1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

2019 Honda Insight Reviews are out

Discussion in 'Honda/Acura Hybrids and EVs' started by stevepea, Jun 20, 2018.

  1. stevepea

    stevepea Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 16, 2017
    531
    578
    0
    Location:
    California
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    For anyone interested, today a whole bunch of 2019 Honda Insight reviews hit the net.

    As is typical of Honda, they got some things right more than Toyota (esp cabin layout and cabin space).

    However as a very angry ex-owner of a Honda Civic Hybrid 2006 -- where the batteries failed every 1.5 years, with multiple lawsuits over multpile issues, Honda almost completely turning off the hybrid system on everyone's car, turning it into basically just a gas car, in order to mitigate them having to change the batteries every 1.5 years -- which they still had to do anyway when they'd fail like clockwork... it'll be a LONG time before I ever buy another Honda again, especially any kind of hybrid model. That kind of experience makes me not ever want to consider a Honda again (esp the way Honda acted during all of it).

    One absolutely lame feature of the Insight is that it has a setting where the user can select the amount of regen braking (from 1-3) -- but the setting is only TEMPORARY, until the user comes to a stop -- then it just resets back to default, unless the driver is in Sport mode. Make no sense, as the purpose of higher regen is to help with fuel economy in the end, but the only mode it will stick is if you're in Sports mode (the worst for fuel efficiency). Anyone who likes higher regen braking must keep changing the setting time and time again after every stop. Why even have the setting in the first place, if you have to constantly keep setting it every few seconds?

    Seems like the reviews were all embargoed until today, because they all seemed to hit the net today.
    Anyone who had the misfortune of buying and owning a 2006 or 2007 Civic "hybrid" will I'm sure certainly pass, but for those interested, the reviews are out.
     
    Robert Holt likes this.
  2. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2006
    21,590
    11,212
    0
    Location:
    eastern Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    How is the regen braking amount set?
    If by paddle shifters, that isn't a big deal having it reset after a stop. That is exactly how it works on my Camry SE's automatic, if I set the max gear by the paddles while the gear selector is in drive and not sequential.
     
  3. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 8, 2015
    10,958
    8,836
    0
    Location:
    New England
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Not 2006 or 2007, but I am a happy former owner of 2008 HCH still in operation albeit IMA battery failure at 145k miles. My son still drives it. That said, I lost my interest in new Insight when I found out it is a sedan not a hatchback.
     
  4. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2010
    7,668
    6,481
    0
    Location:
    Redneck Riviera (Gulf South)
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    2 questions:

    A.) Is the G3 Insight operable with a bad battery?

    2.) If a car is equipped with a sports mode, why would one ever disable it?
     
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,861
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    meh, who buys hybrids anymore?
     
  6. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2010
    6,035
    3,854
    0
    Location:
    Rocky Mountains
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    This would be a good middle of the road choice... In 2004.

    The world is going crazy. No more cars at all from some auto makers and then 15 year old designs being sold as new with fancy screens.

    We were also burned with a civic hybrid, needed multiple batteries, full transmission failure, AC failure, 3 of 4 power windows failed, etc... What a contrast to the non-hybrid civic. They were both "7th generation" civics. The non-hybrid coupe manual was a beast and is still on the road.
     
  7. cycledrum

    cycledrum PSOCSOASP

    Joined:
    Apr 9, 2008
    8,245
    1,202
    0
    Location:
    NorCal
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    For me, there a zero plug-in options: Not Prime, Bolt, Volt, 3, S, X, Clarity, .... none. No Fords, no Teslas, no Toyotas, no Kia/Hyundai ....

    Only 2 (two) 'green' cars of all I would consider: 2018 Accord Hybrid, 2019 Insight hybrid

    A) No way.

    Impossible to turn 'turn off' the hybrid system in a Honda 2-motor hybrid system in 2014+ Accord, Clarity PHEV, 2019 Insight. I could see the IMA electric motor/battery essentially being disabled as motor just sandwiched between engine and transmission.

    2014 Accord Hybrid was the first Honda to use the 2-motor hybrid system, keep eye on that for Honda hybrid reliability. IMA is gone.
     
    #8 cycledrum, Jul 7, 2018
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 8, 2018
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,861
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    and you'll never buy either of them.:p
     
  9. cycledrum

    cycledrum PSOCSOASP

    Joined:
    Apr 9, 2008
    8,245
    1,202
    0
    Location:
    NorCal
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I don't see complaints in the 9th gen Accord Hybrid forum. 2 motor hybrid started in 2014. https://www.driveaccord.net/forums/274-accord-hybrid-9th-gen/
     
  10. JosephG

    JosephG Active Member

    Joined:
    May 23, 2018
    114
    101
    0
    Location:
    California
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius
    Model:
    One
    Journalists are getting their hands on the Insight for longer tests and the news is disappointing.

    They're pretty consistently getting poor gas mileage out of it, worse than the Accord and Clarity that are larger and have basically the same hybrid system. The journalist for CarGurus said in their test cycle it got no better than the ICE Honda Civic.

    This is pretty bizarre, you'd expect it would at least do better than heavier, otherwise identical cars. I wonder what the cause could be. Some kind if manufacturing or design defect?