2010 Honda Insight Review

I've seen the ads. I've even seen another one on the road. I own one! I drive it to work, to the store, through the cornfields of Illinois. It's Honda's recent incarnation to compete with the Prius. It's the newest vehicle I've ever bought to date. It's a 2010 Honda Insight.

The first generation Insight was built between 2000 and 2006. This version was a three-door, two-seat hatch back. It was made primarily of aluminum and plastic to reduce weight and increase fuel efficiency. The first generation Insight had a 70 hp three cylinder engine that used Honda's first generation Integrated Motor Assist. At the time, the Insight earned an EPA estimate of 70 mph. Only 14,000 to 18,000 first generation Insights were sold. While I've seen them, I've never had the chance to drive one.

This year, Honda released the second generation Insight. This is the version that is currently sitting in my driveway. It is a 5 door hatchback that is more in line with the Toyota Prius. The second generation uses a more powerful 98 hp gas engine with Integrated Motor Assist. It also includes a new feature known as Ecological Drive Assist System. This system helps you to improve your fuel efficiency while driving by a color-coded system. The colors the system uses range from green being most efficient to blue for least efficient. It even scores your performance on each trip. When you shut your car off, it awards you a score of one to five based on how efficiently you've driven. The points are represented by leaves and you are scored over three levels. I've close to moving up to level three.

The fuel efficiency is much less than the original at 40mph city to 43 mph on the highway. I have a personal average at 36 mph form my Insight. This is honestly better than my old 2001 Taurus, the last car I personally owned. I've driven from Champaign, IL to Chicago on half a tank. This is a three hour drive that I got to know very well. I also got the same half-tank on one-way trips to St. Louis and Indianapolis. A comparative trip I took in a Toyota Prius would be my business trip from Boston to Burlington, VT. It was also three hours, but used one tank. I remember this distinctly because after I left the work site, the low fuel light came on.

I'm honestly surprised there is not more of the Insight on the road. I've had mine for almost five months now. Over the past three months I've averaged only one fill-up per month. That was primarily local driving to and from work and to places such as the library and the grocery store. I find the power on par with what you find in a 4-cylinder gas car. I compare it to my Aunt's Ford Fusion which I drove in California. My distaste for the power of the vehicle only comes from the fact that I am used to more powerful 6-cylinder engines. The interior is quite comfortable. Those who are used to the feel of the Civic and Corolla will feel right at home in the newer Insight. The controls are just like your average vehicle. I found that in the Prius, I had to learn how to drive it. There is no learning curve with the Insight.

With the push for more fuel efficient vehicles, the Honda Insight is a good move for those who want to test out the technology without losing any familiarity. If you are used to gas powered vehicles such as the Corolla, Civic or Fusion; you may want to check out the Honda Insight. The Insight is the lowest priced of the hybrid vehicles produced with an MSRP between $19,800 and $23,200. Having bought it, I have to say that I do recommend it. After five months I still love the vehicles and my friends have only had positive things to say about it. If you are looking for a new car that is fuel efficient and set apart from the pack, you should definitely look at the Honda Insight.