insight owner tells me about 68mpg

Instead of being jealous, I'd suggest you take a ride in an Insight. Although it does get higher mileage, it does so with a fair number of compromises. It's far from being a midsized car, and doesn't even have a back seat. It's a lot lighter, and the ride isn't nearly as comfortable as in the Prius. When you're sitting in it there is no mistaking that you're in a small car. Don't get me wrong, the Insight is a good car, but it's not for everyone.

If you want a more equitable comparison, I'd compare your Prius to the Civic Hybrid. I think the Prius has it beat hands down, which is probably why there is a waiting list for Prii, but Honda dealers have plenty of Hybrids on their lots.

If high MPG is the only thing you're interested in, you might want to try a moped, then you can get over 150 MPG.

 

Jealous about what, that him and 2 sardines fills the car, If I wanted a 2 place car I'd have probably bought a Vet.

 

Don't be jealous. Just smile at him and congratulate him on how much gas he's saved and his continued comittment to the technology.

If it hadn't been for early adopters like him with the Insight and the Prius Classic, there would be no 2004.

And your mileage will get better. If it doesn't, I don't think there's any shame at all if it does end up being 51 for the life of the car.

I looked at the Insight. I could probably have adapted to a two seater, but my knee would never tolerate a stick again.

 

I wouldn't be jealous either. I drove an Insight. While it IS fun to drive (it handles like a go-kart), the car is WAY too small to be even remotely practical. I have too much need to be able to carry more than one passenger to be even remotely capable of tolerating that car. Thank you, but the Insight is just not gonna work, especially since it was every bit as expensive as the classic Prius.

Oh yes, I almost forgot. One of my co workers has an Insight. I've typically been within 1mpg of her at any given time. Granted, I REALLY work to get my fuel mileage, and she drives like a demon. I don't feel like I've compromised anything choosing the Toyota.

 

everything in life is compromise. i ride my bike to work 'in season'... 5 miles to the peanut butter sandwich. if and when i ever get my prius, i'm gonna feel great that i went from my 16-17 mpg buick rendezvous, not guilty because i didn't get the one absolutely highest mileage car.

then on the weekends i'm still gonna zoom around in my V8 avanti! )

 

Colleagues of mine have that car. I asked to carpool once; but it has a weight limit of something like 250 pounds, and can't take passengers.

The Prius has not problem in carpooling with more than one person, and still gets great mpg!

I also like the concept of the the Insight, but it is a niche car while the Prius is more mainstream (or capable of being mainstream).

 

so, if you both drove 350 miles, and he got 70mpg and you got 50, he'd have burnt five gallons any you would have burnt seven. Maybe $5.00 difference in cost, or 1.43 cents per mile difference. now, do your own math on the car: add up insurance, gas, depreciation, etc., etc., and divide by the number of miles you drive per year. oh, and don't forget maintenance, tires, oil changes, and everything else you can think of.
when you're done, you'll have the real $/mile cost of your car, and you can invite him to compare his. probably won't be more than a spit of difference, and if there is, you can always ask him what he drives when he wants to go to Home Depot, Costco, camping, long car trip, etc.... and whether he likes living out of a small duffel bag....

sardine cans have their place, but it's not in my driveway!

 

Actually I agree with Cybele
"If it hadn't been for early adopters like him with the Insight and the Prius Classic, there would be no 2004." But I still think it's as small as a sardine can.

 

This follows plusaf's logic.

Prius strikes me as a lot more practical, as these posts have stated. If one wants to show off a geek factor, the Insight is an eye-catching style that accomplishes just that. For me it's important to encourage "mainstreaming" of good, innovative design. I've put my $$ where my sense of good overall product value (both technical and monetary) lies. Hopefully this hybrid design approach will spread successfully throughout many manufacturers and even better solutions will emerge in a few years.

I doubt that the Insight will remain as it is - maybe a new testbed for an even more radical design to push the envelope in the future? We always need test pilots.

Rick V.

 

My bicycle gets better mileage than that.

But I can't pack the family (with 2 kids) in it, stick a stroller in the back, and go anywhere.

Same with the Insight. Great car for a single person who mostly just commutes, I'm sure.

 

The following are stats from Edmund's Long-Term Road Test of a 2000 Insight:

Current Odometer: 13,257
Best Fuel Economy: 56.4 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 41.4 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 49.72 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: $43.97 (for a front license plate bracket and fasteners)
Problems: None

http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/longterm/ar...27/page009.html

 

I was interested in an Insight, until I saw the trunk. It just about fits a six-pack.

But more power to those that drive them -- if it meets their lifestyle, great. Lord knows we've had threads where people with SUVs say they really like the Prius, but they need more room.

 

How about the safety side of it. I couldn't find any crash test results for the Insight, but how safe can a small 1800lb aluminum car be?

I think the Insight is a great car, it's just not very practical for most people. The Prius on the other hand is a great car for most people.
Yes, the car gets around 48 mpg., but it can carry 5 people and luggage.

 

Four stars:

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/NCAP/Cars/2808.html

 

It's all a question of what compromises you're willing to make for the environment, and what your needs are. The Insighters are willing to make do with less, and I honor them for that. What do people really need? We have (and I have) berated people who drive alone in an SUV in the city. They don't need that much car. It's wasteful. They'll give reasons why they "need" it. But most people don't really need a car at all. We have made lifestyle choices that force us to have a car, such as buying a house off the public transportation routes. Others have chosen to live where a car is not a necessity. Those are the real heros of the environment. Others make do with a bicycle or a motorbike. The Insight is a great, very small car, for those willing to compromise more than we Prius owners are willing to do. And I repeat that I honor them for it.

The Prius is a midsize car that makes no compromises, for people like me who would like to minimize our environmental impact while giving up absolutely nothing. It's also an environmental technology that can grow in a country of people who are not willing to give up anything.

 

As a Insight and Prius owner I think I am qualified to compare the two. First of all there were no 99 Insights. The car was introduced in DEC 99 as a 2000 model and less than 20 were sold in 99. As a result buying a 99 used is a bit hard. Why many of you feel the need to bash one car over another is beyond me, I like both. In regards to styling I like to see form follow function (The 04 Prius and Insight have better cd numbers than the classic Prius). I have a 2000 model Insight that I bought new. Since that time I have put 93K miles on the Car with a 89.5 lifetime mpg. My record best was 1100 miles on 10.2 gallons of gas. Yes I have gotten over 100 mpg on several occasions. The only service so far has been a headlight recall that I had performed. (I change my own oil/filters). With its all aluminum body and excellent fuel economy I expect this car will be my choice for highway cruising for the foreseeable future. (I actually find it more comfortable than the Prius. I am 6 ft 5in and I can actually straighten my legs and lock my knees in the Insight where in the Prius I can't.). I find the room adequate. I don't need to carry more than 2 people and have even managed to get 2 large footlockers in the car (Thanks to the hatchback).
We have a 01 Prius as well. Its a great little car. It has less interior noise than a stock Insight, a touchscreen monitor, and of course stealth mode. This car is mainly driven by our kids who are newly licensed. For the kids we wanted a automatic (You would understand why if you taught them) and I think the all electric mode provides for better city fuel economy which is where they mainly drive. I have driven the Prius on the commute that I take in the Insight and averaged 70.8 mpg on 515 miles thanks to Grahams miniscanner. In the city we usually come in in the low 50's.
Our newest Hybrid is a 04 Prius silver with package #9. This is the family car. (We don't take the kids with us as much any more but still wanted a car capable of taking 4). The smart entry, navigation and HID lights are probably the features that appeal to the geek in me most. If I can ever pry the car out of my wifes hands I will see how I do on my highway driving but we are averaging in the low 50's so far. Have fun, Rick

 

We're considering acquiring a Prius (as a company car), but it would definitely be step down in the "greenness" ratings, as we've only ever owned one car, and that was for 1 year 6 years ago. Apart from that, we've relied exclusively on public transport (and the occasional lift).

So considering getting a new Prius, at age 30, I actually feel rather guilty. I'm not sure we actually need such a large car.

 

I like both too. I'm so glad there are so many more choices now so that folks don't have to compromise any longer. A family can now own a hybrid as well as a commuter.

That's amazing! I'm so glad you shared that with us. I'm happy to hear that folks beat the EPA on a regular basis. I've never actually talked with an Insight owner, though I know there are several in our neighborhood, including our city councilman (he used to have an EV).

That's pretty awesome too. Of course you have loads of experience in driving hybrids and can probably teach us all a thing or two about driving for economy.

Congrats on your lifetime of great car choices!

 

Starla:

when feeling pangs of jealousy, keep this in mind;

The Honda dealerships in the US currently have a 3 month supply of hybrids sitting on the lot. Insights are going for less than sticker.

Toyota has 21,000 impatient people on a 4-8 month Prius waiting list.

if you want to give up your car, i think there are plenty of people willing to talk to you.