2010 Honda Insight EX

Affordable hybrid averages over 40 mpg

By Nina Russin

2010 Honda Insight

The original Honda Insight was an uber-cool  hatchback with a small, but loyal cult following. It was cool because it had incredible fuel economy (70 mpg) and went like spit. The problem was that it only held two passengers, and had very limited cargo space.

The all-new Insight promises to have wider appeal. It’s bigger, holding up to five passengers, and has enough room behind the rear seats to store luggage or groceries. Best of all, the Insight is priced within reach of the average buyer: the base LX model starts at $19,800.

Having been a huge fan of the original Insight, I was excited about getting behind the wheel of the 2010 model. The test car is the EX grade that starts at $21,300. Unlike the base model, the EX includes Eco Assist: the speedometer background changes color to reflect driving efficiency. The background is green when the driver is maximizing fuel economy; blue when he’s not. I must admit, I was most often in the blue.

Despite that, I averaged 42 miles-per-gallon: a slight improvement over the EPA estimate. While the continuously variable transmission doesn’t produce the spitball performance of the original Insight, the new model is still a fun car to drive.

The Eco Assist feature is fun to play with: perhaps too much fun because I found myself focusing on that rather than the road. Honda has done a great job on interior ergonomics, from the Insight’s right-size steering wheel to its intuitive center stack. Read the rest of this entry »