Honda Insight Review

"While the Insight’s interior and exterior styling is unique it’s the hybrid’s powertrain that really defines the vehicle. Power comes from Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist setup that now in it’s fifth generation combines a 1.3 litre i-VTEC four-cylinder petrol engine with a compact electric motor. Total output is 72kW with 167Nm of torque sent to the front wheels through a conventional CVT transmission. It’s a different set-up to Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive in that the electric motor can only help the combustion engine and not power the car on its own. Power is returned to the nickel metal hydride battery through a regenerative braking function on the electric motor. This helps slow the Insight and means that less load is put on the conventional brakes, explaining the old-fashioned drum brakes fitted to the Insight’s rear wheels. The bottom line with this modern set up is a quoted fuel economy figure of 4.6l/100km on the combined cycle and emissions of 106g/km. While we couldn’t quite achieve this economy number, our testing used around 5.5l/100km of petrol. But even with more spirited driving the Insight shouldn’t get too far above 6.0l/100km."

For more information, visit Car and SUV New Zealand @ http://www.carandsuv.co.nz/articles/honda-insight-s-2011-road-test

Consumer Reports Releases Ratings

Honda's 2011 Fit won Best Value and Best Used Small Car

Honda topped Consumer Reports' annual rankings of automakers for 2011. No Honda product scores less than average in reliability and CR recommends 76% of Hondas it has tested. Recent Honda models including the CR-Z and Insight have been disappointing and have not been recommended due to their low score. The redesigned Odyssey is also down a couple of points compared to the 2010 model.

In other categories, the Honda Fit won Best Value for a Small Car along with Best Used Small Car, the Acura TSX 4-cyl won Best Value for Upscale Sedan, the Acura RL won Best Used Luxury Car, the Honda CR-V winning Best Used Compact SUV and the Ridgeline winning Best Used Pickup Truck.

2011 Honda Insight Launching in Taiwan

The 2011 Honda Insight's new entry-level model, LX

Honda Taiwan Motor Co. is set to launch the Insight Hybrid in a market where Toyota/Lexus hybrids have dominated the landscape. Taiwan will have a subsidy that allows hybrids to be eligible for a 50% reduction in local commodity tax. This reduction helps bring awareness and popularity to hybrids in the region.

Out of the 3 500 hybrids sold in 2010 in Taiwan, more than 60% were Lexus and Toyota hybrids. Honda says the imported Insight will cost around N$999 000 (US $33 300) making it less expensive than the Prius. Local dealers say they are confident that they are able to beat the Prius' yearly sales of 400. Dealers say they already have orders for 100 models and expected a total of 500 models to be on the roads by the end of this year.

BREAKING NEWS: All-new Honda Insight to debut in 2013?

MagX illustration of the next Honda Insight

Having fared horribly since its introduction, Honda is looking to fast pace the next generation of the Honda Insight. It looks like we'll be getting the 3rd-generation in February 2013. Japanese magazines are claiming that this new model will come with a larger 1.5L engine with revised engine technology called e-VTEC and will be using the new Fit platform. The Insight will retain its aerodynamics.

The Insight was introduced in 2009 as a 2010 model.

2011 Honda Insight Review

"Don’t doubt it for a second, green motoring is the future. Even if your moral compass isn’t leading you to help minimise the relatively small impact that cars have in the greater scheme of carbon emissions, this week’s crude oil prices alone should inspire you to reduce your dependence on black gold.

Hybrid cars have been gaining ground as a credible interim solution and the new Honda Insight stakes a good claim for itself as the first true hybrid for the people and though hardly cheap at R259 990, it does undercut the Toyota Prius by more than 70 grand."

Visit the Motoring's website for the review: http://www.iol.co.za/motoring/road-tests/test-honda-s-hybrid-for-the-people-1.1011732

MotorTrend Wraps Up Long-Term 2010 Honda Insight

"In the original story introducing the Honda Insight to our long-term fleet, I had a bit of fun recounting that, when I first encountered the Clear Sky Blue hybrid, my knee-jerk response was "Ack, ack!" I couldn't think of a better way to greet this otherworldly automotive invader than in the mono-word language of Tim Burton's alien invaders from his classic "Mars Attacks!" (What? It's not a classic?)

But after 12 months and 19,591 miles living with Insight serial number JHMZE2H7XAS000078, the toughest questions we have aren't the usual worn sneakers about reliability and cost of ownership and so on. Strangely enough, it's its alienness. What started as a bit of fun has become the most serious question we have about the Insight. "

For more information, visit their website @ http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/oneyear/1102_2010_honda_insight_ex_verdict/index.html

Honda to Expand Hybrid Line in Japan

Honda will be a very busy company next year rolling out multiple new hybrid versions of its cars, following the CR-Z launch in the summer and more recently, the Fit Hybrid launch.

Honda is set to launch a hybrid version of its small minivan, the Freed along with a stretched wagon variant of the Fit Hybrid in order to meet domestic consumption of the vehicle. The stretched wagon variant will have the same front and have the back extended by about 2 inches. The Fit Hybrid wagon variant is expected in early spring 2011 with the hybrid Freed in fall 2011. There is also news that a major revamp is underway for Honda`s Insight model that was launched a couple of years ago as well as rumors that the Civic Hybrid may not be sold in Japan past this year because of the removal of the Civic nameplate from the Honda Japan lineup.

What are your thoughts? Think that Honda needs to bring these cars over to North America?

Guest Post - Honda Insight Updates (UK)

Honda Insight Updates (UK)
By Ant Bradshaw 

Honda has announced the pricing for its Insight hybrid, labelled the ‘cheapest hybrid on the road’ by the car maker.

UK pricing for the hybrid hatchback starts at £14,995 with Honda’s Affordable Driving offer and rises to £16,325 when the offer concludes at the end of December.

Generally, the Honda Insight has been left unchanged, however the Japanese firm has introduced a new trim level in the shape of the EX trim at the top of the range.

EX models will be finished with black leather upholstery throughout the interior which will also house a DVD enable satellite navigation system and a hands-free telephone.

More technology has been added in the form of rear-parking sensors for the five-door model, with Honda looking to make the cheap hybrid more refined than its predecessor.

Outside, the Insight has had two new finishes made available in the form of Dynamic Blue Pearl and Carnelian Red Pearl.

The high-end Insight EX models will be priced at £20,215.

The Honda Insight at entry-level is the cheapest hybrid on the market, undercutting the more established Toyota Prius and Toyota Auris models.

Also in the Honda hybrid line-up is the impressive CR-Z sports-coupe that recently scooped the Top Gear ‘Green Car of the Year’ award.

Ant Bradshaw is currently working for http://www.oneswoop.com/default.aspx>Oneswoop.com – a car price-comparison website. As well as providing up-to-date industry news and opinion the site lets users find the best deals available by comparing prices online. This means users can http://www.oneswoop.com/new/honda/insight/cars.aspx>compare Honda Insight prices online.

Honda Debuts Revised Insight for UK

Honda's tweaked Insight model for 2011 has been launched in the UK. The new improvements include revised NVH areas and trim levels. With the current offers, the Insight is set to be priced at GBP14,995. The Insight now has a top trim level called the EX with leather seating, DVD sat nav and Bluetooth. Honda has adjusted the recoil rate of the springs, changed the rear camber angles, altered the V-shape rear suspension brace and adjusting mounts to improve handling and ride comfort. The ES models now come with updated interior soft surfaces and rear parking sensors standard, improved plastics, air vent chrome rings and silver finishing on the doors are also included with every 2011 Insight.

Two new colors have also debut, Dynamic Blue Pearl and Carnelian Blue Pearl.

2011 Honda Insight with Subtle Revisions and Special Price Offer goes on Sale in the UK

The modestly improved for the 2011 model year Honda Insight hybrid with chassis and trim level changes has arrived at Honda's UK showrooms. Normal pricing starts at £16,325 for the SE model, however, the Japanese automaker is running a special deal until the end of December offering the hybrid model at £14,995 OTR.

Read more »

US Honda Lease Offers

For more information, visit http://automobiles.honda.com/current-offers.aspx

US Honda Finance Offers

For more information, visit http://automobiles.honda.com/current-offers.aspx

RUMOR: Honda Canada to drop the Insight for 2011

Rumor has it that the 2011 Honda Insight will not be released in Canada pending the disastrous sales for the vehicle in the past 2 years since launch. Sales have paled so much in comparison to the Toyota Prius, Honda has attempted to woo buyers with a $4000 rebate on the vehicle (LX is priced at $25290, EX at $28590 with destination charges in Canada) but unfortunately sales did not pick up reasonably. No word on whether or not it will reappear in 2012.

Honda Canada scaling back model line for 2011/2012?

Rumors are on the fly that Honda Canada is about to axe the Element for 2011 and the Civic Hybrid for 2011 and possibly even the Insight for 2011. The current design for the Element is on the way out with an uncertain future, the Civic Hybrid however will return for 2012 and the Insight is not selling well in Canada to meet expectations.

Time will tell if Honda chooses to axe the slow-selling products.

Get a 2011 Honda Insight @ $18200!

Honda slashed $1,560 from the base price of its Insight hybrid for the 2011 model year, creating a new entry-level trim that carries a sticker price of $18,950, including destination charges. That's $18,200 without the destination tax added. 

The move gives the Insight a pricing edge of about $4,610 over the Toyota Prius. The Insight LX was the base model for the 2010 model year, and its price started at $20,510.

To cut the base-model price, Honda removed some content from the Insight LX, such as a 4-speaker audio system, remote keyless entry. It also used less expensive seat fabric and downgraded the stereo system to two speakers. Honda did not remove any safety features.

The new base Insight includes remote unlocking, automatic climate control, power windows, 8 cupholders and a tilt-and-telescoping steering column.

Honda added features to the other models in the Insight lineup. All 2011 Insights have stability control, which was previously exclusive to the Insight EX. The Insight LX gets cruise control, a USB audio interface, a center-armrest storage console and floor mats. The Insight EX adds steering-wheel-mounted audio controls, which previously required the addition of the navigation systems.

The Insight's hybrid powertrain is unchanged--a 1.3-liter gasoline engine and a 10-kilowatt electric motor. Fuel-economy ratings remain at 40 mpg in the city and 43 mpg on the highway.

Cheaper cost for an Insight, will that sway your decision to get one?

More Hybrid Tuning: Japan's Kenstyle Customizes New Toyota Prius and Honda Insight

It appears that the latest batch of gasoline-electric hybrid cars from Japan have caught the attention of several tuning firms including Kenstyle that has applied its styling expertise on the new Honda Insight and Toyota Prius hybrids. In both cases the Japanese tuner's package includes specific grille treatments, beefy front and rear aprons with matching side skirts, various alloy wheel designs as well as a sport muffler and tail pipe. And for a more aggressive stance, the firm also lowers the vehicles' ride height. More images after the jump.

Via: Worldcarfans and Le Blog Auto

KENSTYLE HONDA INSIGHT

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KENSTYLE TOYOTA PRIUS

Low Rider Honda Insight Hybrid by Exclusive Zeus

The new Honda Insight hybrid may not be the first vehicle that comes to mind when we think of tuning, but still that hasn't deterred Japanese tuners from presenting all sorts of sport packages for the compact hatch. This particular proposal is the work of Japan's 'Exclusive Zeus' and aside from the lowered suspension, the package includes a front apron, beefy side skirts, a blacked out grille and a rear apron and diffuser plus a set of new alloy wheels wrapped in low-profile tyres. More pictures after the jump.

Honda's Insight Sales May Fall 30 Percent Short of its 2009 U.S. Sales Target

Blame the ongoing recession along with the fairly low gasoline prices at the pumps and strong competition from Toyota's revamped Prius hybrid, but Honda's execs are quite pessimistic about the prospects of the Insight meeting its 2009 U.S. market sales target of around 90,000 units. "Given some dramatic change in things, I don't think we'll get to 90,000. At 50,000 to 60,000, we will be just fine," American Honda Motor Executive Vice President John Mendel told Bloomberg news.

For its first year on the market, Honda has projected worldwide sales of around 200,000 units for its new dedicated hybrid model, with nearly half of those sales coming from the North American market. Despite the gloomy outlook in the U.S., Reuters reported that a spokesman in Tokyo said there has been no change in Honda's sales forecast for 2009.

In Japan, the Insight climbed to the top spot of the sales chart in April with 10,481 units but fell to third place in May with 8,859 cars after the domestic launch of the new Toyota Prius that finished first with 10,915 units registered.

Via: Reuters

New Toyota Prius Hybrid Tops May Sales in Japan

Toyota's latest generation Prius hybrid made it to the No. 1 spot in the Japanese sales chart in May with 10,915 units registered. According to data released by the Japan Automobile Dealers Association, the Prius hybrid's 2009 May sales increased more than five-fold from the same month a year ago. The new hybrid model from Toyota overtook Honda's lower-priced Insight hybrid that fell to third place in May with 8,183 units after taking the first spot in April. Honda's Fit (Jazz) subcompact hatch came in second in May with 8,859 units sold. This is the second time in Japan's history that a hybrid model tops the sales chart.

Via: AP

Honda Insight Hybrid Tops the Charts in Japan in April, Fit Comes in Second

Only three months after its market debut in Japan and Honda's Insight mild-hybrid managed to become the best-selling vehicle (excluding the so-called kei cars with engines under 660cc) in the country in the month of April with sales of 10,481 units. This is the first time in Japan's history that a hybrid model has topped the tables for any monthly sales period. In the previous two months, the Insight sold 4,906 and 4,088 units in February and March respectively.

The Insight took the crown from the Fit, also known as the Jazz in Europe, which was the best selling car in Japan in the month of March, its fourth consecutive month at the top since December 2008. In April, the Fit finished second behind the Insight with sales of 9,443 units. According to the automaker, this is the first time ever that Honda has occupied the top two best-selling car positions in Japan for any monthly sales period.