2019 Honda Insight

It’s time to say good-bye to our 2019 Honda Insight. More than a year has passed since this efficient driver with a premium touch rolled onto the MotorWeek lot. Since then we’ve racked up about 19-thousand miles. 

The 151-horsepower coming from the 2-motor hybrid system with a 1.5-liter I4 and CVT produced 52-point-1 miles-per-gallon… more than living up to its claimed efficiency of 48-miles-per-gallon combined. 

“We drove this Insight just every day for over a year and it has lived up to Honda’s quality standards. The hybrid powertrain is solid — if a tad bit noisy at times, but that’s a fair trade-off with the otherwise comfortable drive experience and exceptional fuel economy.”

The Honda Insight is a pleasant place to spend time, with plenty of user technology making this much more than just an efficient ride.

We’re approaching the 16,000 mile mark in our 2019 Honda Insight. As a hybrid, naturally the focus is on fuel economy… but there’s a lot of tech here too. 

A suite of driver assistance features… called Honda Sensing… is getting our attention. One of our drivers was curious about the automatic emergency braking…. officially called Collision Mitigation Braking.  We’re happy he reported it worked “great”. The adaptive cruise control also gets good reviews during our Mid-Atlantic commuting. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto keeps everyone connected and happy. 

We’re now averaging 49-point-6 miles-per-gallon which is slightly better than the EPA’s combined rating. The 2-motor hybrid system with a 1.5-liter I4 paired up with a CVT should keep us away from gas stations during the holiday driving season.

The fuel-efficient miles keep rolling in our 2019 Honda Insight. We’re now around 14-thousand miles…. averaging 47-point-3 miles-per-gallon which is right in line with what we’ve been seeing. Those impressive numbers come seamlessly from the 2-motor hybrid system with a 1.5-liter I4 paired up with a CVT. The 151-horsepower has enough stamina to keep up with most of our driving needs.

14-thousand  miles in and now we’re starting to notice the little things that make the Insight a great daily driver. Like how easy it is to maneuver in tight areas and then of course there’s the technology. I like using Apple CarPlay while others on staff have gotten a ton of use out of the side-view camera.

The decidedly upscale and tech filled driver’s space remains a comfortable place to spend highway time… as we embark on fall getaways.

The accelerating trend to electrify automotive powertrains is certainly evident with our MotorWeek Long Term Test fleet. Since we got the key fob a year ago, we’ve put over 17-thousand miles on our 2019 Honda Insight. The 151-horsepower, 2-motor hybrid system with a 1.5-liter I4 and a CVT, continues to produce impressive efficiency numbers. We’re now averaging 52-point-1 miles-per-gallon…and that’s right on what it’s government Combined City/Highway says it should be.

“Whether it’s hot or cold like it is now, the Insight’s hybrid system seems unphased. The gas engine has been running a little more since winter started, but the transitions are still smooth and in the background, right where they should be.”

We’ve commented on the lack of USB ports in the back seat before. But, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto…. plus Honda Sensing’s suite of driver assistance features… the Insight is not only a highly economical way to get where you’re going….it’s a smart one too.

2-thousand miles have rolled by in our 2019 Honda Insight sedan. The 2-motor hybrid system with 1.5-liter I4 and CVT rates a more than adequate 151-horsepower. 

Transitions are seamless, with a nice dose of torque for pulling away from a stop. So far, we’re averaging 41-point-2 miles-per-gallon on regular. That’s with over a thousand miles of Interstate travel. We expect that to jump as it settles in to normal commuting duties.

“On that long trip the Insight proved to be a very comfortable driver, with engine noise only notable during passing. Our Touring trim’s suspension delivers an agile ride, which is useful for jockeying around semis”.

We’ll see if that highway agility lends itself to comfortable city driving in the months ahead.

We’re now up to 46-hundred miles in our 2019 Honda Insight. The 2-motor hybrid system with 1.5-liter I4 is impressive technology with seamless transitions and a good amount of torque pulling away from a stop. But this isn’t just about efficiency, there are actually 4 drive modes… including Sport. It draws more from the battery, but there is a difference in pick up. 

The cabin is roomy, with an upscale dash and comfortable seats. The side view camera technology is helpful showing what’s passing by when the right turn signal is on. The controls on the center console are pretty intuitive. And Honda’s push button shifter quickly becomes routine… even when someone takes the wheel for the first time.  

Winter is behind us… and our Touring trim’s suspension handles the remaining potholes with ease. Overall it has a very solid feel.

This time around we got 51-miles-per-gallon on regular. That’s higher than our last update and right in line with the government’s city number… and there’s been more local driving and less highway miles recently. Our overall average is now 46-point-1-miles-per-gallon. Warmer weather means more road trips around here… so we’ll see how those mpg’s change.

We’re back from another long road trip in our 2019 Honda Insight and are recording just over 12,500 miles on the odometer. 

The 2-motor hybrid system with 1.5-liter I4 generates a modest 151-horsepower. And, with a CVT it can get noisy. But the powertrain has impressive guts… easily pulling away from interstate lollygaggers.  This continues to be a comfortable cruiser and very agile in heavy traffic. 

The back seat is a good place to spend time… but passengers in our Touring trim wish it had more rear vents and USB ports. 

“The Insight is not really supposed to be a performance-oriented hybrid, but that doesn’t mean Honda completely forgot about ride and handling. I mean it shares a platform with the sporty Civic, but it just feels more refined. Mature and entertaining are the two word that comes to mind.”

The gas tank only holds 10.6 gallons, so fill ups are always less expensive than expected. And, our overall fuel economy is now 46-point-8-miles-per-gallon…. with summer driving season just beginning. 

Our 2019 Honda Insight is also proving to be an inexpensive way to travel. The 10.5-gallon gas tank empties quickly, but the electric motor is always on tap to extend the pull. Even on relatively flat roads the regenerative braking keeps the battery well charged. 

The Insight slips into the Honda line-up between the Civic and Accord, but interior materials of our Touring trim suggests a higher place in the pecking order. Only the rear passengers make sacrifices; no rear console vents or USB ports. Our miles now total 10-thousand with hybrid efficiency of 47-point-3 miles per gallon…a split hair’s distance from the EPA’s combined rating of 48.

We’re now close to 11-thousand miles of efficient driving in the 2019 Honda Insight.  The 2-motor hybrid system with 1.5-liter I4 generates 151-horsepower.  Paired up with a CVT… you can hear them working during hard acceleration… but no complaints on acceleration or fuel economy.  We’re now averaging a stellar 47-point-4 miles-per-gallon.

 “Sitting in this Insight, you feel really close to the road. I think that’s part of why we find it so entertaining to drive but it can feel a little small on the highway next to lifted pickups. The low center of gravity helps keep body roll in check when it’s time to take the back roads into the office”

Slotted between the Civic and Accord, Honda gave the compact Insight an upscale look and very solid feel.  That’s even more evident in our Touring trim… where the re-tuned suspension creates a smoother ride. And we expect many more economical miles ahead.

We’ve passed more gas pumps in our fuel-sipping 2019 Honda Insight. The savings is courtesy of the 2-motor hybrid system with 1.5-liter I4 working with a CVT. Its 151-horsepower continues to get the job done whether around town… or on the highway. We’ve now put 11-thousand 670-miles on the odometer… so we’re getting the most out of the agility that comes with the low center of gravity. 

Our Touring trim is also a comfortable place to spend time…. Although the passengers in the back seat still miss out on air vents and USB ports. But no complaints on fuel economy. Our overall average now stands at 48-point-2-miles per gallon…which isn’t our best… but puts us just over the EPA’s combined rating of 48. With summer in the rearview mirror… we’re looking forward to more fuel efficient driving in the fall.