2019 Honda Insight Review

　　

zzdcar' Expert Review

byMark TakahashiCorrespondent

　　Mark Takahashi has worked in the automotive industry since 2001. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Mark has also contributed to Motor Trend, Auto Aficionado, Chevy High Performance and several motorcycle magazines in various roles. Mark is also a juror on the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards and can be seen regularly on the zzdcar YouTube channel and sometimes representing the company in media interviews.

　　

What's new

All-new for 2019Unlike past hatchback-like models, this is a sedanFirst year of the third-generation Insight introduced for 2019

　　When you think of hybrids, more likely than not you're probably picturing a Toyota Prius. It's become the most popular in its class, but it wasn't the first. The original Honda Insight beat it to market by a few months, but it never managed to compete on an even playing field. The second-generation Insight was discontinued in 2014, leaving a distinct gap in Honda's lineup.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2019 Honda Insight LX 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.04 per gallon for regular unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$73/mo  for Insight LX

　　Insight LX

　　LX 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT) - $22,930 MSRPEX 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT) (Most Popular) - $24,160 MSRPTouring 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT) - $28,190 MSRP

　　vs

　　$164/mo

　　Avg. Midsize Car

　　The 2019 Honda Insight fills that void, and it does so in an impressive manner. First off, it no longer looks like the last-generation Insight or Prius. It's now a sedan and can easily be mistaken for the new Accord. The new Insight also exorcises some of the odd hybrid driving quirks that irked us before. Now it drives much like a conventional car, with a lot more punch and responsiveness when accelerating from a stop.

　　This new Insight isn't quite as miserly with fuel as the Hyundai Ioniq, but it's close enough to keep it competitive, as is its long list of standard advanced safety features. Its numerous strengths — which include a spacious cabin, quick acceleration and excellent value for money — lead us to recommend it heartily against any other hybrid on the market.

　　

zzdcar' Expert Rating

8.1 / 10

　　The new 2019 Insight sets itself apart from other dedicated hybrids with its conventional style and driving characteristics. This approach — along with its excellent fuel economy, long list of safety features and reasonable pricing — makes the Insight worth your attention.

　　

Trim tested

　　Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions that are fundamentally similar. The ratings in this review are based on our full test of the Honda Insight Touring (1.5L 4-cyl. hybrid).

　　

Scorecard

Overall	8.1 / 10
Driving	7.5
Comfort	8.0
Interior	8.5
Utility	8.0
Technology	8.0

　　

Driving

7.5

　　The Insight drives more like a regular car than a hybrid, which is a compliment. It delivers average acceleration that is aided by a bump of electric assistance when taking off from a stop. It's also a better handler than other affordable hybrids.

　　

Acceleration

7.5

　　The Insight accelerates responsively and smoothly in most situations. In our testing, it covered 0-60 mph in 8.1 seconds, which is quick for a hybrid or fuel-efficient non-hybrid. The Insight only feels tepid when accelerating at highway speeds with a low battery charge.

　　

Braking

7.0

　　Routine light braking around town is predictable and easy to modulate. But the brake pedal action does begin to feel "springy" during moderately hard braking events and surprise stops. Our test car stopped from 60 mph in 123 feet at our test track, a decent result for a car of this type.

　　

Steering

8.0

　　The steering is pretty precise and responsive in routine driving. Though feel is lacking somewhat, the weighting is just about right. Sport mode doesn't unnecessarily add steering heft, which is a relief.

　　

Handling

8.0

　　The Insight drives like a slightly less sporty Honda Civic. It goes around turns in a tidy and composed fashion. Tire grip is also satisfactory. Its character leans more toward sobriety than spirit, but the Insight is certainly more lively than a Prius.

　　

Drivability

7.0

　　The Insight accelerates smoothly. There isn't a transmission in the traditional sense, but the experience is a lot like driving a car with a continuously variable transmission. Our test car's adjustable regenerative braking system kept resetting itself to a lower setting when we didn't ask for it. That's not an issue in Sport mode, which gives the car quicker reflexes and retains your selected regen level indefinitely.

　　

Comfort

8.0

　　There's fundamental comfort among the seats and the ride quality, both of which exhibit a well-judged balance between support and compliance. Noise isn't fully banished, owing to the road noise and the constant hum of the engine when accelerating. Still, we wouldn't mind driving it long distances.

　　

Seat comfort

8.5

　　The seats are comfortable, with medium-firm foam and a nice texture. They are a bit less contoured than Civic Si seats, which suits the Insight's mission. The seats are shaped well but lack lumbar adjustment.

　　

Ride comfort

8.0

　　Overall, this is a pleasant-riding car of its type. Heaving motions are slightly exaggerated when driving over large bumps, but single wheel impacts and smaller road textures are snubbed deftly. The ride is a little on the busy side, but not offensively so.

　　

Noise & vibration

7.0

　　There can be significant engine vibration at idle when it needs to charge the battery. Once underway, the engine is smooth. Wind noise is quite well suppressed, and road and engine noise are average at cruising speeds. The engine doesn't drone annoyingly like you'd expect based on its powertrain, but the engine doesn't sound placid either.

　　

Climate control

7.5

　　There is appealing air flow from the vents and reasonably quiet operation, but the system does not appear to compensate for heat radiation from the sun as well as it should. The large temperature knobs and fan buttons are intuitively located.

　　

Interior

8.5

　　Larger on the inside than the exterior suggests, the Insight's cabin typifies Honda's mastery of space utilization. It's smart and functionally well-designed, with obvious and well-labeled controls. Plus, it readily accommodates people of various sizes.

　　

Ease of use

9.0

　　The controls are well-labeled, chunky and accessible. There's no touch-sensitive anything aside from the touchscreen itself. The steering wheel controls are similarly large and well-laid-out. The drive selector is all buttons — common to modern Hondas — which requires more glancing than would a regular lever.

　　

Getting in/getting out

8.0

　　The doors open quite wide and the front door aperture is generous, thanks to doors that are longer than expected for a compact four-door car. The low door sills and a slim dashboard aid entry. Entry into the back is similarly easy; a bit of ducking is all that's required.

　　

Driving position

8.0

　　You get plenty of front fore/aft seat range in the Insight. Height adjustment will suit drivers of shorter stature more than tall drivers. Steering wheel reach is a hair below average, but it has adequate up-down rake range. Overall, the Insight accommodates a range of body proportions.

　　

Roominess

8.5

　　The Insight is a surprisingly large car inside, offering plenty of headroom for taller adults. The front door panels are scalloped generously for more elbow room. Rear headroom is more snug, but there's good toe room even when the front seats are at their lowest.

　　

Visibility

7.5

　　It's pretty easy to see out the front thanks to reasonably slim windshield pillars. The side mirrors connect to the base of the pillars, which hampers your side view somewhat. Rear visibility is compromised by the wide rear pillars and the tall deck. Unfortunately, that's typical of sedans these days.

　　

Quality

8.0

　　The cabin construction is typical Honda. The Touring has a smattering of high-end materials, but all Insights have fundamentally solid-appearing surfaces with low gloss. Touch points are soft and gaps are consistent, and no squeaks or rattles were observed.

　　

Utility

8.0

　　The Insight is a surprisingly useful sedan from a utility standpoint. Its well-thought-out center console is the centerpiece of the in-cabin storage, and the trunk has solid swallowing capacity and a wide opening. The hybrid batteries are situated under the back seat and do not impede on cargo volume.

　　

Small-item storage

8.5

　　The deep center console is outstanding, with a removable, sliding insert and divider that creates three tiers. A handy rubberized pad on the console is ideal for a phone. The front door pockets are a good size, and the glove box is average capacity. Rear storage is limited to cupholders in a flip-down console and door pockets

　　

Cargo space

8.0

　　The wide trunk opening reveals a reasonably deep cargo hold, though the gooseneck hinges need clearance when closing. There's more storage under the trunk floor. To folder the 60/40-split rear seats, pull an easily accessible lever in the trunk and then go to the rear door to fold the seat.

　　

Child safety seat accommodation

8.0

　　The lower LATCH anchors are very easy to access. Three upper tether anchors are in obvious locations at either outboard seat location. Though it's a small car, the Insight has ample space. It can handle car seats as well as any other car in its class.

　　

Technology

8.0

　　Honda's new infotainment screen is quick, sharp and easy to use. It represents a big jump forward from the previous-generation system present in some Honda vehicles. It makes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (standard on EX trim and up) less of a priority. Comprehensive device integration choices are offered, too. However, the driver aids, which are rather conservative, continue to lag behind the competition.

　　

Audio & navigation

8.0

　　This car has Honda's new touchscreen interface, and it's a huge improvement. Beyond now having a volume knob, the screen has fast reactions and a sharp display that supports pinches and swipes. The hard keys on the screen's left side are a nice addition because they require less "glance time."

　　

Smartphone integration

8.5

　　Bluetooth pairing is straightforward and rapid. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay work well, and there are two 2.5-amp USB ports and a 12-volt power outlet up front.

　　

Driver aids

7.5

　　Honda Sensing is standard, but the brake alert comes up too readily in routine city driving. Still, this car returns fewer false positives than other recent Hondas. The adaptive cruise is average. Hard buttons for the various systems allow you to toggle them quickly and easily.

　　

Voice control

7.0

　　The voice controls are reasonably responsive and accurate, albeit within the constructs of its menu-driven on-screen prompts. USB-based music and navigation commands are available via voice, but it cannot control Bluetooth audio.

　　

Which Insight does zzdcar recommend?

　　We recommend the EX trim Insight primarily for its inclusion of folding rear seats that give it greater cargo flexibility. It also comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which are strong substitutes for the Touring trim's built-in navigation system.

　　

2019 Honda Insight models

　　The 2019 Honda Insight is a five-passenger midsize sedan that is available in three trim levels: LX, EX and Touring. All are powered by a hybrid powertrain composed of a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that primarily acts as a generator to supply power to an electric motor that drives the front wheels. Combined system output is 151 horsepower and 197 pound-feet of torque, and a 1.1-kWh lithium-ion battery is located under the rear seats.

　　The base LX Insight comes standard with automatic LED headlights, heated mirrors, keyless ignition, automatic climate control, active noise cancellation, Bluetooth, a multi-angle rearview camera, a 5-inch touchscreen, and a six-speaker audio system with a USB port and Pandora internet streaming radio.

　　Standard advanced safety features include adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning and mitigation, lane keeping assist, automatic high beams, a traffic sign reader, and a driver attention monitor.

　　The EX trim adds keyless entry, a rear-seat center armrest, 60/40-split folding rear seats, an 8-inch touchscreen, HondaLink smartphone integration, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, an additional USB port, and an eight-speaker audio system with satellite and HD radio. The Honda LaneWatch blind-spot camera system is also included.

　　The top Touring trim rounds out the features list with LED foglights, a sunroof, dual-zone automatic climate control, leather upholstery, heated front seats, power-adjustable front seats, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a universal garage door opener, a navigation system, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and a 10-speaker premium audio system.

　　

2019 Insight Highlights

Trim: LXEXTouringLX

　　

Base MSRP	$22,930
Engine Type	Hybrid
Combined MPG	52 MPG
Cost to Drive	$73/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	15.1 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles