Featured Honda Insight: 3rd time's the charm

This car should look very much like a Civic but will be priced a couple or so thousand $ more. Vast majority will buy regular Civic because I doubt Honda will promote this car much at dealers. Salespeople will just say, ah, you don't need a hybrid, just get regular Civic.

 

yep.

 

Pricing, MPGs announced ... 2019 Honda Insight - Hybrid of style and efficiency | Honda

 

My wife just got a new CRV with the 1.5 turbo. I really like it. We only have about 400 miles on it so it is just breaking in. So far economical, with lots of space and comfort. The apple car play is great. Honda is on top of their game. Toyotas move on the Rav 4.

 

He ended up going with Mazda CX-5, they're happy with it, nice ride.

 

I saw the recent release photos. It looks good but could not drive it. It would have been a top contender but it becomes available later in the year so it was not an option. I drove a Mazda CX-5 which was nice. Also a Forrester which is going to get an update soon and really needs it.

 

Watch your oil level fanatically. As you do, see if there is a pronounced gas smell. Most of concern in cold weather and mostly short trips driving.

 

I stopped by San Leandro Honda, looked a 2019 Insight EX over. Insight's front (driver's) seats are NOT exactly the same as a 2018 Civic, the Insight's front seats are a little roomier. I used my forearm to measure the bottom cushion length and Insight's cushion length is about same as Accord. Civic's bottom cushion length roughly 1.5" shorter.

Insight dash and center console similar to Civic, but it's not a carbon copy. Right of Insight's push buttons to shift, there's a cell phone tray, but no starage in that area. There's a sliding dual cupholder under center armrest and storage. The center console did NOT jut into my right knee and actually offers a little more room to the right than even the 2018 Accord. Insight EX does not have sunroof like all other Civic, Accord EXs, but I don't care about sunroofs anyway.

Sticker price on this EX was $24,955 and the dealer had asking $3,000 markup tag next to the Monroney. Somewhat smaller dealer. Sales manager didn't seem to know what kind of volumes they are hoping to sell on Insight. Said most coming from a Prius want a Clarity or Accord Hybrid. Insight EX sticker is almost $3k more than Civic EX and lose spare tire and moon/sunroof. But go from 35 mpg avg to 52.

2019 Insight is a good looking car with no loss of trunk space or pass through and it feels good at 6'2" long legs to sit behind wheel in. At this point I'm interested and will see how volumes and sales go.

 

Just visited and got pretty well informed:

A Design Victory over the Prius
Check out the inspired design and extraordinary features that give Insight an edge over the competition.

Well, Honda USA, you just got rid of my interest in the Insight III (although 45MPG highway seems a way low). Thank you. I'll just keep promoting my "not so good designed" but-good-to-own-old-Prius , it's also less harmful for the planet and my wallet.

 

Again, Honda dealers are Honda's worse enemy.
A multi-thousand dollar mark up makes great sense when the largest competitor is regularly having incentives on their model. I know the Prius is polarizing, but a hatchback is more in line to what the market wants than a sedan.

 

I must say that the base model has great pricing and extremely good base equipment. And 55/49/52 MPG looks very competitive as well.

 

But... Lane Keep Assist!

 

Any idea if these are being built in USA, Canada or Japan?

 

The one good thing I can say about our previous Civic Hybrid: it's fuel economy display was accurate, actually slightly pessimistic. Hopefully that's still the case, be interesting to verify that.

Toyota's display always puts me in mind of a compulsive liar, (or a repulsive liar, as @HPrimeAdvanced would say).

 

The EX I looked at assembled at Greensburg Indiana plant. Engine and transmission origin are Japan.
Has 45% US/Canadian parts content and 35% Japan parts content.

The LX/EX trims rated at 55/49/52 mpg city/hwy/combined