The Insight name has seen ups and downs in the Honda hybrid lineup. It first appeared on a fun, quirky and tiny two-seater around the year 2000. That car went away in 2006 and was followed by a 2010 four-door that was a real downer given we knew Honda could do better.
Honda is getting its chance to take things up again with an all-new third-generation model that is the company's latest hybrid and the first sedan to wear the Insight name.
We have high hopes for this compact sedan as it uses the company's two-motor hybrid powertrain, which has left us impressed in the Accord Hybrid and, more recently, for its use in the Clarity plug-in hybrid.
Like the Clarity, the Insight bolts a 1.5L four-cylinder engine to an electric motor, but here that combination makes a total of 151 hp, down 61 from the Clarity. Honda says the new Insight's electric motor does most of the work of driving the car, whether in EV mode, or a hybrid mode that uses the gas engine to run a generator that in turn powers the electric motor. Only in certain circumstances, says Honda, does the gas engine drive the wheels directly.
That 151 horsepower and 197 lb-ft of torque are delivered to the front wheels by a continuously variable transmission.
Honda says by putting the Insight's battery under the rear seats its designers were able to build in a 427-litre trunk it says rivals some mid-size cars.
Unlike the Clarity, the Insight can't be plugged in to charge, but it does have regenerative braking and steering wheel-mounted paddles that let the driver adjust how much regeneration happens when the car is coasting.
The Insight is offered in two trims. The base model -- simply called Hybrid -- comes standard with a 7.0-inch TFT gauge cluster, dual-zone automatic air conditioning, multi-angle backup camera, power driver's seat, heated front seats, eight-speaker stereo with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability, 17-inch alloy wheels and LED exterior lighting.
Also standard is the Honda Sensing active safety suite, which includes a blind spot display, forward collision warning with automatic braking, lane departure warning with lane keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow.
The uplevel Touring trim adds an auto-dimming rearview mirror, navigation, power front passenger seat, heated rear seats, leather seating, satellite radio, 10-speaker stereo, sunroof and rain-sensing wipers.
Honda's fuel consumption estimates for the Insight are 4.6/5.3 L/100 km (city/highway).
