Honda Insight: owner reviews, specifications, photos

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

Sooner or later, every motorist thinks about changing cars. There are many interesting offers on the market today. There are options for every taste and color: sedans, hatchbacks, diesel and gasoline cars. However, today we will consider a very extraordinary car. This is a Honda Insight hybrid. Owner reviews, specifications and features - later in our article.

Description

So what is Honda Insight? This is a Japanese front-wheel drive hybrid C-class car. The key feature of this machine is the presence of two engines - electric and internal combustion.

Design

The appearance of the car is very attractive. The design of the Honda at some points resembles the Chevrolet Volt and the Toyota Prius. In front - a wide chrome grille and slanted headlights. Below is a large air intake and a pair of neat fog lights. What do owners say aboutbody corrosion resistance? What are the disadvantages of the Honda Insight? Owner reviews say that the car rusts a lot.

If you take a five-year sample, you can find abundant corrosion in the area of the front arches and bottom. This is especially true for the attachment points of the suspension arms and the exhaust system line. This is where the paint often takes on a rusty color. As noted in the reviews, Honda Insight does not have sufficient corrosion protection for our operating conditions. Therefore, immediately after purchase, it is recommended to carry out special processing (independently or in a specialized workshop).

Updated "Honda"

Recently, a new generation of Insight hybrids has appeared on the market. A photo of the design of this car is presented below.

The appearance of the car has been significantly improved. The front has a new LED optics and a radiator grille with a wide chrome strip. The edges of the latter beautifully divide the headlights into two parts. The car has acquired a predatory, sporty look. Also, Japanese designers got rid of the “fin” at the rear: now the body is smoother. The new Honda has gone from hatchback to four-door coupe.

Dimensions, clearance

As mentioned earlier, the car belongs to the C-class and has the following dimensions:

• The length of the body is 4.39 m, the width is 1.67, the height is 1.43 m.
• Wheelbase is 2550mm.
• At the same time, the ground clearance is 145 mm.

As noted in the reviews, Honda Insight has a very small clearance. In addition, the carlong overhangs. Therefore, the car should not be used on bad roads. As the reviews say, the 2009 Honda Insight is afraid of long slips. This is due to the variator, which we will talk about a little later.

Salon

Let's move inside the Japanese hybrid. The interior of the Honda is quite futuristic. The steering wheel is three-spoke, with several buttons and a harmonious insert. The instrument panel is digital. At the bottom is a tachometer, and above the visor is a speedometer. The multimedia center is shifted slightly to the right, towards the passenger side. Instead of the usual climate system unit, Honda has a round remote control. There are also four air deflectors on the front that can be directed at different angles. The front seats are comfortable.

But what are the disadvantages of the Honda Insight hybrid? The reviews note that cheap materials are used in the cabin. The plastic is quite hard, the insulation suffers. There is little room for passengers in the back, and the seats are hard.

Trunk

The boot capacity of the five-door hatchback is 408 liters. It is worth saying that under the floor you can’t find a full-size spare wheel and even a “dokatka”. Instead, traction batteries are located under the raised floor. Below there is only a jack. In the event of a puncture, there is a special kit for quick tire repair.

Of the advantages of the Honda Insight II, the reviews say that the back of the rear sofa folds. The result is a flat floor and a fairly large cargo area of 890 liters.

Specifications

The internal combustion engine is a four-cylinder gasoline engine with a simple eight-valve timing mechanism. But at the same time, the engine has sequential dual ignition, i-VTEC system and temporary cylinder deactivation technology. The working volume of the power unit is only 1.3 liters. But through the use of a variable valve stroke system, the maximum power was increased to 98 horsepower.

There is also an electric motor (aka generator). Motor power is 14 horsepower. This unit is rigidly fixed to the flywheel and is connected to the variator. The energy generated is transferred to a nickel-metal hybrid battery. The voltage of the latter reaches 100 volts.

There is no need to talk about dynamic characteristics. This car was sharpened for economy, and therefore it accelerates to hundreds in 12.6 seconds. The fuel consumption of the hybrid Honda-Insight, according to passport data, is 4.4 liters. However, as they say in the reviews, Honda Insight in reality can consume up to 8 liters of fuel. The main "eaters" of energy are the stove and air conditioning. At the same time, the machine does not tolerate additional weight. Heavy luggage significantly reduces dynamics and negatively affects fuel efficiency. Do not install larger discs on the machine. This is also reflected in its performance characteristics.

If we talk about cars of the current model range, they are equipped with slightly different powersettings. The main one here is a gasoline 1.5-liter naturally aspirated engine, which is capable of producing up to 103 horsepower. There are also two electric motors that give an additional 50 hp. With. car. The battery is located at the rear of the body. The benzoelectric drive is implemented in this way: the first electric motor is connected to the internal combustion engine and acts as a generator, and the second one transmits torque to the drive axle. The gasoline engine will only connect directly to the wheels at high speeds. It is worth noting that the battery charge is only enough for 1.6 km. Therefore, the internal combustion engine must work constantly.

Pendant

In this respect, Insight is unified with other Honda models. So, the car has a front-wheel drive layout with MacPherson struts in front and a semi-independent beam in the back. The brakes are fully disc, front - ventilated. Steering - rack with electric booster. The gear ratio of the rack may change depending on the current speed.

How does this car behave on the go? According to reviews, the suspension has a short travel. In addition, there is a beam at the back. Because of this, the car behaves harshly in the pits.

Common problems

Owners identify several problem areas of the car:

• Ignition switch. It can fail every 40 thousand kilometers. This is especially true for those who use the car in taxi mode.
• Float in fuel tank.
• Fuel pump.
• ABS unit. Cause of malfunction– “sticking” of the electric motor relay.

A lot of complaints about the CVT. As noted in the reviews, in the Honda Insight 2010 it is not very reliable. In addition, the box does not tolerate overheating, which often occurs during slippage in winter. The CVT transmission resource on a hybrid Honda averages 150,000 kilometers.

Cost

The price of a hybrid Honda is about 450-500 thousand rubles. Basically, models of 2009-2011 are on sale. The average mileage of used cars is about 150 thousand kilometers.

Summing up

So, we have looked at what the Honda Insight Hybrid has reviews and specifications. What can be said about this car in conclusion? Of the advantages of the car, it is worth noting only a pleasant design and interior. From the point of view of operation, this machine showed itself not from the best side. Firstly, the body is very afraid of moisture and s alt, which is especially abundant in large cities. Secondly, you should not count on big savings.

The car will consume about the same as a diesel German small car. At the same time, it is worth adding problems with the variator and batteries, which sometimes also fail. Many are simply afraid to buy such cars. And there is no difference in comfort between a conventional hatchback with a gasoline engine and a hybrid.