The New 2010 Honda Insight is a great step up from the first generation of Insights. The first thing you will notice about the new Insight is its similar shape to the Toyota Prius. It is however more compact in size, and looks a bit more sporty. Supposedly, this shape makes the cars more aerodynamic, and helps save on fuel costs.
The interior of the Insight is nice, however if you are a larger person, it may be a little cramped for you. I am about 5'10" 170lb with an athletic build, for me there is just enough room to where I am comfortable. The seat is height adjustable, and the steering wheel is also adjustable in the traditional up and down, and telescoping. Finding a comfortable driving position wasn’t an issue on the Insight. One thing I did notice was the lack of floor mats. The passenger space is adequate for someone under 6’ tall I would say, same with the rest of the car. The backseat does offer a good amount of space, for children is more than plenty. Tall teenagers and adults may find the headroom lacking, and long rides uncomfortable.
The dash area is traditional enough to where you won’t spend days trying to figure out where everything is, but looks futuristic enough to remind you that you are driving a hybrid. The sport mode with the paddle shifters is a fun addition if you’re like me and enjoy a sporty driving experience. Most drivers will probably never use it though. The air conditioning vents are easily adjustable to any position you want, and the climate control settings are digital, with an ‘Auto’ setting.
The information display is very educational it shows the current MPG that you are getting while you are driving, as well as average MPG, also it shows your range with how much gas you have. Honda has the Eco guide scoring system on the Insight which will help coach and guide you to become a more economical driver. At the end of each of drive, you will receive a score on how economical you were driving during that trip. It’s a fun game and over time you will pass different levels. It seems like a gimmick, but it does get you driving efficiently and has some fun. The ECON button on the Insight puts the car in ECON mode which limits output of the Insight, and helps you save on gas by keeping the car driving in the most efficient way possible. While driving in ECON mode I didn’t notice a huge difference in performance while on the highway, driving through town while trying to accelerate quickly you will feel the difference.
The small hybrid engine still offers a good amount of pep. Getting on the freeway at spirited pace, you could tell the car was working a little bit, but it wasn’t struggling. At highway speeds the insight held 65mph without a problem and the gas pedal has just the right amount of resistance that your leg won’t fatigue. Steering wheel is solid enough to where you won’t struggle to keep the car straight. It is also responsive while cornering.
The suspension has a good combination of comfort and sport. While going through corners, the Honda Insight hugs the road and it doesn’t feel at all like you are driving a hybrid commuter car. While cruising you can feel some bumps in the road. It’s definitely not a luxury car. The CVT transmission makes it so you will not feel any shift shock. However if you use the sport mode with the paddle shifter, the CVT step down quickly when downshifting and it will feel as though you are driving a car with gears, but smooth gears. As with most cars in this price range, there is a fair amount of road noise. The road noise isn’t bad enough to where talking on your cell phone would be difficult, but you might need your in call volume up all the way.
Being a hatchback, there is good amount of trunk space. Also the seats fold down, so if you need the extra space you have it. However, the seats don’t lie flat, so you lose a little height that way. Since the car is small, I would say that the storage space available is more than most cars of its size.
Overall I would say the Insight is worth the price.
PROS
- Fun to drive
- Fuel efficient
- Cheap price for a hybrid
CONS
- Looks like a Prius
- Too small for bigger people
No comments:
Post a Comment