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New Honda Insight 5-passenger Hatchback

124

Comments

  • dweiserdweiser Member Posts: 288
    I'm afraid the article may be correct. I spoke with a dealer in Troy, NY and the Insight is a dead dog; i.e. no sales. I admit to owning one (shamefully) and I understand why. Buy the Prius if you must have a hybrid not this lame excuse. BIG mistake on my part to buy one.
  • pielev09pielev09 Member Posts: 6
    Keep your Insight because you will be able to use it in thw New York Winter.
    The Prius might be fine for LA and California but is woth nothing inthe slippy road in Winter because it does not have a VSC off button to disengaged the stability control which also controls the traction. I had a Prius 2008 and I had to get rid of it in December 2008 because on icy road the engine simply stop to avoid the front wheel from slippering . Th Insight LX does not have such a stupid system and on the EX you have a disengaging buton to cancel it and drive on icy road. :)
  • pielev09pielev09 Member Posts: 6
    Keep your Insight because you will be able to use it in the New York Winter.
    The Prius might be fine for LA and California but is worth nothing in the slippy road in Winter because it does not have a VSC off button to disengage the stability control which also controls the traction. I had a Prius 2008 and I had to get rid of it in December 2008 because on icy road the engine simply stopped to avoid the front wheel from slippering . The Insight LX does not have such a stupid system and on the EX you have a disengaging buton to cancel it and drive on icy road. :)
  • galileo5galileo5 Member Posts: 10
    I'm afraid the article may be correct. I spoke with a dealer in Troy, NY and the Insight is a dead dog; i.e. no sales. I admit to owning one (shamefully) and I understand why. Buy the Prius if you must have a hybrid not this lame excuse. BIG mistake on my part to buy one.

    dweiser,

    Why do you regret purchasing the Insight aside from a few negative reviews and poor sales?

    I am assuming you did some research before buying the Insight. After all, buying a car is a pretty big investment. I don't understand why you're so disgruntled in the car on which you must have done some serious research before laying down the big cash.

    I have the Insight, too, and I don't regret it. The car has been growing on me, and it's a nice feeling to have a unique hybrid with great mpg that isn't so commonplace.

    Danny
  • franko1franko1 Member Posts: 15
    I also bought an insight in May 09 and now I'm concerned. I recently read many prius web sites and message boards and one article stood out that alarmed me. One car buff went to Japan to get reviews on hybrids and he met up with a honda executive and they discussed both hybrids. He said it appears Honda got blind sided by the prius msrp reduction, and the advanced hybrid technology, like no belt driven accessories and all disc brakes, plus many other features. He said the latest rumor is that Honda is accellerating the design and early production of the Fit hybrid (60mpg), by the fall of 2010. Also, they are selling Insights at a loss and as a result he feels that the insight2 production will be discontinued in late 2010. The latest consumer report says that their review of the insight is the most disappointing that C.R. has tested in a long time. Prius is selling 6 times more than the insight. Honda predicted they would sell 100K units in US sales, but now at current pace only 24K units may be sold. Our local dealer quit advertising insights in sunday paper. Sorry for the bad news.
  • pielev09pielev09 Member Posts: 6
    Who is that car buff? This posting is that of a Toyota fanatic to scare people away
    from the Insight. Honda will not let go at the Insight for a long while.The posting you read is a fake . Do not worry about it. I had to get rid of a Prius 2008 because it would not travel on Icy roads (the prolem is the same on the Prius 2010 and I am now buying and Insight because it has what is need for the Winter).
  • rookie60rookie60 Member Posts: 39
    I doubt Honda will dump the Insight. Funny how it was driven by "expert" auto journalists and they raved about the car and now it is crap. Maybe these "expert" journalists should be fired. I own an Insight. Yes, it is underpowered. No question. However, it is giving me 44-46 mpg. That is why I bought it. People don't realize what 44-46 mpg is. My old Mazda6 got 22-23 mpg. I am putting in HALF the gas now. I got the extended warranty for 8 years/120 miles for $1k. Therefore, I don't worry about "hybrid" repairs. The Insight is a commuter car not a racecar. It is not dead in the water with me.

    P.S.: The car only has 2,000 miles on it. I expect the mileage to improve after I get 3,000-5,000 miles on it.
  • mickeyrommickeyrom Member Posts: 936
    Loved that PS...great SOH.
    BTW, I have to ask you...a Prius gets even better MPG, and costs just a little bit more if your Insight is the EX.(Who would get one without cruise control?)...so why the Honda over the proven excellence of the Prius?
  • rookie60rookie60 Member Posts: 39
    Love the Prius looks. Great car. Almost bought one. However, the killer was the dash. Stupid speedo. IMHO.
  • heinzerheinzer Member Posts: 6
    Yes - we love our new red Honda Insight. Very positive comments from people while parking. 44mpg after 700 suburban mles. Did 50mpg on I95 while cruising at 72 mph. Saving $800 a year (mileage and reg gas) over old BMW 325i.

    It's fun reading the Prius People rant on our Insight blog :) Guess they have to knock the competition for the extra $4k.
  • njinsightnjinsight Member Posts: 2
    I left a deposit on an Insight without doing much research other than figuring out what I wanted to pay. Once I got home, I read all the online reports bashing the car, and developed a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. But I decided to go thru with the deal because the price was right. And I have to say I was pleasantly surprised once I picked up the car. Having owned the Insight for a while, I'm happy I bought it, and here's why:

    While it doesn't have blazing acceleration, the car accelerates more than adequately and can cruise at 70-80mph. Firm ride but not uncomfortable. Unlike what I read, the car isn't noisy. Decent MPG so far (40's in town; 50 on the highway). Handles better than what i drove before. And it didn't cost over $22K for the EX. The only complaint I read about that I found valid? Poor visibility out the rear window.

    So there's a moral to the story: Don't believe everything you read.
  • aladdinsanealaddinsane Member Posts: 182
    NJInsight...

    I'm glad for you. I don't believe everything I read either! ;)

    The only two things I's add to the EX, speaking for myself, is an aftermarket power sunroof and a powered subwoofer for the audio system.

    I don't think that the current Insight is a loser machine, as some would lead anyone to believe. No way!

    Good luck!

    Peace!<-AladdinSane<- :shades: -
  • jonathannjonathann Member Posts: 55
    njinsight:

    I just bought a Kia Soul but came very close to buying the Honda Insight. I previously had a company owned 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid that I put 25,000 miles on. I was very happy with the HCH but regretted that it did not have a hatch-back or folding rear seats.

    The new Honda Insight is basically an HCH with hatchback and folding rear seats so I think it should be a great car. The technology is proven and should provide a good car.

    Over the 25,000 miles that I drove the HCH, I averaged 39 mph. Better in summer, worse in winter, better in some driving conditions, worse in others, but 39 mph average over 25,000 miles which I thought was remarkable.

    From all the reviews I have been reading, I think the Insight should get significantly better gas mileage than the HCH.

    For these reasons, I think the Honda Insight is a great car.

    Oh yeah, the reason I got a Kia Soul is that I want my wife to drive it around town because it gets much better mileage than her Hyundai Santa Fe. She could accept the switch to the Soul but the Insight was just too much for her. I take the subway to work and drive very little so the Insight would have gotten very good mileage for almost no miles. The Soul will get good mileage (compared to the Santa Fe) for quite a few more miles.
  • franko1franko1 Member Posts: 15
    Great. just the opposite for me. I test drove the SOUL and was signing papers , cash deal. Salesman had to see the co. pres. first. After waiting 30 min. he still hadn't returned. We left and nobody called since. Too low ball I guess.I then decided to do more research and found it's not a hi. tech veh. i.e. 4 speed tranny, hyd. power steering pump, rubber timing belt, no insulation under hood, etc. I then bought the first Honda Insight the dealer got in . Ok so far, more hi. tech. I just read about the Toyota Prius and talk about hi. tech. ,it has no belt driven accessories, all elec. driven, and next generation hybrid technology. Enjoy your SOUL. KIA is coming on strong.
  • gracejgracej Member Posts: 6
    I like the car alright and am getting about 45 mpg with nearly pure highway driving. It has changed my driving habits a lot which is a good thing. I've really cut back on all the hard cornering, rapid starts and stops that I did with my subaru.

    Compared to the subaru, the ride is very quiet which I love. It's only loud with excelleration and cruises just fine on the highway.

    I wish the gas tank was bigger so that I didn't have to fill up so frequently. Hate the visibility, but am getting used to it and feel that I can change lanes safely now.

    I really like the climate control systems. The radio controls are a bit out of reach for my short arms. Shockingly, I can't set the headlights to turn off automatically.

    Overall, I'm guardedly satisfied
  • gracejgracej Member Posts: 6
    So I've been pretty satisfied with my new insight, but the other day I had reason to open my rear window while on the highway and the whold car started shaking unbelievably. I tried opening the other rear window and found the same thing. The noise and shaking is such that you could not possibly drive at speed with the rear window open. It does not happen when the front windows are open.

    Anyone else have this going on? What's up with it?
  • dnatechdnatech Member Posts: 25
    I've been very interested in the Insight, in spite of some bad reviews on this blog. I just haven't seen ONE insight on the roads in Rhode Island. Has anyone any "insight" in this mystery ?(note that the car is available at Honda dealer websites)
  • dweiserdweiser Member Posts: 288
    I own one. Not to be jocular but the reason you aren't seeing any is because NOBODY is buying them! This car has turned out to be one of Honda's biggest flops ever.
  • sr146260211sr146260211 Member Posts: 55
    Thats not true. Gas prices are still very low and this is the main reason the sales are lower but not rock bottom either. In my area ( Florida ) the Insight in doing well, not great and to say NoBody is buying is a false statement to make and nothing to back it up.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    This is common on many cars, including hatchbacks. Try opening both rear windows varying amounts and see if there is a setting that has minimal buffeting. One thing I do when I want a lot of fresh air but less noise and buffeting is open the front passenger window and the rear driver's side window. It creates a nice "flow-through" effect. This works on both my sedan and my two hatchbacks (one is a fast-back style like the Insight). Of course, it works best when only the driver is in the car.
  • franko1franko1 Member Posts: 15
    Reply to 176. Honda insight sold 2295 units in July, and 9819 units since March,09 The Toyota prius sold 19173 units in july, and 59, 571 units since March. The spread is getting worse. Your theory needs a new makeover. Looks like we all insight owners bought another Edsel. You can include me in this Edsel group.
  • mickeyrommickeyrom Member Posts: 936
    The base Prius is 22,000 and the Insight EX is 21,300 I believe.That really is not much of a difference.Who would buy the LX when it does not even have cruise control?
    My only Prius concern from what I read, the ESC which can not be disengaged.I can see that would be a serious problem for a hybrid.My Kia has it,but I can disengage at will.
  • mickeyrommickeyrom Member Posts: 936
    How can the spread be getting worse? Compared to what? This is a brand new car,the sample is much too small to draw any conclusions.I'm sure that Honda will get any bugs out and this car will sell like hot cakes once the price of gas goes back to $4 PG and you know that it will.It's inevitable.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Uhm... I don't see what your post has to do with the question that was asked and which I replied to. :confuse:

    I think there is an "Insight vs. Prius" discussion here someplace, though.
  • dweiserdweiser Member Posts: 288
    I went to trade my 2010 Honda Insight EX with just 575 miles on an $85,000 vehicle. The sales manager told me they loved getting in Accords and Civics as they always brought more money than they expected. He made a few calls on my Insight, NO-ONE wanted it!!! They can't sell the news ones and no-one wants a used In sight he said. I would not buy this vehicle if I had it to do over again!
  • mickeyrommickeyrom Member Posts: 936
    Before I take your post as "gospel" please explain to me why someone who can afford an $85,000 car would bother with an Insight.If you're just being "green" why not a Prius which is a proven vehicle?
  • rookie60rookie60 Member Posts: 39
    Comments are funny. From Nov. 2008 to April 2009, the Honda Insight was the darling of the automotive press world. They test drove it and said it was wonderful. Now it is not selling and everyone thinks it is crap. What Happened?? I picked up my Insight on June 19. It is a tight car. Mileage has been 45-46 mpg. Works fine. Needs more power. Everything works. Not ready to dump it because they are not selling well or because some people are bad-mouthing it. Give it time. Honda makes good stuff. When gas goes up, it will sell.
  • galileo5galileo5 Member Posts: 10
    I'm convinced that dweiser is nothing but a troll. He says nothing but negative things about the Insight.

    Bet he doesn't even have one.
  • rookie60rookie60 Member Posts: 39
    The local Honda dealer had a new owners clinic last night. I attended and talked with a few new Insight owners. ALL loved their Insight. One man said he was a autocross "driver" and took both the Prius and the Insight on a road test. I'm sure neither car was wonderful. However, he said the Insight was a much better handling car. Also it was more intuative for the controls. ALL people got mid-40s for mileage. NO COMPLAINTS. I think the car will eventually be a good seller; especially when gas prices rise.
  • dweiserdweiser Member Posts: 288
    Because I love Hondas that's why. Had a CRX si years ago, an Element more recently, a silver Fit and currently a red Fit. Loved them all! No love for the Insight though. Just my opinion, yours may differ.
  • dweiserdweiser Member Posts: 288
    Ah Galileo5, alas, the earth DOES revolve around the sun. You're right, partly, I no longer have an Insight. They trucked it away last night as a trade. All my posts here are either factual reports of the truth ("you can't handle the truth") or my own personal observations. Yours may differ. I love Hondas, there's an 09 Honda Fit Sport in my garage right now and i LOVE that car! I did not love the Insight and I'm pretty sure I'm allowed not to. Thank you.
  • jrlncjrlnc Member Posts: 48
    dweiser, you're of course entitled to your opinion and I'm sorry it didn't work out for you. :(

    I've had the opposite experience myself with my new Insight. I'm very comfortable in it and enjoy driving it. I commute ~75 miles/day. My overall *calculated* gas mileage is 50.1 mpg. :)

    I also came from a Honda Fit (which I also liked), but for my needs and uses, the Insight suits me much better. Buying a car is such a high-dollar and long-term decision that we should really research it thoroughly and do LOTS OF TEST DRIVES! Even with all of that, it is possible to make a wrong purchase decision because our emotions get involved in the choice.

    I made a mistake myself of buying a Toyota Tacoma about 10 years ago. Although it was an ok vehicle of itself, it didn't suit my commuting needs. I hated it the discomfort and safety issues of it, and after 2 accidents and a near third one (which I blame on the handling and poor visibility), I got rid of it.

    For everyone who is considering the new Insight -- I will say that it has really exceeded my expectations.

    I bought the car for economy, reliability, comfort, convenience & safety features (like VSA and NAV). I like the looks of it and plan to keep it for 5 or 6 years.

    It's not as roomy as an SUV, or quick as a Civic Si or as fancy as a TL, but that doesn't bother me. The car meets my criteria and is well-made and designed. I've never had a bad Honda, unfortunately I can't say that about some other makes/models that I've owned.
  • sr146260211sr146260211 Member Posts: 55
    How much did the dealer give you for your traded in Insight dweiser ?
  • mickeyrommickeyrom Member Posts: 936
    How drastically does the gas mileage get affected by using the regular,non econ mode? Is there a big difference in the gas consumption?
    I was thinking of using the regular mode for city driving and the ECON for highways.Would that make sense?
  • sr146260211sr146260211 Member Posts: 55
    Used with and without the Econ Mode and I have seen about a 3 MPG difference. I just leave the Econ off because I like the Air on at long stop lights. This of course is in Florida that needs the air on all the time in summer.
  • rookie60rookie60 Member Posts: 39
    I averaged 41.8 with econ off and 45.8 with econ on. At first I thought it was a joke until I tried a tankful without using econ. However, the compressor shuts off with econ on when stopping. Also, power is less with econ on. (Not enough power either way however).
  • franko1franko1 Member Posts: 15
    The bloggers have reported that there have been 1,124 positive reports on the 2010 insight, and 207 neutral, and only 12 negative since the Detroit auto show. This should give us a warmer feeling.
  • dnatechdnatech Member Posts: 25
    The car looks great!
    Haven't test driven it yet but I am still very interested in this car for 2 reasons:
    firstly, the price is decent for an hybrid and I am not interested in a sporty car ( I commuted with a Plymouth Horizon, a Ford Escort wagon and now a Ford Focus)
    Please note that I also drove a 1963 Citroen 2 CV (2 cylinder car) in France!
    Secondly, Driving in New England , I get scared by the reports on this forum that one cannot disengage the "Vehicle Stability Control" on the Prius but it can be done on the Insight!
    So, when my Focus dies, I am still thinking to get the Insight.
  • texastownhalltexastownhall Member Posts: 22
    I am in a market for an economical car. My first choice is Civc, then Mazda3. But we all know they are dime a dozen. So I checked out the Insight. Unique ideas and features. Photos and videos looked great.

    I went to the car dealer last night. Check the hood, metal (good, not plastic like Smart car). Opened the door and the door felt too light. Okay, economical so I moved on. Sat in, not bad. Unique but in a good way, a very nice lay out. Then sat on the back seat. Now, keep in mind, I'm only 5'8". My head touched the ceiling. No, I don't have big set of hair, in fact, I'm practically bald. So there
    's hardly a head room for someone even at my height.

    Test drove. Nice handling. Power is adequate. Got to be patient when it comes to speed up to merge, etc. Road noise seemed excessive, not enough insolation.

    Asked for the price. $500 off MSRP was the best they could do. Too hot they said.

    I really wanted to like it because it unique looking car and it is Honda. But the look alone could not pass the quality and price in my book. So that 2009 Honda Civic LX-S is looking really good now.
    Saving $120 per year on gas Civic vs. Insight did not justify for me to pay extra to purchase the Insight.
  • franko1franko1 Member Posts: 15
    I have 10K on my insight and with A/C on, in city, I'm averaging 36 mpg. I think you did your homework well. I didn't when I bought.
  • dweiserdweiser Member Posts: 288
    I was offered $15,000 and took it!!
  • pleurotuspleurotus Member Posts: 1
    I started at 41 in town I am now over 47 with the cooler weather.
    The MPG on the car is about 2-3 better than the real thing.
    I am very happy with the car, I am surprised at those who, because there are some negative comments, feel the need to get rid of theirs. I liked the style and I like the performance (well, for a hybrid) what anyone else thinks is really irrelevant as long as Honda stand by their warranty I am going to be happy. We bought ours because I wanted a hybrid and we much prefer our Honda dealership (we have 2 CRVs).
  • sr146260211sr146260211 Member Posts: 55
    I got $17,600.00 on trade for a 2010 CRV EX-L

    2010 CR-V was invoice ($27,388.00 OTD ) with all taxes and fee's such as the florida Dealer fee of $599.00.
  • mickeyrommickeyrom Member Posts: 936
    Unless you tell us what it was that you traded in,it means nothing.
  • njinsightnjinsight Member Posts: 2
    Now that I've had the 2010 Honda Insight for a few more months and a couple of thousand miles additional on the odometer, here are my observations; most contradict virtually everything I've read in magazines or on the web:

    What the reviews had right: one thing only...the acceleration. Yes, the car accelerates slowly, but it's a hybrid, what do you expect. Having taken the car on several long trips (Jersey shore, NC shore), power is still adequate to reach cruising speed safety and adequately. No turbocharged engine under the hood though.

    Where the reviews are wrong:
    Economy: car gets 44 mpg in city traffic, 50mpg at 70 mph cruise, and 62 mpg at 45-50 mph (highest mileage yet, and no "hypermiling", just normal driving). Maybe not Pruis-level, but I'm happy, even surprised. The auto-stop function took a bit getting used to, but having the car for a while, I only think about the gas not being wasted.
    Comfort: At first, seats seemed uncomfortable, but with two long trips concluded (including a 1000 mile round-trip, no backaches here. Room plenty for me and wife and lots of stuff. I don't understand what reviewers were complaining about when it comes to road noise. Yes, there are probably lots of cars with less, but it's not an issue unless you're looking for something to complain about.
    Quality: Yes, material quality is on economy level but I could see that in showroom. On the other hand, this is the first car I've owned since my 1979 Toyota that I didn't have to bring back to the dealer within the first few months of ownership due to minor or major problems. My previous cars, all assembled in Europe, put me on a first-name basis with the service manager.
    Handling: Firm but not jarring. Maybe more rubber on the road would improve cornering but that will probably reduce mpg's.

    The perfect car? No, not until they put in a turbocharged engine capable of 0-60 times of 5 seconds while getting 100 mpg, and with interior of wood inlays, leather seats, and thick carpeting, all for $22K.

    But I'll keep it for a while.
  • rookie60rookie60 Member Posts: 39
    I now have 6,000+ miles on my Insight. I agree with almost everything. However, I just got back from a 2,000+ trip from Minnesota to Arkansas. I wish I could get your mileage. I get 42-46 in normal city/highway driving. I did get 50mpg twice. Both on 50-60 mile per hour cruises. On my trip to Arkansas, cruising at 70-75, I got 41-42mpg. The car cruises nice at 75mph but strains. It does need a bit more power. At 75mph I would average about 39-40mpg. The car is surprisingly very quiet. Hardly any road noise. Great car around town.
  • dnatechdnatech Member Posts: 25
    Thank you for your review!Nice details with different driving modes.
    I have a Ford Focus with 97K and,on one hand I want my Focus to"live" for another 2 years (I get 34 mpg with it, mostly highway driving), but on the other hand, I want it to go, so I can visit a Honda dealer and get an Insight.
    I've been reviewing everyone's input and it seems a good hybrid without a sticker shock! I am not interested in a performance car and, with the gasoline price will go up with the crude oil price going up and the dollar going down in the world currency market.
  • mickeyrommickeyrom Member Posts: 936
    The Insight with cruise is only a couple of hundred less than a base Prius. The overall quality of the Prius is much better.Check it out.
  • dnatechdnatech Member Posts: 25
    Well, I live in New England & I read that the Prius can be trouble with icy road and its lack of disengaging "automatic traction control"(not sure of technical term here).
    The other thing is that I want a dash display in front of me and not in the middle of the console.
    Correct me if I am wrong on either point.
    Thanks
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