2004 Honda Insight: Overview

Vehicle Highlights

The first gasoline/electric hybrid on U.S. roads continues with only minor changes for 2004. Insight is a 2-seat hatchback coupe. It has a 3-cyl gasoline engine assisted by a battery-powered electric motor for a combined 73 hp. The car recharges the batteries when coasting or decelerating; there's no plug-in charging. Aerodynamic styling and aluminum-intensive construction contribute to industry-leading EPA fuel-economy ratings. Insight offers manual transmission and an optional continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). The CVT lacks conventional gears, using a belt-and-pulley system to vary drive ratios as needed, but has steering-wheel "D" and "S" buttons to select normal and higher-performance ranges. ABS is standard, but neither side nor curtain side airbags are offered. Air conditioning is optional on the base model, standard with CVT. The standard audio unit for '04 plays CDs rather than cassettes, and interiors are now beige rather than gray.