Honda Insight VTi 2010 review

From December 6th, you’ll be able to buy a hybrid for less than $30,000 for the first time as Honda and Toyota face off in a battle of the eco-warriors.  Unlike the first generation Insight of a decade ago, which cost $55,000 and sold fewer than 60 units, Honda’s fresh attempt to take on Toyota’s Prius – the car that’s synonymous with eco motoring piety – costs about the same as a top-spec Mazda3.

The Insight is the first of four hybrids planned for local release over the next 18 months, with the CR-Z in July, then the Jazz and renewed Civic. Honda reckons their electrically augmented petrol engine cars will come to comprise 10 per cent of their hard hit local sales.

Value

Pretty compelling on paper. Insight does not achieve the economy and emissions figures of the Prius (4.6L/100km and 109g/km plays 3.9L and 89g) – or a number of new European diesels, for that matter. But $10K buys an awful lot of unleaded juice.

The entry level car gets keyless entry and immobiliser, alarm, climate control air-con, 15 inch alloys, tilt and telescopic steering, six speaker audio system with CD, MP3 and Bluetooth, cloth trim and – or some reason – steering wheel mounted shifting paddles.

The $33,490 VTiL, which will make up most of the sales, adds fruit like side indicators on the door mirrors, auto front windows, auto headlights, leather steering wheel, 16 inch alloys, front fog lights, satellite navigation with integrated Bluetooth, and DVD player and reversing camera.

It’s a fair bowl of fruit for the dough.

Technology

Honda’s 1.3-litre i-VTEC petrol four with Integrated Motor Assist set up has been around since the original Insight. As ever it uses a 10kW electric motor to augment the petrol engine, as opposed to the Prius system

The Eco Assist system tells the driver how economically they’re going by changing the background color of the tacho. Green – naturally - means good, blue means you’re an enviro vandal and Bob Brown will frown upon you.

An Econ mode alters control logic, so the car accelerates more slowly and backs off the gas engine quicker. The dashboard EcoGuide accumulates data on driving patterns, so hypermiling drivers can survey their history to improve driving strategies, rewarding the most e-conscientious with up to five green leaves in the display.

Yet for all the in-cabin sophistication, it’s fairly rudimentary beneath the back, where the fuel tank and battery are stored, with torsion beam rear suspension.

Safety

About as good as it gets, the five star Euro crash test rating assured by six airbags, stability program, anti skid brakes with electric force distribution and assist. The spare’s only a space saver, but there’s a reason for that, as we’re about to see …

Design

Well, no prizes for guessing what it looks like. Unlike the anonymous and accordingly low-selling Civic Hybrid, there’s no possibility of mistaking this for anything other than a hybrid, but every chance of confusing it for the hybrid hatchback that starts with “P”.

Inside and up front in the Insight, you’re treated to one of Honda’s cleverly contrived instrument panels with legible instruments and a high mounted digital speedo that’s as handy as a heads up display.

With 408 litres storage in the back and rear seats that fold flat, there’s genuinely useful luggage space. Indeed, the Insight is best seen as a two seater plus luggage because there’s no way on God’s green earth you’ll get four grown-ups in there and have them remain on speaking terms by a long journey’s end.

Passenger space is that of a much smaller car. Indeed, Honda’s little Jazz has better headroom for those condemned to the back seats. And anyone a bit stiff about the hips is going to struggle to get in and out.

Offered the choice between this a one of Volkswagen’s price and eco comparable diesel Golfs – or even the smaller and cheaper Polo – it’s the latter every time for passenger comfort and for the open road.

Driving

Though performance is hardly the Insight’s purview (what’s with the sportive shifting paddles, already?), you’re never unconscious that this fairly low output engine is being asked to do a lot, especially when over taking opportunities arise.  Give me 320Nm of diesel torque, danke.

The independent rear suspension that also comes with the latter is a better go on choppy roads, where the Insight back moves about a bit. The VTi we drove and shared for 200km made a racket too – the backseat boy was especially narked by tyre roar.

For all that, the Insight did what it said on the tin, returning 5.2 litres per 100km in open road driving undertaken, if not heedlessly, then without special consideration for economy.

And, without going back to back with the Prius, you’d have to say the Insight is easily the crisper drive, certainly it’s going to be enough for most likely punters, who in any case, want more than anything to make a visual statement.

Verdict

For when you absolutely have to have a hybrid.