Insight reviews -- trolling for customers?

Some of us are excited to have another hybrid option.

 

I agree that the Insight can't compare to the Prius when it comes to power and mpg. I was thinking of buying one until I saw they only get around 40 mpg. My 1986 Honda CRX gets that good of mileage, if it wasn't for that blue smoke. I did spend my life savings on a 2008 Pkg #2 Prius last year but can't get into it because it has become a PTSD trigger. Long story but a word of wisdom (don't buy a car 2 hours after you've been told you're going to die cause you might not die and are reminded everytime you look at it the hell you were put through). I'm trying to sell it but no luck so far. Who ever buys it will get a nice car with 3K miles and that new car smell.

 

The Insight 2 is a poor man's Prius for those who want to be green but can't afford a Prius.

From Motortrend's test drive, the mileages they drove on a fixed loop are:

29 mpg - aggressive spirited driving
44 mpg - normal driving
63 mpg - hypermiling, speed = 30mph

The FE depends on your right foot.

 

My best tank in my 06 Prius is 64.5 MPG with average speed of about 45 MPH. My commute is mostly highway with some traffic congestion.

 

But the Insight2 is $6000 less than your package #3, $20K vs. $26K.

Assuming at $3 per gal, the Insight2 costs $3/44mpg = $0.068/mile.
Your Prius cost $3/65 = $0.046/mile.

You saves $0.022 per mile, for $6000, you have to drive $6000/$0.022 miles = 272,727 miles to make up the difference before saving money even with the better mileage for the Prius, assuming the HV battery is still good. Otherwise you will be $3000 behind again with the battery replacement.

You may argue that the Prius is a bigger and better car, but this is just one way of looking at the overall cost of ownership.

 

Hi Bob;

Frankly, I do not know why you appear to have so much animosity with regards to this "Insight-II". For the last 2 years, I never seen it as a challenge to the Prius and barring any remaining ill-informed PC members, I doubt it will be a reason for any Prius owner/lover to be concerned about it.
The Prius IS and WILL remain the standard bearer in hybrid technology and sales leader for many years to come... and on that note I hope we frame the issue from a common perspective.

But sadly and regrettably, your interpretation of technical mediocrity are disappointing and the allegations of trolling also quite unfortunate. In defense of and out of respect for those who created those posts (I created no such posts, ever)... these threads appear to have been created in the appropriate forum section by long time and highly respected Prius owners. Correct?

All I can say is ....


Cheers;

MSantos

 

The cost difference between a compact and a mid-size car is around $3-$4k, isn't it?

Base compact Insight II ($19k) and base mid-size Prius ($22k) have the difference what you would expect between the two classes.

The fact that a mid-size being faster and get more MPG than a compact should make the Prius a bigger seller. Of course the prices are based on speculations and previous gen.

 

The Prius is the better car. The Insight is cheaper. Not everyone can afford a Prius. It's as simple as that. Honda is an excellent company that produces high-quality cars and treats its customers better than Toyota does. I drove a Civic for 15 years and never had a minute's trouble. Honda treated me like a prince, even though I had bought one of their cheapest vehicles.

Then the Prius came out, and I could afford a more expensive car by then. The Insight will be an excellent car. Not as good as the Prius, but fine for someone who cannot afford a Prius.

 

There is also the different in the cost of the hybrid system besides the classification. The IMA is a lot cheaper than the HSD.

The base Prius is MSRP at $24,363, not $22K.
2009 Toyota Prius at Maita Toyota

Your pkg #3 is $26,468, I compare it to the Insight2 EX without options at ~$20K. Be honest, how much did you paid new? I bet you paid MSRP or more in 06.
2009 Toyota Prius at Maita Toyota

The loaded EX is ~$22K and equivalent to a pkg #6 @ $28,844.
2009 Toyota Prius at Maita Toyota

 

I don't know what that dealer is charging but I doubt it is a base model. It could be the standard model. 2009 Prius starts at $22k according to Toyota. 2009 Toyota Prius Hybrid

06 pkg#3 is equivalent to 07/08/09 pkg#2. I paid $24k - $3k tax credit. I got around $500 off MSRP in 2006. People are paying pkg#2 for around ~$21k now due to the rebate and discount. See "how much did you pay for your prius" thread.

What does the Insight II EX come with for $20k? I have the touch screen, backup camera, Smartkey system, and front/rear side curtain airbags.

That loaded Prius probably has $4k more equipment than the loaded Insight II EX. What / how are you basing your comparison on?

 

I don't know if "trolling for customers" is the right term, but I have noticed an odd trend in the early reviews and test drives. The articles seem to have an overtone of Honda favoritism to them. Not overtly, but noticeable. For example, several I have read glossed over the EPA rating, and made sure to mention that drivers will "probably" get much better mileage. Really? Then they back that up by driving very gingerly over a carefully controlled course to backup the claim.

My personal opinion is the new Insight looks quite horrible, the styling is awkward and disjointed. I am also very unimpressed by the interior. I believe that quite a few write ups have been over compensating for the fact that they know the new Insight is a pale imitation of the current Prius, never mind competing with the new model.

There is good reason the Insight is priced thousand less than the Prius.

 

It looks like the Insight EX only has bluetooth and navigation.

Where are the rest of the Prius pkg#6 features?

- Smartkey System
- Leather seats
- Backup camera
- HID
- Auto dimming rear view mirror with HomeLink

Those are ~$4k worth of features. If you want to compare a loaded Insight EX, the best Prius pkg would be #2. The Insight EX has Nav and BT but Prius #2 has Smartkey and backup camera. The MSRP difference would be ~$22k vs. ~$24.5k. I say the extra $2.5k is well worth the larger, more efficient and refined car. This comparison is silly because Prius is 6 years old.

I think the Insight II is going to have a hard time competing with the certified used Iconic Priuses.

 

If the rumors are correct the prices for the Insight packages will be
LX --------- $18,000
EX --------- $20,000
EX w/ Nav $22,000


LX has: 60/40 split and fold-down rear seatbacks, a two-tier digital instrument panel, automatic climate control, power windows, mirrors and door locks, a tilting and telescoping steering wheel, steering wheel controls, height adjustable seat, and a four-speaker 160-watt AM/FM/CD audio system with MP3 audio playback, an auxiliary audio input jack and speed-sensitive volume control. For Safety: 6 airbags, ABS, active head restraints, tire pressure monitors. The Insight has a trip computer with: (2) fuel economy indicators, avg speed, odometer, (2) trip meters, ECO guide, elapsed time, exterior temperature, IMA charge and assist indicator, IMA power flow indicator, mile to empty, and maintenance reminder.

EX adds: alloy wheels, cruise control, a six-speaker audio system with USB audio interface, steering-wheel mounted paddle shifters, stability control, and traction control.

Navigation adds: Voice activated navigation and bluetooth.

You can get the full details here: Honda Insight Specifications - Official Honda Web Site

 

And all of this is coming from a guy that evidently advocates drafting as evidenced by his car "attached" to the rear of a semi in his avatar???

 

Most of those are standard features in the stripped down Prius model starting at $22k. Basically, we are looking at $2k difference for a larger car (with 2x battery power) that gets 5 more MPG. Prius has the after-market option to upgrade to plug-in as well.

 

The Standard Prius is $22,000. Upgrading to the Base adds cruise control, cargo cover, and heated mirrors for $23,375. Of course those are 2009 prices the 2010 is expected to start at $23,500.

The Insight is 33% more fuel efficient than a Fit and will be the 3rd most fuel efficient vehicle for sale in the US. That is pretty good for less than $20K. I see the Insight and Prius as targeting different markets with Toyota moving the Prius upmarket with the 2010 model.

 

He doesn't advocate drafting. He is mocking those that do.