Honda's cheapest hybrid, Insight, gets cheaper

My wife has had an Insight for about a year now -10K miles-and loves it. Gets about 40-42 mpg. It's a nice little car-$5K cheaper than my Prius which is a bit bigger and softer ride. Insight handles better.
The 2011 Insights have the traction control as standard--the one thing that was missing in the base Insight last year.
With gas now at $3.10 a gallon here, the Insight will be a hot item if it gets to $3.50. Prius, too.
Watch for a run on hybrids.

 

wrong, pal. They've sold more than Ford has its hybrid sedan.

 

we paid $18.5K a year ago for the base Insight. Good discount. It was equipped like my Prius except no backup camera, magic key (just keyless)
and traction. Honda has now added traction as standard--the most important item.
The Insight has a standard key ignition and some analog instruments. Some people like that--like my wife. She thought the Prius was a bit spacy with the power button and all the electronics and LCDs.

 

The USA today article says the Insight "flopped." Wrong. Compared to what? Prius, sure. Prius has been around a long time, and is the best car in the world , in my view. But Insight is a Honda, and it's good and lower priced than Prius. It is number 3 in hybrid sales last time I looked, and doing well, considering Honda has about 1/3 as many dealerships as Toyota or Ford.
I know both cars, because we have one of each--Prius and Insight.

 

I agree and this isn't a 'glass half full' spin. The Honda Insight, based upon user mileage reports, looks to be a right nice little hybrid. It has more usable space than the Honda Civic hybrid which makes it a better buy than the Civic. Nothing else in the USA compact car class gets that kind of mileage. IMHO, it looks to be a great car for a young couple or practical, singles. But it wouldn't fit the Wilson family requirements.

Bob Wilson

 

So it's 2 Insights, 1 Ford hybrid sedan.

 

The case for "flopped" is not by looking at the Prius but at how well the Insight penetrated the 'gas only' market. I'm less worried about cannibalizing HCH sales as much as did it also get drivers out of gassers into a hybrid. Total numbers relative to Prius, I don't care. Conversion of drivers to hybrid, that is where we need market penetration.

If it turns out there are only 3% of all USA buyers who will every buy a hybrid, well it doesn't matter who sells them. For that small of market share, our cars will become curiosities and we'll never see the variety needed. We really need to see more conversions of gasser drivers to hybrids.

Bob Wilson

 

Compared to Honda's sales expectations. They were ready to sell 3x as many. Really.

 

I myself, would be interested in the Insight "full hybrid" that their planning on making. Supposed to beat the Prius mpg...but we'll see how that goes.

 

I agree withe sentiment that just because the Insight falls short of the Prius in sales and fuel economy doesn't mean it's a bad car. But considering the added technical complexities and added costs of hybrids, I think the upcoming cars like the new Focus, Fiesta, Cruze, and Elantra with their fuel efficient gas engines will do well. Many of these cars get an EPA estimated 40 mpg highway. In the end, getting more drivers to drive more environmentally friendly vehicles is what is important. It doesn't matter what technology is being used (hybrid, electric, efficient gas engines) or if it is a Toyota or another maker.

 

that's exactly why it is a flop. not because it didn't compete with prius sales, but because it didn't convert enough drivers from gassers. honda admitted it was a flop and vowed to do better. to move people away from gassers, you need to be innovative. making a slightly lower end all around hybrid "hybrid for the people" for slightly less money obviously isn't the answer.

 

Over the last several weeks I've test driven a Fiesta, Honda fit, several Insights, and a Prius.
Before I began I was aiming for the Insight due to advertised lease of 0 down 0 1st month and $210/month x 35mos. Figured I could get into a hybrid and then walk away from it in 3 years and keep leasing the latest and greatest technology as it becomes available.
The fit and finish of the Prius won me over enough to conclude it would be worth owning.

 

I had a 2010 Insight for nearly a year. it was a very good car, it got 46 mpg regularly. And for your information, it came with more than 2 speakers. (you are thinking of the original insight)