The all-new 2019 Honda Insight hybrid sedan takes its seems from the accord and rides atop a body borrowed from the civic. None of that feels like a bad issue to us.
The insight earns a 7.0 normal way to its superb fuel economic system, at ease interior, and incredible safety rating.
Honda officials say that the perception is the first step closer to the automaker’s large method for electrification, but we see it as a very last step for destiny small cars that’ll be the norm.
It starts with the insight’s seems, which don’t scream something apart from “Compact Sedan.” the first generations of the perception had been appearance-at-me hybrids; the primary turned into a two-door hatchback shape whole with wheel covers, and the second one become an egg-formed Prius fighter with Prius-like appears.
The 2019 Insight is greater mature than both, and tones down a number of the modern Civic’s look for a conservative take. It borrows some from the accord, too, inclusive of the useful touchscreen, and receives the excellent of both parents’ genes—suppose ben stiller, no longer martin sheen.
Under the hood are a 1.5-liter inline-four and electric powered motor mixture that makes 151 horsepower and drives the front wheels only. It’s no longer mainly rapid, but the insight could be very gasoline efficient. our calculators figured combined mileage around fifty five mpg, higher than the epa’s estimates.
The ride is easy and composed, even though truly noisy at instances.
Reliable crash information is lacking, however, the 2019 insight comes standard with lively safety features such as forward-collision warnings with computerized emergency braking, active lane control, and automatic headlights.
Even though the insight starts off evolved at much less than $24,000 for a base lx model, we see the most cost within the center of the lineup with the insight ex. it gives an eight.zero-inch touchscreen, apple car play and android vehicle compatibility, sixteen-inch wheels, a virtual instrument cluster, honda’s telematics, and material upholstery.
The perception touring starts at nearly $29,000, that is more than the extra spacious accord hybrid version that we’d endorse to mid-length buyers.
Design:
Insight lifestyle is essentially due to the Civic, however, the 2019 honda perception’s seems ought to be credited to the accord. neither one of those is a bad aspect.
We get that many buyers see themselves in tall-driving crossovers extra than 4-door motors these days, however, we just wish that they’d see how a ways good-looking sedans just like the insight have come.
We provide it a 7 out of 10 for right seems interior and exterior.
The insight doesn’t borrow lots from the civic’s closet, handiest the roofline and wheelbase is common amongst each sedans.
As a substitute, we see the Honda mid-sizer inside the perception’s nose and tail, which honda says will attraction to a barely older crowd than the civic. (think 30-somethings in preference to 20-somethings.)
The perception’s curves are tamer than the Civic's, too, with fewer creases along the aspect and a extra upright nose. The wheel arches are extra graceful at the perception—perhaps a hat tip ought to go to the mazda 6 there.
Interior, the perception skips the civic’s irritating touchscreen and control format for one plucked from the accord, whole with a quantity knob. the perception sports activities a low sprint that facilitates outward vision (civic) and digital show that’s functional and easy to recognize.
Performance:
The 2019 honda insight’s small engine and battery blend are inventory-in-exchange for performance compacts—outright performance takes a again seat.
We don’t thoughts a good deal, there’s plenty of leg room.
The Insight rides with no trouble without urgency and returns mind-blowing gasoline economy, despite our heavy proper feet. starting from an average rating, we deduct a factor for its lack of pep, however, supply it right lower back for a competent experience. it earns a five out of 10.
by way of the numbers, the perception is powered by using a 1.five-liter inline-four that makes 107 horsepower paired to a 129-hp electric motor. the blended output is 151 hp and 197 pound-feet of torque, despite the fact that honda’s technique to hybrid powertrains can be fairly new to buyers.
The so-referred to as “-motor hybrid” machine basically uses the electrical motor and battery for propulsion, not the fuel engine. underneath positive instances, the battery-electric motor can power the perception without the fuel engine in any respect, or all three can snatch together to drive the front wheels.
That association mainly skips the want for any form of conventional transmission—automatic or continuously variable automated—and largely relegates the gas engine to work as an electric powered generator underneath maximum occasions.
The major distinction for most drivers can be that acceleration and the gasoline engine activity may not be at once proportional. at times, the engine could be busier than expected, working hard to offe tor regenerate strength to the hybrid system. At different times, the engine can also appear overly secure; the hybrid gadget has enough strength to perform without the inline-4.
The least bit, the perception is a tick slower than different automobiles on the road, more or less in step with other inexpensive hybrids inclusive of the Toyota Prius. our casual testing pegged 0-60 mph acceleration around 10 seconds, however, 0-30 mph is a touch greater surprising round town than that figure might suggest.
In passing or climbs, the perception is greater leisurely—rural, -lane motorway passes can also require some boost planning.
The insight is ready with ev, game, and econ modes that predictably affect performance, even though sport mode feels out of location here. in our trying out, tipping the insight into recreation made the throttle peppier and the engine rev better (not to say pipe in some unnecessary engine sounds into the cabin) however didn’t make the car any faster. switching over to econ mode relaxes the throttle response, however, didn’t appear to push the automobile into all-electric mode any greater than ordinary.
We’ve located that the insight is nice whilst operated without micromanaging; begin the auto up and go. honda delivered a heavier-than-everyday “kickdown switch”—approximately 25 percent of the throttle is beyond a heavy detent that seemed awkward—so a at ease mindset is pleasant with the perception.
Insight ride and Handling
The Insight advantages by using sharing maximum of its structural additives with the Honda Civic, including a MacPherson front suspension setup and multi-link rear suspension.
The perception gets the pinnacle-shelf fluid-stuffed bushings from the civic that tempers road behavior in a manner that other compact cars in large part don’t have a budget for.
Base andex-trimm stages get 16-inch wheels with larger sidewalls that have extra give, however, our turns at the back of the wheel of visiting variations with 17-inch wheels were a long way from fussy.
The perception steers nicely, despite the fact that its chunky steering wheel hints at a sportier challenge than the automobile gives you.
Massive, 11.1-inch rotors up the front arrest the perception optimistically, seamlessly switching between friction and regenerative braking without difficulty. honda engineers have found an incredibly exciting use for the civic’s guidance-wheel hooked up paddle shifters: they click thru three levels of regenerative braking pressure within the perception in a difficult way. dialed in to their most competitive regen placing, the perception nonetheless received’t be a one-pedal driving force for most proprietors. that may be disappointing to a few pro inexperienced-car consumers.
Comfort & Class:
Overlook the hybrid powertrain all collectively and the 2019 insight excels at being a compact automobile.
It must; just like the civic from which it’s based, the perception has mid-length dimensions inner.
We are saying 4 adults can experience within the perception’s confines, however, 5 is too much; the again seat's not as much as the pinnacle or leg-room venture. there’s enough area for cargo and the insight’s batteries don’t interfere into the package. we supply it a 6 for comfort.
The front seats are supportive and secure, however, trip a bit decrease than a few may also assume. there are masses of headroom up the front for the longest torsos at 39.three inches, and long legs ought to fit just first-rate too with 42.3 inches. a moonroof doesn’t reduce too much into the available headroom, and the perception’s telescoping steerage wheel and long seat tour would make at-rex comfortable at the back of the wheel. perhaps.
In the back, the insight supplied just enough headroom and 37.four inches of leg room for our big-bodied, 6-foot-three editor to trip in the back of someone of equal size. Lengthy street journeys with large adults ought to be feasible, but perhaps now not palatial.
Just like the civic, the insight has rather skinny seats (however they don’t skimp on comfort) that offers good knee room for rear-seat riders. the civic has grown over successive generations and that’s a boon for a hip room for huge, wideAmericann bodies.
smart packaging, which include a battery within the transmission tunnel close to the motive force’s knee, the method that the insight offers a great-sized trunk that need to hold masses of gear. a huge trunk opening makes the distance that much more available to use. a 60/forty-break up folding rear seat is well known on ex and travelling trim degrees.
Energetic noise cancellation in all insights works tough to quell outdoor noises, despite the fact that a few filter out into the cabin anyway.
Because of how the 2-mode hybrid system operates (we cowl the powertrain above), on occasion the engine and typical velocity aren’t in sync with the driving force’s proper foot. that led to a noisier cabin that we expected at factors around minneapolis. as compared to a toyota prius, the insight’s engine appeared noisier even though the honda was more at ease usual.
Safety of Ride:
Legit crash-test data from the feds and impartial testers tells a commendable story for the 2019 Honda perception.
We charge it at nine out of 10. the best factor that continues it from earning uncommon top marks in our testing is that it lacks the most state-of-the-art semi-self-riding technology located in some high-cease new cars.
the iihs says that the 2019 perception is a pinnacle protection choose+, with "appropriate" marks in every crash check, an "advanced" rating for its lively safety tech, and "suitable" headlights. it does not get higher than that, in particular given that all insights are geared up with lively safety features that Honda calls “Hondasensing.”
The bundle includes ahead-collision warnings with computerized emergency braking, energetic lane manipulates, visitors sign reputation, and automatic headlights. ex and traveling trim tiers get a mirror-hooked up digicam on the proper aspect that enables peek into that blind spot.
We're going to just wait to present the insight a score until the NHTSA smacks one into a wall, however.
Attributes:
Depending on the worldview, the 2019 honda insight is both a nicely-ready compact sedan or a mainstream hybrid that flies below the radar.
we see both, and for much less than $30,000 in all configurations, we additionally see the value.
starting from our baseline, 2019 earns points for appropriate general functions and its standout fee. it receives a 7 out of 10.
On the lx trim stage for $23,725 to start, the perception offers sixteen-inch wheels, led headlights, a 5.zero-inch show for audio, Bluetooth connectivity, one USB port, fabric upholstery, keyless ignition, and a suite of superior safety functions referred to as Hondasensing that we cowl above.
he perception traveling trim is the pinnacle of the pile and prices $28,985. it gives navigation, a moonroof, 17-inch wheels, top rate audio, electricity adjustable heated the front seats, 17-inch wheels, an 8.0-inch touchscreen for infotainment with apple car play and android auto compatibility, leather upholstery, and a reflect-mounted camera at the right side for better blind-spot visibility.
we see the first-class value at the ex-trim level, that is proper in the middle between the lx and visiting trim stages.
Ex-geared up insights get a lively lane to manage, the eight.0-inch touchscreen with smartphone compatibility, material upholstery, 16-inch wheels, and USB ports for nearly $25,000.
Honda doesn’t offer many alternatives in its trim tiers, but fortunately has made energetic protection features standard throughout the board.
Fuel Efficiency:
At 52 mpg blended in most versions, the 2019 honda insight hybrid is some of the maximum fuel-green cars on sale without a plug.
Honda’s clever two-motor hybrid machine works well at maintaining the compact sedan frugal, but the perception’s fundamental differences with the different hybrids method that it can operate in a different way than customers are anticipating.
It nonetheless earns an eight out of 10 on our gas economic system scale, to do any higher would require a plug.
Honda expects that the epa will charge maximum variations of the insight at 55 mpg city, 49 dual carriageway, 52 mixed. the insight touring trim is rated slightly lower at 51/45/48 mpg because of larger tires and heftier minimize weight.
Among compact hybrids, the perception holds its very own. the ionic is rated at up to 58 mpg combined and the Toyota Prius clocks in at as much as 56 mpg combined.
In our trying out we effortlessly beat thEPA's’s figures. in over 80 miles of checking out around minnesota and wisconsin—generally, dual carriageway driving that is less gasoline-green for hybrids—we clocked 55.2 mpg.
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