low center of gravity, the springs seem to have very little travel in them; when going over a bump, the car feels very stiff and unforgiving."
This issue is exacerbated by the addition of a passenger and luggage: "I noticed the difference when I drove slowly over a speed bump or road imperfection," Road Test Editor Erin Riches wrote. "The suspension becomes rather violently unsettled, and occupants and cargo are casually tossed and then thunked back down with an alarming jolt."
The grooved (or "washboard") pavement often found on freeways also presents an issue for the Insight. Neither the tires nor the suspension are much help in filtering out the harshness, so vibration tends to invade the cabin. "It reminded me of having my teeth drilled by a dentist," our consumer advice editor, Philip Reed, noted in the logbook. Besides that, the tires are keen on following these grooves, which creates a traction problem at highway speeds and requires the driver to maintain a firm hold on the steering wheel.
Alongside our complaints about ride quality, we can tell you that the Insight's suspension does come through with a surprisingly responsive feel around turns and curves. For some drivers, though, that still wasn't enough to offset the unpleasant ride. "While the taut suspension and quick steering provide a nicely balanced vehicle with which to slide through corners, the setup is really unforgiving to the driver," Road Test Editor Liz Kim wrote.
Engineers selected a high-mounted, electrically controlled power steering system, as it takes up less space than a traditional hydraulic system and opened up more options for placement in the chassis. From a driving standpoint, the system does a good job at varying the steering effort level. "A quick spin of the wheel is all that's required to back out of a parking spot and be on your way," said one editor.
Braking is provided via a conventional front disc/rear drum setup with ABS all around; however, the front calipers and the rear drums are aluminum to cut down on weight. In everyday driving situations, the brakes performed solidly, though with limited traction from the narrow tires during harder braking, the ABS tended to engage more readily than we would have liked. When we did instrumented testing on the Insight, our best braking distance from 60 mph was 137.6 feet, which doesn't put the Insight among the elite, but it's not terrible, either.
Although the Insight isn't a car that you'll wish to push hard along a curvy two-lane road, doing so wouldn't be altogether unpleasant. Factor in the car's accurate steering; modest curb weight and small exterior dimensions, and you have a highly maneuverable vehicle for crowded urban areas.
"The lack of on-demand passing power requires some advance planning," Hellwig wrote, "but I love the way this thing can squeeze into the smallest pockets with ease."
"This car is genuinely fun to drive, thanks to responsive steering, strong brakes and its feather-light curb weight," Executive Editor Christian Wardlaw wrote. "Even the skinny little tires are OK, when they aren't hunting grooves in the pavement like a hound on the trail of a felon."
Most of our staff would have been willing to trade a few miles per gallon to get a slightly wider set of tires with better grip. One issue we haven't mentioned thus far is the susceptibility of a 1,887-pound car to crosswinds, and in these situations, the tires certainly weren't doing the car any favors. Wet roads also tended to test their adhesion limits.
Interior Accommodations
To go along with the Insight's personality is a cabin that combines quasi-futuristic aesthetics with forthright functionality. Surrounding the glowing digital instrument cluster is a shapely center stack set off by the faux aluminum inlays. The small, sporty steering wheel seems to have been fashioned from the same mold used for the S2000's. The seats are a slim high-back design covered in the sort of two-tone, woven synthetic fabric usually reserved for uncompromising sports cars.
The optional automatic climate control system has one of the industry's easiest-to-use layouts — a large dial for temperature, a few large buttons and an extremely legible digital read-out. "I'm a big fan of simple interiors," Hellwig wrote, "so the Insight's minimal dashboard buttons are a welcome sight. With its straightforward automatic climate control system, the Insight only requires a handful of buttons to allow for a complete range of settings. Why can't all cars be this simple?"
The stereo head unit isn't quite as easy to navigate, as the buttons are smaller, but as one driver observed, "They're still easy to use, mainly because the driver sits so close to the center stack in this car." The secondary control stalks are simple to use and substantial in feel, and with the absence of cruise control, there aren't too many functions to puzzle over in the first place. Really, our only complaint about the interior controls is that the driver's window buttons are located on the left side of the dash rather than the driver door.
With their modest amount of cushioning, editors found that the Insight's seats could be comfortable — for shorter periods (two hours or less, that is). The lack of height adjustment made it hard for some drivers to find a suitable driving position. One editor, who is only about 5 feet tall, complained, "I could not get comfortable in this car. The seat is low, and I'm short, so I felt like I was sitting on the ground and peering over the steering wheel. It was awful." Taller drivers like Wardlaw also wished for seat-height adjustments to increase their comfort level.
Others reported lousy rear visibility due to the hatchback's steep rake and split-glass design. "Not only is it tough to spot motorcycle cops pacing you, but it's particularly hard to change lanes to your right," Reed wrote. "You can't easily see out the back. And when you are looking behind you into the right lane, your view is blocked by the roofline. For me, as a commuter, this is a serious safety problem."
Despite its odd shape, the hatchback proved to be surprisingly accommodating for editors on the go. Wardlaw wrote in his notes, "The hatch swallowed my golf clubs without a problem, and I used it to carry two large suitcases, a backpack, a carry-on and two laptops. Impressive."
Another issue related to cabin enjoyment that bears mention is road noise. With little weight to spare for the sake of performance and fuel economy, engineers apparently weren't able to give the Insight much in the way of insulation. "The motor may be near silent, but so much road noise is transmitted through the cabin that you really enjoy very few peaceful moments," Kim wrote.
Maintenance/Reliability Outlook
The Insight's normal-duty maintenance schedule calls for service every 7,500 miles, though we initially followed the severe-duty schedule, which halves that interval. Two-year maintenance costs, as given in the Summing Up section, are for the normal-duty schedule. The basic warranty covers three years or 36,000 miles, and we had four warranty repairs performed.
The first two were Honda "Product Updates" (we received notification by mail) — one called for the replacement of the ECM to improve sub-zero starting and the other called for the replacement of the rear wiper motor to improve AM radio reception. We had to have the Insight towed back to Miller Honda in Culver City, Calif., between these repairs, but this was due to a technician's faulty installation of an ECM fastening clip and we didn't blame the car.
The third warranty repair occurred during the 15,000-mile service when a technician found a single bad battery cell in the Insight's bank of 120 and replaced it. The final repair was made during the 30,000-mile service, when technicians lubed the driver window track in an attempt to cure what some editors deemed slow operation.
There were a few isolated instances when editors found the shifter reluctant to engage reverse and second gear. Other drivers thought they felt clutch chatter — the pulsing typically associated with a worn clutch. But these problems didn't seem to persist, so we didn't bring them to a dealer's attention.
Given the fact that our Insight required no serious repairs and was always in prime operating condition during its nearly 34,000-mile tenure with our staff, we would say that its reliability outlook is very bright indeed.
Final Sale & Delivery to New Owner
As the end of our Insight's lease approached, we looked at our contract to see what we could buy it for. We confirmed that the residual value was set at $8,880. Checking our private-party
TMV® price for the Insight, we found the market value of the car was $15,146. Obviously, it looked like we could make a killing by buying the Insight and selling it ourselves. However, we had to remind ourselves that, by having a low residual, we had been making high monthly payments ($687 per month after putting down $2,000). So, instead of profiting, we were actually recouping some of our money.
The job of selling the Insight fell to Consumer Advice Editor Philip Reed. He advertised it on Autotrader.com and in the
Los Angeles Times classifieds. He got exactly one call from an interested buyer over a two-week span. Unsuccessful in making a deal with the first caller, he dropped the price to $14,900 and ran more ads. No callers.
Finally, two weeks after the Insight was listed, Reed received a fax from Dr. Alan Shackelford of Boulder, Colo. Shackelford had been reading about our exploits with the Insight and was interested in buying it. He told Reed that an Insight was recently sold at a Denver-area dealership for $14,900. However, it had only 15,000 miles on it. Reed agreed to discount our Insight 5 cents for every additional mile we had. This brought the price to $13,500.
Shackelford had hoped to fly to Los Angeles and drive back in the little hybrid two-seater, but his schedule closed in on him and he ran out of time. Reed volunteered to drive the Insight to Boulder if Shackelford would pay for a plane ticket back home. Our editor was curious to see what kind of gas mileage he could log on the open road. He was also interested to see how the Insight would climb Vail Pass (elevation 10,000 feet) on Colorado's Interstate 70.
Early on a Friday morning, Reed set out from his home in Long Beach, Calif., with a full tank of gas. Once he cleared the Los Angeles metro area, he found himself cruising at 80-plus mph. The longest and toughest climb on the trip turned out to be a 16-mile grade north of Baker, Calif. The engine struggled somewhat and had to be downshifted to third. The electric battery pack was completely depleted.
Reed drove all the way to Beaver, Utah, before he filled the tank, traveling 515 miles on 9.9 gallons of gas that cost $12.34.
Driving across Utah, he encountered strong winds. The little car, though very light, remained stable. As he passed trucks, the turbulence made the handling a little twitchy. But it didn't feel dangerous. He put the dealer-installed six-disc CD changer to good use, and the time passed quickly. By sunset, he had driven 810 miles and still had a half tank of gas after filling up only once.
The next day, Reed saw that because of a snowstorm the day before, tire chains were still being required to cross Vail Pass. Bad weather was ahead. He got a taste of winter driving while passing through Glenwood Canyon along I-70. Long patches of ice were yet unmelted by the sun. He had no problems but didn't attempt to make any emergency stops or turns. He just kept the car pointed straight ahead at about 40 mph.
When Reed reached Vail Pass, the chain requirement had been lifted. What's more, the freshly fallen snow had turned to slush. And the car climbed remarkably well, not even using up the battery pack's charge. The only difficulty was with visibility since the spray nozzles on the Insight had frozen. There, he filled the tank again after 530 miles, this time with 7.9 gallons at a cost of $9.24. Despite the rigors of driving through the Rockies, the Insight had averaged 67.1 mpg.
The Insight's new owner was waiting on the curb when Phil arrived — obviously eager to climb behind the wheel of his new car. After a test drive, the keys were handed off and Phil walked away from the faithful beast of burden. Like a scene from a movie, he had to turn back one last time, to silently say goodbye to this innovative and futuristic vehicle that had reliably carried him so many miles.
Summing Up
So the Insight is an interesting car — interesting enough that we found thousands of words to say about it in its absence. Should you buy one? Sure, if your priorities in selecting a vehicle are extremely frugal fuel consumption, cutting-edge technology and the thrill of being seen in a vehicle that everyone else will know is cool, different and worthy of attention.
But can you deal with a two-seater (with a paltry 365-pound payload limit) that while fun and challenging to drive, has harsh ride quality, lots of road noise, compromised rear visibility and featherweight status in lands populated by trucks?
Some of us say yes:
"I realized how often it was just me and a bagful of stuff in the back. How much room and power do you really need for that? It made the people bombing around by themselves in an Expedition look kind of silly. Of course, there were times when I had to make arrangements for other means of transportation due to the lack of seating, but it wasn't often enough to make the Insight's two-seater capacity a constant issue." — Ed Hellwig
"Could this clever little Honda with a 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine really be my favorite car? Quite possibly. I find every aspect of it appealing. I like the interior design. I like the exterior design. I like how, despite being a completely radical new design and a first-year car, our Insight has been virtually trouble-free. Oh, and I love driving this car." — Brent Romans
And others say no:
"I know that the Insight is a technological sensation; it's a forerunner of the breed and certainly a step in the right direction in environmental terms. The thing is, you're just sacrificing too much to get back very little, especially in light of the fact that the Toyota Prius is such a more eminently livable car." — Liz Kim
"I wouldn't buy this car. Americans continue to pay a pittance for gas, no matter that they believe otherwise. And at just 1,700 pounds, it wouldn't take much to crush the Insight in a crash. If fuel economy were my priority in a practical commuter, I'd take the Volkswagen Golf TDI, even though it doesn't burn as cleanly. It has a seat-height adjuster, Germanic handling characteristics, seating for four real people and superior hatchback utility, for a lower price. Kudos to Honda for exploring the gas/electric hybrid technology and aluminum construction, though." — Christian Wardlaw
Although the Insight lovers on our staff will stick by Honda's first hybrid, the rest of us — along with the majority of our readers — will probably be happier behind the wheel of a 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid, which has even more sophisticated hybrid technology underneath a sensible Civic body.
To learn more about gas/electric hybrids, check out our article
How a Hybrid Works.
Edmunds.com True Market Value® at End of Lease:1
Private Party: $15,146
Trade-In: $13,780
Dealer Retail: $16,791
Certified Used: $17,541
What It Sold For: $13,500
Depreciation: $6,995 (or 34 percent of original MSRP)2
Final Odometer Reading: 33,719
Best Fuel Economy: 79.9 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 35.3 mpg
Average Fuel Economy: 52.6 mpg
Total Body Repair Costs: $342.10
Total Routine Maintenance Costs: $692.75
Additional Maintenance Costs: None
Warranty Repairs: 4
Non-Warranty Repairs: None
Scheduled Dealer Visits: 4
Unscheduled Dealer Visits: 13
Days Out of Service: 5
Breakdowns Stranding Driver: 0
| 1These values are for a Silverstone Metallic 2000 Honda Insight with 32,202 miles in "clean" condition in the 90404 zip code in February 2002. 2In order to calculate the two-year depreciation, we compared the Insight's original MSRP ($20,495) with the final sale price to a private-party buyer. 3Our sole unscheduled dealer visit was not the fault of the Insight. When performing an ECM swap (as part of one of Honda's "Product Updates") in June 2000, a technician didn't fasten a clip completely, and as we drove over the next couple of days, the clip loosened even more until the Insight would no longer start. Apparently, this was the first Insight the service department had ever encountered, and the dealership paid for a flatbed tow and a rental car. |
Changes to the Insight Since 2000
2001 — Honda made a continuously variable transmission (CVT) available for the Insight in 2001, and Monte Carlo Blue Pearl replaced Citrus Yellow on the color chart. Additionally, the mileage rating for the five-speed Insight was adjusted to 61/68.
2002 — No changes.
Similar Vehicles: Honda Civic Hybrid, Toyota Prius
Pros, Cons and Edmunds.com Says
Pros: Amazing fuel economy, sophisticated technology, quick steering, lots of standard equipment, outstanding interior ergonomics, involves you in a challenging game every time you get behind the wheel, required only regular maintenance over 33,000 miles of hard use.
Cons: Batteries drain fast under continual electric motor assist, highly susceptible to crosswinds, not much point-and-shoot power on tap, low-rolling resistance tires yield harsh ride and limited grip, hatch design impedes rearward visibility, only seats two, 365-pound payload limit.
Edmunds.com Says: Some cars make you feel like a champion. This one makes you feel like a hero. Trouble is, you can't bring the family along for the ride.
Best Logbook Quotes
"...For much of the month, the Insight was driven in a pelting deluge. Somehow, I felt that the electric-powered Insight, whose motor already reminds me of that of a blow dryer, should come with one of those tags that reads 'Keep away from moisture! Warn children of the danger of electrocution!' Hmm — a car that relentlessly reminds you of its 'electric-ness' driven through this huge puddle — ah, there's nothing like the smell of fried automotive journalist in the morning!" — Liz Kim
"The Insight has a way of creeping up on you, turning your initial disdain into affection. When you stop and think of what this car is achieving, getting better fuel economy than my motorcycle, for example, it's amazing." — John DiPietro
"It's kind of a plain-Civic-meets-Dr.-Evil quasi-futuristic design. A lot of people were totally awestruck with this little beastie. Forget all the 'save the earth' crap; this thing is an attention magnet. I couldn't believe the number of people who would just stare at me and the car." — Scott Jacobs
"A few select cars in this world, such as a Corvette or a Mercedes S500, make me feel like a champion when I drive them. The Insight is the only car I know of that makes me feel like a hero."
— Brent Romans
"...This car makes a lot of sense for a young person with a short commute and not a lot of friends (in which case this car can become your friend)." — Scott Memmer
Recalls & Problem History
Recalls: None
Problem History:
- During the 15,000-mile service, a technician found a single bad cell in the Insight's 120-unit battery pack and replaced it.
- Editors reported that the driver window was slow to roll up. Technicians found no problem but cleaned and lubricated the track.
Dealer Service Reviews
Miller Honda in Culver City, Calif.
June 2000
"We decided to go to Miller Honda in Culver City, Calif., since we had a good experience at this dealership when we took our '99 Honda Odyssey minivan there. Miller doesn't require appointments, so we just showed up unannounced. Thinking back, we probably should have told Miller that we were coming. It seems our Insight was the first the dealership had ever serviced.
"When we showed up early Tuesday afternoon, the service adviser wasn't available, and so a gentleman responsible for aftermarket equipment installations wrote up our invoice. He was interested in the Insight but not very knowledgeable about it. He incorrectly called it a pure electric vehicle, not a hybrid. We left the vehicle, expecting to pick it up the next day.
"When we first called Miller Honda the next day, we couldn't get in contact with anybody in the service department. We left a voice message in the morning inquiring about the Insight's status, but never got a reply. Finally, after a few more calls to the service department, we got in touch with the service adviser. He informed us that work hadn't started on the Insight yet. The dealership lacked the correct size oil filters and had to order them. Miller also had to order the parts for the updates.
"Our Insight was ready to be picked up on Thursday afternoon. Unfortunately, the parts for the AM radio reception update didn't come in, so only the oil change and ECM swap were completed. We didn't want to leave the car at the dealership any longer, so the service adviser informed us he would hold onto the parts until we returned for our next oil change.
"On Friday, one of our drivers noticed that the Engine Immobilizer warning light was staying on, so we called Miller on Monday and were informed the service department was so backlogged that nothing could be done until Tuesday. We thought we had no choice but to wait, but then the Insight became even sicker and refused to start.
"After several tries, we found that the engine would sometimes turn over a bit in an effort to start but, most of the time, we would turn the key only to hear silence. We knew that this problem was related to the Immobilizer warning light, most likely related to the ECM swap. We called Miller and explained that the Insight was now undriveable, and after a bit of negotiating, they agreed to spring for towing the Insight back to the dealership and a rental car.
"After we arrived at Miller Honda, getting the rental car — an unloved, under-optioned Cavalier — was no problem. This time, we brought the spare key since the ECM swap requires that all keys be reprogrammed (or else they will no longer be operational) and handed them personally to the service adviser with a thorough explanation. He said that he would take care of all the keys.
"The next day, Miller Honda called to say that the Insight had awakened from its coma. Apparently, when the new ECM was installed, the technician did not fasten a clip completely — the more we drove, the looser it became until the Insight would no longer start. Since the parts for the AM stereo reception update arrived that afternoon, the dealership asked if it could keep our vehicle overnight and have it ready by the next morning.
"The Insight was not ready until almost 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday — we suspect that work did not begin until we called at 11:30 that morning. We arrived at the dealer around 2:00 p.m. and then had to wait 20 minutes while the spare key was located and reprogrammed.
"Throughout our service experience, everyone at the dealer service department seemed even more baffled about this car than we were. One member of the service department actually asked if he could drive our car around the block."
Santa Monica Honda in Santa Monica, Calif.
7,500-mile service, October 2000
"Our month in the Insight began with a 7,500-mile service visit to Santa Monica Honda for an oil change, tire rotation and inspection of the front and rear brakes, tie-rod ends, steering box, suspension components and halfshaft boots. At first, the tab of nearly $130 seemed pricey, but after a closer look at the receipt and realizing that this interval was more than just an oil-and-filter change and a tire rotation, the total of $129.43 seemed more reasonable. Santa Monica Honda was easy to deal with and they had the car in and out of their shop in one day."
15,000-mile service, March 2001
"Our long-term Insight went in for its 15,000-mile checkup to Honda of Santa Monica. This included a whole litany of services — changing filters, lubing the chassis, checking tires and brakes. Overall, the car was pronounced in good health, with 4 millimeters of brake pad depth front and rear, the best tires already on the front (and thus no rotating necessary), and no major illnesses found. Interesting to note: The dealership found a single bad battery cell in the rechargeable battery pack and replaced it. Other than that, the hybrid charging system required no service. Total cost: $163.91."
22,500-mile service, July 2001
"According to the Insight's owner's manual, the 22,500-mile service is what Honda lists as the 'A' service. The A service list has only two items on it: replace engine oil (notice that it is not recommended to change the oil filter) and rotate the tires. Simple, right? Well, you'd think so. Off we went to our local Honda dealer for our scheduled appointment.
"Upon arriving, Road Test Coordinator Neil Chirico was promptly greeted by a service person who knew who he was and what the vehicle was there for (we had called ahead and made an appointment). The greeter, as we'll call him, politely directed Neil to the service advisor with whom he had made the appointment and checked to make sure that he had everything he needed out of the vehicle before it was driven away.
"Inside the office, Neil waited a short time while the service advisor finished with another customer. When it was his turn, Neil sat down and explained that we wanted to follow the Honda-recommended service schedule exactly as described in the owner's manual. Neil even gave the advisor the page number for the schedule.
"The service advisor listened and repeated back to Neil what he thought he wanted done to the vehicle, but basically the service advisor was trying to sell Neil more than he needed. Neil reiterated that we wanted the Honda-recommended service and nothing more. The advisor decided to type up the repair order as follows: "customer request to perform service as per owner's manual (by the book) page 150."
"Later that afternoon, Neil went to pay for and pick up our Insight. He reviewed the bill and discovered that the price was in line with the original estimate, but the dealership had replaced the oil filter (it only gets replaced at the 15,000-mile intervals). So we spent an extra $9.51 above what the Honda prescribed service should have cost. Now, we are not objecting to the fact that they changed the filter, we are just trying to report accurately on the maintenance costs as recommended by Honda."
30,000-mile service, December 2001
"Road Test Coordinator Neil Chirico called the dealer on a rainy Thursday morning and asked if they could take the vehicle that same day for the service (rainy days are good days for same-day service). He contacted a service advisor he had used on a previous visit, who told him to bring the Insight in with the assurance that the dealership would be able to complete the service the same day.
"Neil promptly took the vehicle down to the dealer, bringing with him a list of Honda's recommended 30,000-mile service items and a list of staff notes on some of the Insight's other concerns. Upon arrival, our service advisor greeted us and we then sat down to go over our list. Neil explained to him that we needed to follow Honda's recommended service schedule, exactly, with no variations. Our advisor explained that the dealer's recommended service was the same as Honda's recommended service.
"Neil agreed to do the service only if it was exactly as Honda recommended and our advisor said it was; Neil had his doubts, but agreed to do it. We also added from our staff's list:
- Check and advise on driver-side window's slow operation
- Speakers have static; advise
- Customer states vehicle has click noise on turns
- Auto Stop feature inop at times on warm engine; advise
"Neil signed the work order for $349.00 for the 30,000-mile service and caught a shuttle back to work. Later in the afternoon, after not hearing from our service advisor, he decided to call in and check on the dealer's progress. They had completed the service and were able to check out our list of concerns. In the same order as above, here are our dealer's answers:
- Cleaned and lubed driver window run channels/track — window operation is normal at this time
- Unable to duplicate any abnormal noise from speakers at this time
- Unable to verify noise (clicking) on turns due to weather condition — customer is advised to return on a day that is not raining for test drive under normal road conditions
- Advised customer to read page 136 in owner's manual on auto stop feature — system is operating normal at this time
"Neil was pleased with how efficient Santa Monica Honda's technicians were in completing his list of items, and they did have a point about diagnosing noise concerns on rainy days, since it is nearly impossible to do. Overall, it was a pleasant service experience, but due to the nature of the service bill, it was nearly impossible to determine whether we got all of the recommended Honda items completed. Honda lists that both the air and air conditioning filters are recommended for replacement at this interval, and we could only find one filter, other than the oil filter, on the list of parts that the dealer had replaced."
Consumer Commentary
E-mail from Readers
"I own a 2001 blue Insight. I bought it in August 2000 for $19,500 and currently have 10,000 miles on it. The car has performed superbly, because it does exactly what I need: carry my body to work and back. I even took the car on a cross-country trip (Maryland to Utah) on Route 66! I had plenty of room for carrying two gym bags and a suitcase in the back. Current lifetime average is about 80 miles per gallon."
— T. Heagy, Forest Hill, Md.
Town Hall Commentary
"The Insight is an extremely well-built car which is much fun to drive. Hard to get excellent mileage because I love its acceleration. 55 mpg to date. Only negative is lack of a cruise control. So far meets all my expectations and then some. Perfect as a second car." — dsmiller,
"Honda Insight (Pricing & Information)," #27 of 109, June 8, 2000
"I just took delivery of my Insight about 10 days ago. I have a 100 mile+ round trip commute in Southern CA — and with gas prices the way they are, I decided to take the plunge. Although I am getting nowhere near the 70 mpg quoted by the EPA, I am getting almost 60 mpg on a commute that is uphill one way. I am still on my second tank of gas and have gone over 1,100 miles. I purchased mine at Honda of Oxnard in Ventura County — they seemed to know a fair amount about the car and were anxious to get this one on the road so that they could sell another!" —rcooper1957,
"Honda Insight (Pricing & Information)," #39 of 109, July 19, 2000
"Bought my Insight last week from a dealer in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. It is a great driving experience, and I like feeling like I am 'having a relationship' as I drive, as the car is always letting me know what it is doing. I got 76.5 miles to the gallon on a 410 mile trip. I am really enjoying this car." — winker98, "Honda Insight (Pricing & Information)," #42 of 109, July 29, 2000"
I have been driving an Insight since July. I love it. I live in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and recently took the Insight on a trip across the UP on my way to visit my family. We have approximately 1 to 2 feet of snow here depending on the area and the car drove just fine. One has to adjust to the narrow [track] and the lightness of the car but it pulled me through 10 inches of snow on the ground in some areas and I never lost control. I was thrilled with the performance of the car. Now, my gas mileage did go down to around 56 miles to a gallon, I am used to getting closer to 72 miles to a gallon on long trip but I believe this was due to the colder weather and the drag of the snow and slush. As I stated before, I have never regretted buying this car and I still stand by that statement." — winker98, "Honda Insight (Pricing & Information)," #64 of 109, Dec. 12, 2000
"So far my Insight is everything it's cracked up to be! Mileage, batteries staying charged up, no great loss of battery charge during assist, quiet, easy to drive, shuts off at stops, starts up when you're ready to move. Can't say enough good things about it. Supply and demand is driving the price up, up, up!" — strawkirk, "Honda Insight (Pricing & Information)," #25 of 109, June 6, 2000
"...The Insight has a 380-lb economy weight limit. This means that to get the advertised mpg figures this is the max load they recommend. The car runs fine with a heavier load (they say its 30 percent stronger than the civic body.... It does deliver. My lifetime mpg is at 75.4, and the best trip is 480 miles at 91.6 mpg." — r9957, "Honda Insight (Pricing & Information)," #101 of 109, June 11, 2001
Almost 3000 km so far of aggressive, 135 km/hr autoroute as well as hard accelerating stop-and-go city driving. Am only getting an average of 4.6L/100 km (about 51 miles/US gallon) but this is still not bad. Have however noticed that 3.5L/100 km (high 60s mpg) is doable on the highway at 95-100 km/hr. Too bad there's no cruise. Unloaded a beautiful Audi A4 to 'do the right thing for the planet.' Now, except for the skitteriness of the skinny tires, I love the Insight. Boy, do I get looks. Not like the far too common A4. Am leasing for 2 years. Looking forward to a fuel cell or perhaps even a pure, increased range, plug-in EV." — stelmar, "Honda Insight (Pricing & Information)," #43 of 109, Aug. 1, 2000
"My Insight has accumulated more than 12,000 miles with an average of 64.3 miles per gallon. Here in the flat country of northern Illinois, my interstate mileage easily exceeds 70 mpg if I keep my highway speeds at 60 mph. It is my fourth Honda. The vehicle design attracts attention and the technology draws rave reviews everywhere." — johnson37, "Honda Insight (Pricing & Information)," #52 of 109, Sept. 13, 2000
"Just over 3000 miles in just over 2 months averaging 58.0 [mph] mostly to and from work."
— crc64, "Honda Insight (Pricing & Information)," #34 of 109, July 1, 2000
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