Used 2011 Honda Insight LX Hatchback Review
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the 2011 Honda Insight LX Hatchback.
Most helpful consumer reviews
Money saver
barbarossa3, Indianapolis, IN, 02/25/2012
2011 Honda Insight LX 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
We've had our insight for 10 months now and have been completely satisfied with the car. We normally achieve 43-46 mpg CITY ! At 75 on an interstate it drops to 40 MPG but I usually get 50-53 on a 55 mph highway. Some routes to work net me 53 mpg city. We replaced a 4.2 litre Ford Freestar which gave 17-19 mpg city and are saving the entire car payment in cost savings. Free Car!! Ride is … a little rough and firm as new cars go(typical for Honda). Interior on LX is a little too plastic. Blind spots are awful in traffic.
Don't sweat the official reviews -it's a great car
Nick, Norristown, PA, 02/25/2021
2011 Honda Insight LX 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric mild hybrid CVT)
I bought my Insight after a bit of trepidation. Everyone's a critic now when it comes to cars. We generally read so much about cars and form opinions of them without ever having driven them. Car mag reviewers seemed to hate the quality of plastics, harsh ride and excessive noise. Things are never enough for them when held up to the massively expensive cars they usually ride in. Jeremy … Clarkson moaned about the CVT transmission. But Honda was early to the game with it on this car. Many cars have a CVT now. Clarkson even called it "biblically terrible" and "really, to get an idea of how awful it is, you’d have to sit a dog on a ham slicer." They also compare it unfavorably to the Prius, the worst cut of all. Well, challenge accepted. Consider this the contrarian's choice. Honda built this thing as the cheapest hybrid you could buy. Bombproof, easy to work on (when it needs work, which is never), enjoyable to drive and cheap. It won't do 0-60 in 7 seconds or carry 5 adults comfortably. What it will do is get you around comfortably enough 97% of the time. If you read the manual just for a few minutes you can adjust the settings to your liking. Want all the doors to stay unlocked when you start moving? You can do that. Want the engine to not turn off when you stop at lights? Turn off the eco button. I was a bit worried about the hybrid battery (aka IMA battery) failing at some point and being massively expensive to fix. 10 years later and it's working fine. You can't even find people talking about it in forums because it doesn't seem to happen much at all. The Insight forum is about the most boring one anywhere because nothing ever happens to these cars. They just work. All people find themselves talking about is responding to newbies asking how concerned they should be about the battery failing, what mileage they're getting, and answering other people who wandered in from the first generation Insight forum by accident. If you enjoy working on cars, get something else. This one will bore you because there's never anything to fix. Routine maintenance like oil changes gets done twice a year and that's all it needs. It does need 8 spark plugs (2 per cylinder) at 105K miles but that can be done easily after removing a couple of panels. CVT needs to have the fluid changed every 30K miles. But really, is that a big deal?
If you do your homework you'll want to know if the IMA system had the software updated. There were some early problems with it when climbing hills that were fixed. The 2012-13 models have a slightly updated engine that had a nasty habit of burning large amounts of oil because of a new kind of piston ring that was supposed to reduce friction. Make sure those had the engine fixed. The 2010, 2011, or 2014 are the ones to get. You'll also want to make sure the regular 12V battery in the engine bay doesn't get more than about 3 years old as a low 12V battery causes issues with the IMA system.
Update: It's been over 3 years and 40K miles that I've had this car and nothing to report. It simply works. I also learned that it was rated by Consumer Reports as the top pick for reliability. It was also the top selling automobile in Japan when released. Still no concerns about the IMA battery. I did replace the 12V battery recently as the last one was good for 3 years, as expected. I have winter tires on it now and it's been fun to drive in the snow.
Exceeded my expectations
chaffstealth, Houston, TX, 08/18/2011
2011 Honda Insight LX 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
I wanted to have a small fuel-efficient car that also fits my budget and the 2011 Honda Insight LX is just the perfect car. I narrowed down my choices to either a Fit, Ford Fiesta, and Insight. My decision to buy the Insight was because of outstanding advertised MPG. So far in the last couple of weeks I actually get to average 45 mpg mostly city driving. It is also a fun car to drive. A … hybrid for $20K under is a steal!
CONS: For taller people the headroom will be a challenge.
One of the best cars I have ever owned.
Chris P, Geneseo, NY, 08/04/2015
2011 Honda Insight LX 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
The Insight is hands down one of the best cars I have ever owned. I own and operate a small courier business and drive over 40,000 miles a year and this car never stops impressing me. Even at 148,000 miles this car has never asked for anything except basic maintenence and one set of front brakes. The ride and handeling are very good for the cost of the vehicle and the driver's seat is … exceedingly comfortable even for long trips. It is a basic car in terms of luxury but it has a lot of nice features that overall make it comfortable, and the handeling and overall driving experience is impressive for a vehicle I'm this price range. I always get better mpg than the car is rated for without really trying. You get a lot for your money with this vehicle.
Edmunds Summary Review of the 2011 Honda Insight LX Hatchback
Pros & Cons
- Pro:Thrifty fuel economy
- Pro:cheap-for-a-hybrid price tag.
- Con:Excessive road noise
- Con:unsophisticated ride
- Con:cramped backseat
- Con:air-conditioning shuts off with auto-off engine at traffic lights.
Full Edmunds Review: 2011 Honda Insight Hatchback
Edmunds Insurance Estimator
The Edmunds TCO® estimated monthly insurance payment for a 2011 Honda Insight in Ohio is:
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