Overall Rating |  |
Insight offers incredible economy and low emissions so you can feel good about owning and driving it. But it's a less than practical two-seater coupe with limited luggage space.
For
- Clean, 'green' and economical
- Innovative hybrid power system
- Striking coupe styling
Against
- Expensive and not popular
- Strictly a two-seater
- Impractical with little luggage space
Road Test
It's significant that Insight is now only available to special order. It's too expensive, specialised and impractical to be a runaway success. Even so, it injects some real excitement into what could have been a worthy but dull car like Toyota's first-generation Prius.
The low-slung coupe has a futuristically aerodynamic design, narrower at the back than at the front, with flat hubcaps and covers over the rear wheels. It's certainly slippery, but the key to its 83mpg economy is what Honda calls the IMA (Integrated Motor Assist) system. There are two engines a conventional 1.0 litre petrol unit and an electric motor that both work together, with the petrol unit and braking forces charging the batteries so no need to plug into the mains.
Driving an Insight is a novel experience. There's little road noise, very quick steering and decent performance. It's fun and frugal, but never a family car.
Need To Know
Best Models: Insight
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