2000 Honda Insight: Overview

Vehicle Highlights

The first gas/electric hybrid car on the U.S. market, this new 2-seat hatchback coupe is tops in EPA-rated mileage at 61/70 mpg city/highway. Insight also qualifies as a Low Emissions Vehicle by EPA standards and is classed as an Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle in California and several other states. And it's the first car of any kind to receive the Sierra Club's "Excellence in Environmental Engineering" award.
Insight is built in Japan alongside the low-production Acura NSX and uses a similar type of aluminum-intensive construction that helps make it the lightest car sold in America. Aerodynamic styling tweaks contribute to the high mileage ratings. So does the Integrated Motor Assist powertrain, where a small electric motor boosts the normal 1.0-liter 3-cylinder gasoline engine in hard acceleration. Maximum combined outputs are 73 horsepower and 91 pound-feet of torque. When coasting or braking, the electric motor becomes a generator that recharges a 44-pound nickel-metal-hydride battery pack comprising 120 D-cells. External recharging is not required.
Insight comes only with 5-speed manual transmission. Air conditioning is the sole option. The sub-$19,000 base price is subsidized, Honda using the Insight to gauge public acceptance of hybrid-power vehicles. Though Insight was planned for 4000 U.S. sales, Honda recently upped availability to 6500 in response to strong public interest.

COMPETITION

This crowded segment is best represented by two exceptional cars--one a Best Buy and the other a Recommended. Our Best Buy is the Honda Civic, which offers a wide range of bodystyles, engines, and equipment levels. Civic is a solid car that has good performance, a nice ride, and is very civilized.
Topping the Recommended list are the Volkswagen Golf and Jetta. They easily could be Best Buys as they are better than the Civic in many ways. However, they are also the most expensive cars in this segment. Other Recommended choices include the no-frills Chevrolet Cavalier and Dodge Neon, the slightly-upscale Chevy Prizm and clone Toyota Corolla, and the roomy Mazda Protege.
If you are looking for a Budget Buy we recommend you stay away from the Hyundai or Daewoo models and take a look at the Ford Escort.