A good 'get around town' car

So after test driving the 2000 Honda Insight a few times my SO and I decided on getting the 2001 model year. Why the 2001? Well, it is the first model year to offer the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) option, which would allow for either of us to drive the vehicle if need be. So the final order with tax, tip, paint sealants, fabric sealants was around $23,000.

The vehicle, when delivered, was the wonderful Monte Carlo Pearl Blue that really caught our attention and the attention of just about anyone going by it in the parking lot. And after having it for a few weeks I can now report on some of what it is like to live with an Insight from Honda.

First off my gas mileage was not hitting in the mid 50's as was suggested on the sticker as the average. My mpg rating is around 42 to 45, depending on if I've had some longer trips interspersed with my daily commute. That daily commute is only about 15 miles, but has a few valleys in between me and my place of work. And the main point of gas mileage lessening is with the numerous hills on that commute. The Honda Insight loves the straightaway and moderate inclines, but it really does not like hills. Mind you going down hill is great and I get to see my instant gas mileage soar, but on the up side of the next hill it plummets back to the 20s. I finally tried out a few alternative routes to work and got one that had only one major valley to traverse and have since seen my gas mileage steady out around 43 mpg.

While getting great mileage on short commutes I know by some of the limited distance driving I've done that the CVT version of the Insight can do much better on longer commutes. If your commute involves superhighways, open roads and relatively flat terrain then you could expect to hit near the top of the mileage game with an Insight.

Next up is handling. The short turn radius and near instant acceleration make this car one that is able to do quite well in most parking lots and tight situations in general. Using the switch on the steering column to change the CVT ratio for a bit allows for an added power boost for going up hill and for passing on the open road. It does kill the gas mileage to do this, but it is most effective when needed. On cornering the Insight holds a steady, even corner, with just a little bit of impetus in back due to the batteries. Never worrying, but just something that one becomes aware of when driving.

Driving comfort and general driver and passenger space is excellent. I'm 6'3" and have found plenty of head and leg room inside this vehicle. I've never had to drive with my knees as with many another small, sporty two-seater and even some larger vehicles. The seats themselves are flexible plastic with a bit of meshing in the material that tends to catch crumbs, dust, and other very small objects. On longer trips this could be a bit of a problem for general comfort and some sort of cloth/fabric car seat would be useful between a warm back and a plastic seat.

The CVT is excellent in operation and gives the smoothest pick-up of any vehicle I've ever driven. Yes, this option will cut mpg performance so if you want the best possible opportunity for great gas mileage then a standard is what you'll want to get. I, personally, like both, but the quiet performance of the CVT has won me over and now driving either an normal automatic or stick shift is a bit of a come down.

The Honda Insight has one of the quietest rides I've ever encountered, also. Shut off the interior climate controls and you will notice almost no engine noise. Climbing hills or passing you will hear and feel the gentle hum of the electric motor kicking in to assist, but otherwise all is smooth and quiet. At stop lights, with the climate controls set to economy the engine will just shut down. Take your foot off the brake and it will start right back up again. This last feature can be a bit too aggressive, and I've noticed the engine stopping when the car was still moving and I was doing some final braking at a stop light. Weird, but you do get used to it.

Now a few, minor quibbles. First is the ability to look out the rear side windows to check for traffic. The main supporting frame of the car means that these windows are rather small and a rather large blind spot prevents seeing what is directly behind you and to the right. The passenger side mirror does help, but double checking between the two is mandatory. Next is the battery system. Believe it or not the battery system will lose some of its charge overnight on an infrequent basis if the system is fully charged. A few times now I've started up the car and noticed the battery system at about one-half to one-third charged. I've checked with the dealer and this is a design point for the vehicle to prevent overcharging of its batteries. And as I've noticed no scorch marks beneath the car, I'll have to assume that it trickles the charge out a little at a time. Finally, the air conditioning, when in economy mode, will cut out with the engine which means that on very hot days you'll get the air slowly turning warm and humid at a signal. Put the system on automatic and the engine will not cut out and the climate controls will self-adjust to whatever temperature you've set it at.

Other than the few negatives on the car, I am greatly pleased with it. Of course it has very little cargo space, so trips to the supermarket that involve ten bags of groceries is something to be done with another vehicle or in two trips. And as this is a two seater it is definitely not a family car! As a commuter vehicle it is excellent and should be considered for anyone having moderate to long commutes on a week day basis. The 10 gallon gas tank will last a very long time with this vehicle and I expect to fill it up only about once or twice a month or so. And as the vehicle I'm not using had a weekly fill up of 15 gallons or so, this became a huge factor in choosing the Insight.

I would recommend this car for anyone who has long commutes or for anyone looking to exchange the cost of fueling up a larger vehicle for increased insurance and fewer fill ups of a smaller one. Definitely not a car for large families, unless their other vehicle is a minivan. Just remember that for all of its futuristic looks and devices, this vehicle is NOT a sports car nor a high performance road hog. It is for quiet, competent drivers who find themselves stuck in long commutes and traffic jams.

And it is a bit fun to drive and have people stare at it and ask you about it....