Insight is Honda's newest hybrid. It uses a 1.4 litre petrol engine and an electric motor to deliver greener motoring at a price that undercuts Toyota's Prius.
Unlike Prius, which has an EV mode (that allows the driver to move off using just the electric motor) Insight uses the 'IMA' set-up we first came across with the Honda Civic Hybrid. IMA stands for 'Integrated Motor Assist': basically an electric motor is on hand to add extra power when needed to the conventional engine. The five-seat Insight has roughly 100bhp available that in turn delivers pretty much average poke.
CO2 emissions are very low but not sub 100, so while the IMA is a noble effort, there are greener efforts on the way from the likes of VW that use only internal combustion power. Honda says Insight delivers better 'Real World' fuel economy, using just 4.4 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres travelled on average.
Living with the Insight should be easy as the car's exterior looks quite modern. Viewed side on, Insight looks quite similar to the Prius (now in its third generation), although there is limited rear headroom. The rear end of the hatchback is smart but really the 'Hybrid' badge is the focal point. Inside the cabin is comfortable with the driver enjoying a split dash, similar in many ways to the excellent Civic. While the dash and dials contain many toys and displays to let you know how green you are driving, they are not as impressive as those in Prius. What is impressive, however, is the well-positioned speedometer, which is backlit in green if you are driving economically and blue if you are driving with a heavy right foot.
To help you get close to the official fuel consumption figures there is an 'ECON' button to the right of the steering wheel and, yes, it's green in colour. 'ECON' doesn't stand for 'Economy' but rather 'Effective Control'. In a nutshell it helps the driver minimise fuel consumption by reducing torque by 4% and, of course, engine output, while also doing a few other electronic tricks. But you have to ask why is there an 'ECON' button? Surely a car that is being sold as a green machine in the first place doesn't need one?!
Insight is built using the underpinnings of the Honda Jazz supermini (reigning Continental Irish Small Car of the Year). On the road Insight's ride quality is quite good. Sadly, noise insulation for the cabin needs to be improved upon. There is quite a bit of road and engine noise, especially during acceleration. Insight uses a CVT gearbox (one variable gear): in other words you have a 'go' and 'stop' pedal. In general, CVTs do not make a pleasant noise, and this is true in the Insight when you accelerate hard.
One thing to get from the options list is a spare wheel. The standard car gets just a repair and inflation kit that you may need to use if you get a puncture. Come on, Honda, fit run-flat tyres as standard, please. Insight gained a Five-Star Euro NCAP crash rating and is certainly pointing to the future for the Japanese brand that intends to offer more IMA models down the road. The sporty looking CR-Z hybrid arrives in Ireland this summer.
A price of €22,378 gets you started with the 'SE' version, while the 'ES' is €23,374. Both versions undercut the Civic IMA that costs €23,875.
Michael Sheridan
