2005 Honda Insight 2dr Hatchback (1.0L 3cyl Gas/Elec Hybrid 5M)
Manufacturer: American Honda Motor Company Part number: 100454247
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The Honda Insight gets best-of-breed gas mileage, but its lack of digital comforts and cabin room constrains its uses.
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CNET editors' review
2005 Honda Insight 2dr Hatchback (1.0L 3cyl Gas/Elec Hybrid 5M) price range: $19,845.00
- Reviewed by: Brian Cooley
- Edited by: Wayne Cunningham
- Reviewed on: 05/26/2005
The good: Best-of-breed gas mileage; clear, simple instruments and controls; solid support options.
The bad: Horrendous stereo speakers; compromised rear visibility; lacks digital entertainment and GPS navigation options; noisy.
The bottom line: The Honda Insight gets best-of-breed gas mileage, but its lack of digital comforts and cabin room constrains its uses.
The 2005 Honda Insight is the fifth edition of the original hybrid production car, but it has hardly changed since its U.S. introduction in December 1999. Why has this car evolved so little? Partly because the Insight is so heretically different from anything else on the road and partly because it occupies a market niche other carmakers don't cover in their U.S. lineups: simple, two-person vehicles with maximum fuel economy. The $19,330 (base) Insight commands the number one spot in the EPA's fuel economy ratings, leaving even the lauded Toyota Prius in the dust. If you're strictly looking for a fuel-efficient car for day-to-day driving, the Honda Insight is a very admirable choice.
The Honda Insight qualifies as a high-tech car solely by virtue of its drivetrain and its construction, not for its cabin luxuries, which are spartan. Wireless keys, GPS navigation, Bluetooth, speech recognition, and video screens aren't even offered as options. This car is all about extreme fuel economy and getting from point A to point B. The Insight, like the Honda Accord and Civic hybrids, is based on the company's Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) technology. As the name suggests, there's an electric motor onboard to assist the Insight's 1.0-liter, three-cylinder, 65-horsepower gas engine, revving it up with an additional 13 horsepower. Though the extra 13 horsepower sounds fairly trivial, the extra 24 pound/feet of torque that come with it make a difference. When the electric motor kicks in, the car gets a 36 percent increase in its ability to grunt.
That said, none of this makes the Insight a fast car, but it has adequate power for day-to-day driving while achieving remarkable fuel efficiency. The Environmental Protection Agency rates the continuously variable transmission-equipped Honda Insight at 57mpg for city driving and 56mpg on the highway. During our tests, we averaged 45mpg in combined driving. Honda also offers a five-speed Insight rated at an even higher 61mpg and 66mpg, city and highway, respectively.
Beyond the IMA power train, the Insight uses other novel tricks to achieve its fuel efficiency. Idle Stop technology shuts down the engine whenever you come to a stop, no matter how brief. This feature is enabled, oddly enough, by placing the climate control system into Economy mode. If you have climate control in the standard Auto mode, the car avoids shutting down so that it can keep either the heater or the air conditioner working. To restart the engine after an idle stop, just lift your foot off the brake pedal, and the electric motor instantly kick-starts the gas engine back to life. The system works very quickly, though things can get a little hectic in stop-and-go driving when the engine isn't sure if you're stopping or just slowing to a near stop. Nonetheless, the Insight always delivered when we needed it.
To monitor some of the hybrid's technology in action, the Insight's instrument panel offers a green and orange mosaic of digital and bar-graph gauges that are both familiar and odd. The large speedometer digits and fuel gauge are easy to grasp, but the Charge, Assist, and FCD (Honda's unnecessary acronym for fuel consumption display) meters will be new to most drivers.
Fairings on the rear wheels and a narrower rear track than front are functional and stylistic cues that this car is focused on fuel economy. The narrower rear track contributes to the overall aerodynamic design, and the fairings lower the drag from the wheel wells.
The remainder of the external styling is strictly a love-it-or-hate-it situation. The pinched rear end and the narrower rear track are what give the Insight an unconventional appearance from any angle. From the B-pillars forward, it looks like a Civic, but the fastback rear section is not like anything else on the road. Owing to the batteries housed aft of the seats, the rear cargo area has a surprising high floor, which limits stowage space. A hidden box sits under the carpet in the rear, not unlike that on early Porsche 911s, which gives you a cubic foot or two of stowage.
Once on the road, the 2005 Honda Insight gives the impression of riding inside a drum. It's stiff and noisy, but that's to be expected from a car with an aluminum monocoque construction covered in lightweight plastic panels inside and out. Plus, the skinny 165/65-series tires don't help either. Another characteristic that takes some getting used to is the high-pitched whine from the Insight's IMA power train during acceleration or deceleration. It's not so much annoying as different, and it sounds uncannily like a jetliner spooling its engines up and down as it taxis on the runway.
Speaking of sound, the Insight's AM/FM/cassette stereo sounds awful, but we're convinced it's the fault of the speakers and not the head unit. Based on a number of user reports, we suspect an upgraded set of aftermarket speakers would do wonders. Honda offers a six-CD changer that can be added as a dealer-installed option for about $550.
For safety, the 2005 Honda Insight comes equipped with dual front air bags, and the car's front and rear have been designed to crumple on impact. Honda's warranty covers the Insight bumper to bumper for three years/36,000 miles and the battery pack for eight years/80,000 miles. You can find basic information, such as specs, FAQs, technology explainers, and tips on how to take advantage of the clean-fuel tax deduction, on Honda's Web site. We're also fond of the Owner Link minisite that tells you about your car's maintenance requirements, how to order parts, and dealer locations, among other things. There is also a 24-hour toll-free support line if you can't find the answers you need on the site.
User reviews
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219,000 miles and still going! I wouldn't trade it
by dfiore34667 on July 6, 2005
Pros: Like riding in a spaceship, waving at the gas pumps
Cons: kind of cramped no room for gps
Summary: I've had my 2000 Insight since 2001 and with 219k miles, I wouldn't trade it. Unless they release the new version, of course! Aftermarket speakers are a good ...
Summary: I've had my 2000 Insight since 2001 and with 219k miles, I wouldn't trade it. Unless they release the new version, of course! Aftermarket speakers are a good idea. Also, preprare to add cruise yourself. Best car on the road despite any short-comings.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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I wish Honda made a 4 door version of this, not civic.
by dangerang on December 10, 2008
Pros: 215,000 miles, I love my MPG, it's like the Toyota commercial in the 80s. This little car has taken me miles with very little problems. Why is this in the bad section?: Horrendous stereo speakers , etc. One can always add this amenities later on
Cons: OEM tires go are not rated to do the mileage it's reported to go. 10% mileage loss when upgrading to standard tires. No factory tint included.
Summary: The best mileage car ever regardless what the reviews say.
Summary: The best mileage car ever regardless what the reviews say.
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Surprisingly fun!
by Spiker Ed on May 12, 2006
Pros: Fun to drive, extraordinary mileage!
Cons: More horses please...high mpg tires, harsh ride
Summary: I have 94k miles on my 2000 Insight (5 speed), and I have never had more fun driving a car! The car handles like a sports car, but the 65 ...
Summary: I have 94k miles on my 2000 Insight (5 speed), and I have never had more fun driving a car! The car handles like a sports car, but the 65 hp gas engine reminds you that you're driving a hybrid. The electric engine does provide a surprising amount of torque. Drive up the grapevine, however, and one remembers that horsepower is horsepower. If you live in the mountains, a Prius or Civic Hybrid is a better choice.
Last weekend I drove from San Diego to Phoenix and back, averaging 54 mpg. That despite a lack of patience, driving mostly 85 mph. Drive at a more granny-like 65 mph, and you will be rewarded with 60ish mpg.
The FCD system teaches you how to maximize your fuel economy. Driving has become a virtual video game, where I try to maximize my gas mileage. I enjoy driving, and I never did before.
Be sure to test drive it, the car is not for everybody. Its size makes it impractical as your only car. -
Good Economy Car
by edwardr74 on September 25, 2005
Pros: Good first Attempt
Cons: Honda is afraid of the oil companies awwww.
Summary: Well it still uses gas but at least it makes an attempt at efficiency.
Summary: Well it still uses gas but at least it makes an attempt at efficiency.
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fun to drive , cheap to run
by in-one on June 14, 2005
Pros: low insurance , low gas, good handeling
Cons: need to "work " the gears to get to best results
Summary: I have been driving a 2001 Insight for 2.5 years.
At 900lb less than a civic it handles very well. Grip is not amazing, but it is much better ...Summary: I have been driving a 2001 Insight for 2.5 years.
At 900lb less than a civic it handles very well. Grip is not amazing, but it is much better balanced -front/rear prior Civic Si. The result is a car that will be confident to take to the limit on dry, wet, snow or ice. Great brakes and very low body roll. Very quiet, better than a new BMW 750i at 90mph.
Stuggles with hills, you will need to drop at least 2 gears to stay up with traffic. Not recommeded for very hilly areas. Manual is a must.
Handels well in snow up to 6-8 inches (snow tires are a must), be carefull winter parallel parking as ice bolders can damage the pastic under-body pan.($70 + labor)
It never attacts attention, even at 6000RPM or drifting sidways. Very quiet, inside and outside.
Factory sound system sucks, the problem is the head unit, the speakers are not bad.
Recomend K+N airfilter.
Recomendation to Honda, I would love to see an Insight Si with 100hp, with Lithium Ion batteries. -
Sips gas, fun to drive.
by garrybuck on June 4, 2005
Pros: Mileage, easy to park
Cons: Having to constantly tell people no, you don't have to plug it in!
Summary: I've had my Insight for about a year. I'm extremely happy with it.
I don't understand the negative comments in the editor's review. 45 mpg? Sounds ...Summary: I've had my Insight for about a year. I'm extremely happy with it.
I don't understand the negative comments in the editor's review. 45 mpg? Sounds like the driver had it in "sport" mode, and had a lead foot. It might also explain the whine. As an experiment, I drove it aggressively in S mode for a week. It was a hoot, I was amazed at how quickly it accelerates. Gas mileage was miserable though, 45 just like the reviewer said, and yes there's a slight whine because the motor is working more. As soon as I switched back to "D" mode and stopped with the jackrabbit starts, mileage was immediately back over 50.
Yeah, it's a little rough on rough roads, but no more so than any other small, light car. Certainly no worse than a Miata.
It's very small on the outside, but I'm constantly amazed at how roomy it is inside. I never feel cramped, and it hasn't cramped our shopping style either. Even when we go shopping at Costco, the Insight seems to swallow everything we cram in it. YMMV, of course.
This may sound strange but I think the one thing that contributes most to "my" high mileage is not all the high zoot technology, it's the little gauge that shows instantaneous gas mileage. It's amazing how much of a difference a tiny change in driving style can make. I think we all know that intellectually, but there's nothing like seeing that gauge zip back and forth between 10 and 150 mpg to make it hit home. If it were up to me, I'd make that gauge mandatory on ALL vehicles.
This past year with our Insight has been our first experience with a hybrid. We're delighted with it, it's exceeded our expectations. Based on that experience, we've decided that EVERY car we buy from here on out will be a hybrid. We'd like a hybrid minivan, but it doesn't exist yet, so I guess we'll do without. -
stupid looking
by pete122321 on June 16, 2005
Pros: gas mileage
Cons: style is nasty, $20000 for a two seater.
Summary: if you dont mind driving around a nasty two seater, and you think you are somehow going to save the extra $7000 dollars you paid in gas milage then this ...
Summary: if you dont mind driving around a nasty two seater, and you think you are somehow going to save the extra $7000 dollars you paid in gas milage then this is the car for you.
0 out of 8 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: American Honda Motor Company
- Part number: 100454247
- Bottom Line: The Honda Insight gets best-of-breed gas mileage, but its lack of digital comforts and cabin room constrains its uses.
Basic car properties
- Body style hatchback
- Trim levels Base
- Available Engine Hybrid with CVT
Safety Features
- Smart airbags Standard
- Antilock brakes Standard
- Traction control Not available
- Stability control Not available
- Back-up cameras Not available
- Heads-up display Not available
- Collision avoidance Not available
- Steerable headlights Not available
- Roadside assistance Not available
- Adaptive cruise control Not available
- Rain-sensitive wipers Not available
- Lane departure warning Not available
Entertainment
- 5 channel audio Not available
- HD radio Not available
- Satellite radio Not available
- Satellite video Not available
- Video entertainment system Not available
- Multizone entertainment Not available
- Connection for portable MP3 sound system Not available
- MP3 CD-enabled sound system Not available
- Media hard-disk MP3 sound system Not available
- Active noise cancelling Not available
- DIN-compatible bays Not available
- Memory card slot Not available
- USB connection Not available
Climate/convenience
- Multizone climate control Optional
- Smart (set-and-forget) climate control Standard
- Heated/cooled seats Not available
- Integrated interface (iDrive, for example) Not available
- Keyless entry Standard
- Keyless start Not available
- Remote start Not available
- Two-way security system Standard
- 120V power outlet Not available
- 12V power outlet Standard
Drivetrain Technology
- Drivetrain available front-drive
- All-wheel steering Not available
- Steer by wire Not available
- Brake by wire Not available
- Drive by wire Not available
- Active suspension Not available
- Electronically controlled suspension Not available
Navigation
- GPS Navigation system - DVD data Not available
- Trip computer Not available
- Live traffic data Not available
- Touchscreen navigation Not available
- Voice activated navigation Not available
- DVD navigation system (non-GPS) Not available
Communication
- Bluetooth phone interface Not available
- Wi-Fi Not available
- Internet access - cellular Not available
- Internet access - satellite Not available
- OnStar or other roadside assistance system Not available
- Vehicle Web support Not available
- Home automation integration Not available
Manufacturer info
- American Honda Motor Company
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse American Honda Motor Company products on Shopper.com
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- Website: http://corporate.honda.com
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