Maybe it’s the drive; the Insight just isn’t all that fun to drive. It’s not a chore, mind you, but the soft suspension, the slow and numb steering and the lack of gusto probably doesn’t click with car shoppers who take the car for a spin around the block. After a few days, though, the car grows on you and you start appreciating it for what it’s been conceived for.
Maybe it’s the interior furnishings; while build quality is up to Honda standards, some details reveal cost-cutting measures, like the thinness of certain plastics and noise insulation that doesn’t seem as effective as in a Civic.
Maybe it’s the price; as previously mentioned, the Insight is the cheapest hybrid you can get in Canada right now, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a screaming deal.
At $23,900, you get climate control, six airbags, power windows, keyless entry and cruise control, but you also get hubcaps, no stability control, no cargo cover, no variable intermittent wipers and no Bluetooth. For the same price, you can get a loaded Civic EX-L with leather... Stepping up to the EX is a solution, but it includes navigation and costs $27,500.
Cargo space is rated at 450 litres, although that number increases to 891 when you fold down the rear seatback. So there’s more cargo space than in a Civic, but less than in the cheaper Fit.
The seats are wrapped in durable-feeling cloth, and the speedometer that’s mounted high atop the dash is great for checking your speed while driving. Rear-seat space is adequate for three people, helped by the virtually flat floor, but the low roofline means some people might bang their heads while climbing in.
Where the Insight really shines—and the reason why it exists—is in the fuel economy department. Rated at 4.8/4.5 L/100 km city/highway, we’re averaging 5.0 L/100 km, which is very good. So the IMA hybrid system works well, despite not having a pure EV mode like Toyota and Ford hybrids.
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| Inside, the thinness of certain plastics and noise insulation doesn’t seem as effective as in a Civic. (Photo: Philippe Champoux/Auto123.com) |
Maybe it’s the interior furnishings; while build quality is up to Honda standards, some details reveal cost-cutting measures, like the thinness of certain plastics and noise insulation that doesn’t seem as effective as in a Civic.
Maybe it’s the price; as previously mentioned, the Insight is the cheapest hybrid you can get in Canada right now, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a screaming deal.
At $23,900, you get climate control, six airbags, power windows, keyless entry and cruise control, but you also get hubcaps, no stability control, no cargo cover, no variable intermittent wipers and no Bluetooth. For the same price, you can get a loaded Civic EX-L with leather... Stepping up to the EX is a solution, but it includes navigation and costs $27,500.
Cargo space is rated at 450 litres, although that number increases to 891 when you fold down the rear seatback. So there’s more cargo space than in a Civic, but less than in the cheaper Fit.
The seats are wrapped in durable-feeling cloth, and the speedometer that’s mounted high atop the dash is great for checking your speed while driving. Rear-seat space is adequate for three people, helped by the virtually flat floor, but the low roofline means some people might bang their heads while climbing in.
Where the Insight really shines—and the reason why it exists—is in the fuel economy department. Rated at 4.8/4.5 L/100 km city/highway, we’re averaging 5.0 L/100 km, which is very good. So the IMA hybrid system works well, despite not having a pure EV mode like Toyota and Ford hybrids.
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| We’re averaging 5.0 L/100 km, which is pretty good. (Photo: Philippe Champoux/Auto123.com) |