Honda Insight (2009 – 2014) Review
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Honda Insight (2009 – 2014) At A Glance
Easy to drive in town. Frugal on fuel. Plenty of space for the family.
CVT gearbox is noisy under hard acceleration. Some of the interior quality isn't up to the usual Honda standard. Toyota Prius is better.
It might not be as smooth or as comfortable as a Toyota Prius but the Honda Insight is certainly a frugal and easy-to-drive family car. It’s a good choice for those who need more space than you find in a small hatchback, but who still want a town-friendly, smooth and fuel-efficient car. Those who travel on the motorway or on country roads may want to look elsewhere, though.
Despite being a capable hybrid, the Insight is in a tricky position – on paper it lags behind its chief rival, the Toyota Prius, in terms of fuel economy and emissions. However in real world driving, particularly around town, there is little to separate them.
All versions of the Insight are powered by the same hybrid powertrain, made up of a 1.3-litre petrol engine and an electric motor. Official economy varies depending on trim level, with the best variants managing 68.9mpg and 96g/km, which means free VED. Unfortunately there is no plug-in version, meaning no congestion charge exemption.
The space-age cabin looks the part but suffers when it comes to materials, which aren’t as plush or as well-finished as you might expect from Honda. Thankfully there is plenty of space in the back, with sufficient leg and headroom for adults, provided they aren’t too tall. Boot space is respectable too, at 408 litres, but there is a high load deck which can be tricky when loading heavy objects.
The CVT transmission and hybrid powertrain give good, smooth performance in town but things get raucous when you want to press on quickly. The Insight feels at its best in town, where the light steering and smooth power delivery make things effortless, but the suspension could be smoother over rough surfaces.
Reviews for Honda Insight (2009 – 2014)'s top 3 rivals
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Honda Insight (2009 – 2014) handling and engines
- Readers report Real MPG to be between 39–63 mpg
All versions of the Insight are powered by a 1.3-litre petrol-hybrid engine. Efficiency is the key aim of the Insight, which has an official economy figure of 68.9mpg and emissions of 96g/km on the most frugal variants. Whether or not you’ll achieve those figures in reality is very much down to the type of driving you do, but for town driving it’s hard to beat.
Being a hybrid, the Insight has an electric motor but it works differently to a Toyota system – instead of sending drive directly to the wheels and offering pure electric propulsion, it only assists the engine. The motor can provide all of the drive for the car, but it has to turn the engine too instead of directly turning the wheels in a silent, pure EV mode.
The gearbox is a CVT automatic and it takes a bit of getting used to. There’s a slight delay when you accelerate hard, so you have to be gentle with the car, but if you are then it’s very relaxing to drive - particularly in the hustle and bustle of town. Normally urban environments are frustrating, but not in the Insight – it takes all the hard work out of traffic jams.
It really feels designed for town and that’s reflected in its economy. In an urban environment it’s hard to make the Insight deliver anything less than 60mpg unless you drive with a lead-foot. However, if you do a lot of motorway miles or spend time on twisting, national speed limit B-roads, economy suffers.
The handling suffers, too – there’s a good level of grip but the steering and suspension set up don’t lend themselves to spirited driving, nor does the sometimes slow-to-react transmission. Unfortunately, even in town there is room for improvement with the suspension, though it is more comfortable and compliant on more recent models than earlier cars.
| Engine | MPG | 0-62 | CO2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.3 IMA Hybrid | 61–69 mpg | 12.4–12.5 s | 96–105 g/km |
Real MPG average for the Honda Insight (2009 – 2014)
Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.
Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.
Average performance
78%
Real MPG
39–63 mpg
MPGs submitted
226
Honda Insight (2009 – 2014) interior
- Boot space is 408–584 litres
- Euro NCAP rating of five stars
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Length | 4395–4396 mm |
| Width | 1695–2030 mm |
| Height | 1425–1435 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2545–2550 mm |
The Insight has a striking dashboard layout, split over two levels. The speedometer readout sits high up and is surrounded by a glow that changes colour depending on how gently you’re driving. Below that is an instrument cluster with a rev counter and monitors for the hybrid system, along with a little ‘game’ to encourage eco driving.
It looks great and really feels futuristic, but it’s let down by hard plastics – there’s no plush, soft-touch material in sight. Thankfully everything is durable and while the audio system layout and air conditioning controls look high-tech they’re fairly intuitive to use.
There’s plenty of space in the front and back rows, but passengers in the back might suffer for headroom if they’re particularly tall, care of the sloping, aerodynamically efficient roofline. This also poses problems when it comes to visibility – the split level tailgate glass obscures the view back through the rear-view mirror.
Boot space is reasonable if not fantastic – the load deck is flat and wide, but it’s high in order to make room under the floor for the battery pack, which makes loading and unloading large items a problem. Capacity is 408 litres with the seats in place, which is slightly less than the 445-litre load area on the Prius.
Standard equipment is fairly good across the board. All cars get climate control, cruise control, an audio system with USB, hill start assist, alloy wheels and all-around electric windows. Higher trim levels gain niceties like automatic lights and wipers plus navigation, while top models get leather heated seats.
Standard equipment:
HE models come with eco mode button, cruise control, 15-inch alloy wheels, climate control, CD player with Aux and USB-in, steering wheel mounted audio controls, electric windows, heated door mirrors, hill start assist and Isofix mountings.
HE-T is as HE, but gains satellite navigation and Bluetooth.
HS models gain (over HE) 16-inch alloy wheels, privacy glass, front fog lights, auto lights and wipers, rear parking sensors, artificial leather/fabric upholstery and heated front seats.
HS-T is as HS, but gains satellite navigation and Bluetooth.
HX trim adds (over HS) leather upholstery, satellite navigation, Bluetooth, heated front seats and HID headlights.
Honda Insight (2009 – 2014) models and specs
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Length | 4395–4396 mm |
| Width | 1695–2030 mm |
| Height | 1425–1435 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2545–2550 mm |
| Miscellaneous | |
|---|---|
| Kerb Weight | 1240–1243 kg |
| Boot Space | 408–584 L |
| Warranty | 3 years / 90000 miles |
| Servicing | 12500 miles |
| Spare Wheel | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | Tyre-repair kit | ||
| Alternative | Space-saving spare wheel | ||
| Costs | |
|---|---|
| List Price | £16,995–£23,595 |
| Insurance Groups | 15–17 |
| Road Tax Bands | A–B |
| Official MPG | 61.4–68.9 mpg |
| Euro NCAP Safety Ratings | |
|---|---|
| Adult | - |
| Child | - |
| Pedestrian | - |
| Overall | 5 |
On sale until May 2018
| Hatchback | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | List Price | MPG | 0-62 |
| 1.3 IMA HE CVT 5dr | £20,475 | 68.9 mpg | 12.5 s |
| 1.3 IMA He-T CVT 5dr | £21,470 | 68.9 mpg | 12.5 s |
| 1.3 IMA HS CVT 5dr | £21,295 | 65.7 mpg | 12.5 s |
| 1.3 IMA Hs-T CVT 5dr | £22,290 | 65.7 mpg | 12.5 s |
| 1.3 IMA HX CVT 5dr | £23,595 | 65.7 mpg | 12.5 s |
On sale until January 2015
| Hatchback | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | List Price | MPG | 0-62 |
| 1.3 IMA HE Hybrid 88 Auto 5dr | £17,150 | 68.9 mpg | 12.5 s |
| 1.3 IMA HE-T Hybrid Auto 5dr | £18,145 | 68.9 mpg | 12.5 s |
| 1.3 IMA HS Hybrid Auto 5dr | £17,650 | 65.7 mpg | 12.5 s |
| 1.3 IMA HS-T Hybrid Auto 5dr | £18,645 | 65.7 mpg | 12.5 s |
| 1.3 IMA HX Hybrid Auto 5dr | £19,250 | 65.7 mpg | 12.5 s |
| 1.3 IMA HX-T Hybrid Auto 5dr | £20,245 | - | - |
On sale until January 2013
| Hatchback | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | List Price | MPG | 0-62 |
| 1.3 IMA S Hybrid 5dr | £19,435 | 68.9 mpg | 12.4 s |
On sale until April 2012
| Hatchback | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | List Price | MPG | 0-62 |
| 1.3 IMA ES Hybrid 5dr Auto | £18,645 | 61.4 mpg | 12.5 s |
| 1.3 IMA ES-T Hybrid 5dr Auto | £19,955 | 61.4 mpg | 12.5 s |
| 1.3 IMA EX Hybrid 5dr Auto | £20,995 | 61.4 mpg | 12.5 s |
| 1.3 IMA SE Hybrid 5dr Auto | £16,995 | 64.2 mpg | 12.5 s |
| 1.3 IMA SE-T Hybrid 5dr Auto | £18,305 | 64.2 mpg | 12.5 s |
Model History
September 2008
Honda revealed a production ready concept of its affordable family hybrid car, then displayed it at the Paris Motor Show. The production version went on sale in Spring 2009, and was priced from £15,490, making petrol-electric technology accessible to more people. The car was name Insight, reviving the name of the 1999 hybrid coupe – the first production hybrid car to be sold in Europe.
- Length: 4,396mm (14’ 5”)
- Width: 1,695mm (5’ 7”) + mirrors
- Width + mirrors: 2,029mm (6’ 8”)
- Height: 1,425mm (4’ 8”)
By offering a more affordable hybrid that’s accessible to more people, Honda hoped to attract a new section of the market to petrol-electric technology – those car buyers who have never considered a hybrid car before.
The car is a 5-door family hatchback, capable of carrying five people. The control unit and battery for the IMA system are mounted beneath the boot space to give the Insight both a low centre of gravity and the practicality of a conventionally-powered hatchback.
The Insight has a unique function to assist more fuel efficient driving – helping drivers to maximise their real world fuel consumption. Honda aimed to sell 200,000 Insights a year, globally.
ECON button controls engine, CVT and other powertrain components, adjusts aircon, extends idle stop time and increases regenerative recharging.
Guidance function is an 'Ambient Meter' halo behind the digital speedo that glows green when driving economically, changing to blue when driving less economically. Also an acceleration and braking meter that shows when accelerating or braking less economically, and a scoring function that shows how ecewonomically you ahvfe been driving.
The five-door hatchback design takes styling cues as well as the aerodynamically efficient profile from the FCX Clarity, Honda’s hydrogen fuel cell car. To compliment the sleek profile the Insight has been designed with a low center of gravity and a spacious five-passenger cabin, giving customers a balance of fine handling and a highly flexible interior.
All Insights are powered by an advanced 1.3-litre SOHC aluminium-alloy i-VTEC engine mated to a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) gearbox. The conventional engine is assisted by a new generation of Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid system for excellent fuel economy and low emissions.
The Insight’s IMA system incorporates a 14 PS electric motor, advanced battery pack, and compact Intelligent Power Unit (IPU) – recapturing kinetic energy from vehicle braking and deceleration and supplying additional power for acceleration when needed. Packaging of the ultra-compact IMA battery and IPU in the vehicle’s rear floor allows the enhanced utility of a 60/40 split and fold-down rear seat back.
The IMA system has the capability to operate exclusively on electric power in certain low- to-mid-speed driving conditions. It also provides for cylinder deactivation within the petrol engine during deceleration and shutoff when the vehicle is stopped.
Key safety features are Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE), which provides improved protection for vehicle occupants and helps mitigate damage to other vehicles; dual-stage, dual-threshold front airbags, front-side airbags with a passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS) and a side curtain airbag system; and a pedestrian-injury mitigation front body design
- Insight SE CVT - £15,490
- Insight ES CVT - £16,790
- Insight ES-T CVT - £18,390
July 2010
Honda Insight specification and settings improved in response to early customer feedback. The suspension of the low-emission, 5-door hatch has been adjusted to improve ride comfort and NVH levels, while interior trim levels have been enhanced.
December 2010
Improved Honda Insight hybrid, featuring adjusted suspension to improve ride comfort and NVH levels and enhanced trim levels went on sale British roads.
Prices started at £16,325 for the SE model, but with Honda’s current 'Affordable Driving' consumer offer, the hybrid is available at £14,995 OTR until the end of December, making it even more attainable – and the least expensive hybrid on the market by a mile, and actually £1,000 less than the Honda Jazz hybrid.
A new, top-of-the-range, EX model, featuring black leather upholstery and DVD Sat Nav and hands-free telephone, is another addition to the 5-door hybrid line-up at £20,215 OTR.
A number of chassis changes have been implemented, including: adjusting the recoil rate of the springs, changing the rear camber angles, altering the V-shape rear suspension brace and adjusting mounts. The amendments promise to deliver improved ride, handling and stability.
As well as these upgrades to suspension, Honda has added rear parking sensors to ES-model Insights and above, and updated the trim to smarten the interior. Dashboard and seat colours have also been changed to give a more uniform finish, and some plastics were improved. Chrome rings now surround air vents, and the doors have been given a silver garnish feature.
The changes made to the Insight were in direct response to the comments received from early customers and the media. The initial focus was on suspension, to which improvements have been made to address negative feedback on ride and comfort levels. There are also two new paint options for Insight customers, with the introduction of Dynamic Blue Pearl and Carnelian Red Pearl.
September 2011
Honda unveiled a cleaner, higher quality Insight hybrid at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2011.
The revised 5-door hatchback has lower CO2emissions of 96g/km, achieved through enhanced aerodynamics and powertrain efficiency. Reduced engine friction, changes to the CVT transmission and improved air conditioning all contribute to lower fuel consumption.
These changes mean that the 2012 Insight once again qualifies for exemption from the London Congestion Charge, and falls into the lowest VED band, meaning owners will pay no annual road tax. The new figures also ensure that Insight remains in one of the lowest groups for Benefit in Kind taxation.
For 2012, the Insight also receives a refresh of the exterior design, including a new front grille. At the back, visibility is increased through the introduction of a slimmer spolier and a modified tailgate garnish, and a reduction in the size of the wiper motor.
Adjustments have also been made to the engine and suspension for an overall improvement to ride comfort and stability, and interior quality has been enhanced.
What to watch out for
Same c racking between the treads of Dunlop tyres fitted to 2009 Insights as on Jazz . Anyone with a 2 - 3 year old Jazz should haver the tyres professionally checked as a matter of caution. Seems that Honda will no longer replace these tyres FoC, and certainly not if they are already well worn.
02-01-2018:Significant engine oil consumption reported in 35,500 mile September 2012 Honda Insight. Serviced in September 2017 and dipstick is below mark after 2,500 miles.
18-04-2018:Subsequent report of Honda Insight with oil consumption problem (2-1-2018). SApparently there had been a recall for this in the USA. In the reader's case a 600 mile oil use test was undertaken and the Honda dealer (Greenacre Clitheroe) sent Honda UK photos of the plugs. Honda agreed an engine rebuild with new piston rings: 18 hours work. Greenacre fitted this in with a trip by the reader to France, so exceptional service.
15-11-2018:Extremely severe MoT failing corrosion found under the rear of a 2010 Honda Insight. Claim under 12 year no rust-through warranty denied because car had not always been serviced on time at the Honda dealer at the correct 12 month intervals.
07-12-2019:report of electromagnetic clutch of 72,000 mile 2010 Honda Insight becoming very sluggish to engage when driven from cold for the 1 st 200-300 yards and jerks when pulling away from a steep uphill standing start. The CVT fluid had been replaced every 2 years.
