Get Some “Insight” on the 2010 Honda Insight Hybrid
Posted by lindseyshoe
Find out about the features, driving, comfort, safety, and environmentally friendly features on this fuel efficient hybrid car recently released by Honda.
I had a recent opportunity to interview a local Honda dealership regarding the brand new 2010 Honda Insight Hybrid. Guess what I found out and can now share with you?
The 2010 Honda Insight Hybrid
The Honda Insight is a brand new car from the makers of the Honda Civic (sedan and hybrid) as well as the well known Accord and the newer line of cars “the Fit.” It is a 4 door mid size car with a hatchback trunk. I was able to test drive and look over several of them while completing my interview – but will discuss the features of the Insight’s 5 Dr EX.
Gas Mileage/Environmental Performance (Green Rating) on the Honda Insight
Most importantly the gas mileage on the 2010 Honda Insight is 40 mpg in city and 43 highway. With the fuel efficiency you would spend approximately $695.00 a year based on 15,500 gallons of fuel at $1.90 a gallon. The Economic performances rating (global warming score and smog score) are respectively 10 out of 10 for the cleanest car available and 7 out of 10 for smog emission. The average new vehicle scores a 5 and if you are lucky a 6 on the economic performance scales. In comparison to my current care the Insight is a true winner.
To find out the carbon emissions for your car visit Fueleconomy.gov. Type in your car make and model and year and find out how green you are driving.
Safety Features on the 2010 Honda Insight
Unfortunately there are currently no safety ratings available on the Honda Insight; however there are several safety features which put my mind to rest such as:
Drivers and Front Passenger Dual Stage Airbags (SRS)
Side curtain bags
Active front head restraints
Side Impact door beams
Front and rear crumple zones
One very unique thing about the side impact door beams on all Honda cars, not just the Insight is that they are double corrugated. What does this mean? It means that there are two side impact beams with corrugated padding in between them to better absorb and protect the car form a side impact.
Eco Friendly Features of the 2010 Honda Insight Hybrid
Other eco-friendly features on the Honda Insight include: Paddle shifters (only available on the EX); ECO Assist system (this is actually a brain of the car); Automatic Climate control system; Eco Assist Indicators (to tell you when you are and when you aren’t driving environmentally friendly); Exterior temperature gauge; and the Maintenance Minder System. What do some of these things do and how are they more ecofriendly?
Let’s start with the Eco Assist System and Indicators. You can turn this feature on or off. If on, the “brain” of the car will automatically make subtle adjustments to make the driving experience have less impact on the environment. For example, the temperature in the car stays as a reasonable temperature, even though it was 90 degrees outside, you can increase the speed but not the temperature when the Eco Assist is on. A blue light shines on your indicator to tell you when you are not driving environmentally friendly and when you are, as well as how well you drove in regards to the impact on the environment; if your car needs maintenance (a well maintained car is an environmentally friendly car). One example, as I accelerated to get on the interstate, apparently I have a bit of a lead foot. The blue light came on telling me that that’s not eco-friendly driving. I actually could have accelerated at an easier pace, gotten safely into highway traffic and been an environmentally conscious driver.
Most important, the 2010 Honda Insight is a hybrid. No, you don’t have to plug it in at night. It actually harnesses the power from the braking system/rotors and stores it in the cars battery. You are told by the Eco Assist indicator which power source your car is using to operate. No recharging, and what am amazing sustainable way of harness power that in reality on each car (other than causing us to stop) is going to waste.
One other very interesting fact about the Insight as well as many other Honda makes. Their seats are even eco-friendly. Instead of using foam seats they use soy based materials to create a cushion. Many parts of the interior of more recent Honda makes and models are actually recyclable.
What is the price for all these features? The Honda Insight I explored was MSRP $21.970. This makes it one of the least expensive hybrids on the market.
But how does it drive? How comfortable is it? The 2010 Honda Insight drives very well. Tight turns, cornering, U-turns (I do a lot of driving) it took everything that I gave it. It was a comfortable ride even on the more damaged roads in our area. There was plenty of leg room and head room even for a 6 ft 2 in man. Car seats will fit easily in the back seat without a whole lot of space left over but a small person could sit. The trunk space is deceptively large. All the controls are where I would expect them to be and are within a finger tips easy reach.
What didn’t I like about the 2010 Honda Insight?
These things sound so petty and in the grand scheme of car shopping and being more environmentally conscious mean nothing. The radio controls were over closer to the passenger side of the car, making it difficult for some to reach and there is a middle bar in the back window which is distracting when backing and using your rearview mirror. I think it is something you would learn to compensate for – like a blind spot.
Overall, I was very impressed with the 2010 Honda Insight. I am not the only one that likes it. It is currently number 2 on the Kelly Blue Book Top 10 Choices for Green Cars. It is definitely a solidly comfortable vehicle, with the well known and trusted name (not to mention high resale value) of Honda backing it. It provides for environmentally friendly transportation for those that require it and it is reasonable priced compared to other hybrids. By owning and driving a car like this you can learn also how to be environmentally responsible whenever and whatever you are driving as your body learns to respond to the visual indicators on the Insight’s EcoAssist system. It was very different from what I expected, thinking the car’s “brain” would take control of the driving system to ensure I drove correctly. There is nothing like that; just a shining green beacon and tree leaves at the end to indicate how well you did. I could see the score becoming a competition for some couples. If you are looking for an new fuel efficient vehicle, take one for a test drive and see what you think.
A thank you to Honda Cars of Katy for all their patience, time and contributions to this article, to them it wasn’t just a sale, but an opportunity to share information about this brand new environmentally friendly vehicle, knowing the information was for an article, they still graciously answered every question and made every effort to get me the answers I was looking for. And no sales pitch!