Got to test drive the new 2019 Insight today - dealer got them this morning. It’s decent but really needs the Touring package for decent features which lowers mpg to 48. I definitely think the Ioniq or Prius gives better features for the money. I am pretty sure I’ve ruled the Insight out from my purchase decision but was nice to try one.
For me based on these pictures, it looks too much like a Civic or Accord. They played it too safe. It needs to have a more distinct look.
Yeah, stupid automakers make all their cars look the same so nobody can tell the difference nowadays. I like the Prius' distinctive look. Even the Prime has a different look from the regular Prius.
I suspect it's what they like to call 'fashion' There was a thread backalong suggesting there is a named group somewhere in Europe that decides in advance what will be the 'IN' shapes and colours for the coming year. All very George Orwellian to this old dog.
Third attempt at this hybrid badge. Hondas are great cars, and very fuel efficient. I’ve owned 5 accords + civics, and loved all of them. Except my civic hybrid. Yuck. The transmission is/or was very different than the Toyota synergy drive. It was slow and pockey and never got close to EPA rated mpg. Maybe they will get right this time. Side note - my favorite Honda and favorite car all time was a civic 5speed bought on sale $14000 to replace a wrecked civic hybrid. That little grey pocket rocket was so much fun to drive: perfect notchy transmittion, light responsive steering, comfortable seats, routinely returned 30 mpg, assembled in North America (Canada I believe) not a single problem. Still miss that car.....
New models from all of the big makers seem to look different in the same way every generation. Right down to the bumpers and headlights. I wonder if they have spies to copy the trending designs, or perhaps the factories that press out the fenders, dashboards, etc. decide how to put to finishing touches on the new cars. Most of them look really cool. How many will stand the test of time?
Allison, Ontario (same plant that makes the Odyssey). A colleague of mine still has is 5-spd manual 2003 Civic that's nudging closer to 300,000km. He has replaced the engine once with a 2nd hand engine (and the 2nd one just blew a couple of months ago). He had it repainted once (and it looks factory new) a few years ago. He's deciding now whether to replace the engine again or give up and get a new car. New arrival kinda makes it hard to choose (save money or just get a new car and not worry for the next 5-10 years while the kid grows up)
No transmission at all in this one! They used the same system as the Clarity/Accord. It's pretty clever because it's like a gas car at high speed when the engine is most efficient and electric otherwise, but the first cars to get this system a few years ago were badly under-delivering on fuel economy for some reason. Hopefully they've worked it all out now because it's a nice-looking car.
I like the Prius look because it's very unlike. But the insight is very normal and needs to have a wheel coveer like the old insight to add some persinality.
Our son and daughter-in-law just traded in the 06 Civic Hybrid we'd sold them, in 2010 IIRC. It was toast, what you'd call a mercy trade-in. Issues: 1. Water pump leaking/failing <easy fix, the part around $180, but not worth addressing at this point 2. Engine mount over transmission split <part about $40, best done in conjunction with transmission repair 3. Transmission failing, making odd chugging sound <needs removal/rebuild, looking at around $4000 4. AC condenser (the AC's "radiator) coming apart big time <needs replacement, system recharge, likely over $1000 5. IMA battery (hybrid battery) < Honda replaced gratis around 2 years back, and within a year the replacement was doing the good ol' recalibration dance, at least once per drive. No warning lights of course, everything fine... Replacement cost, maybe $3000 In addition, this was one TIRED car, creaking/groaning, ugh: it was time. Miss it though...
Before I bought my Prius, I test drove a top-of-the-line Insight. One of my main negatives was that for a such high-tech car, it did not have blind spot monitoring. Instead, it had what Honda calls: "Lane Watch". This is a poor man's blind spot monitor. It just produces an image on your display screen when you make a right turn from a camera on the outside mirror. On the left side, you get--nothing! The Prius has got the Honda beat with technology!
