Road Tests: Long-Term Test

Video highlights of this vehicle

Our editors found quite a lot to say about this newest of arrivals to the Edmunds.com long-term fleet.

First up, our photographer, Scott Jacobs:

"The Honda Insight shocked and amazed me. It is probably the most unique car on the road that doesn't cost huge amounts of money. Its shape is vaguely familiar -- CRX-like with a sleek front tapering to a stubby back. It's kind of a plain-Civic-meets-Dr.-Evil quasi-futuristic design. A lot of people were totally awestruck with this little beastie. Forget all the "save the earth" crap; this thing is an attention magnet. I couldn't believe the number of people that would just stare at me and the car.

"Complementing its futuristic exterior is a very cool interior. The seats are quasi-Recaro-style sport seats that are decent for a little while, but have a comfort half-life of about one hour. The dash has an attractive brushed aluminum look to it. The dials for the climate controls are typical Honda -- simple, straightforward and easy to use. The steering wheel seems to come straight off the S2000. It's sporty, comfortable, and has a nice grip to it."

Our road test editor had his own two cents to put in:

"Passing is not something to be attempted much; even a Toyota Corolla is a speed demon next to the Insight. You've gotta keep the revs high to get anything at all out of this powerplant. Which brings me to another important point. To drive this vehicle the way "most" people will wish to (i.e. with a tad of passing and merging power) and in a fashion that is conducive to safe merging, you have to keep it in a lower gear with your right foot planted. This forces two significant issues to arise. The first is that, under these conditions, the IMA is in full force, depleting the batteries as it powers away, which could run them down to nil if you don't get off the gas to let them recharge. And on a trip to Lancaster, powering up hills FORCED me to basically deplete my batteries to the point that the IMA shut off.

"The other key issue is one of fuel economy. Driving the Insight in the fashion I have described will result in fuel economy numbers that are "good." That is it...good...not supreme, not staggering...and DEFINITELY NOT 70 MPG. People need to realize that the way they will most likely drive it will not result in the mileage returns of which the manufacturer boasts."

Features Editor Scott Mead also planted himself behind the wheel of the Insight during the last 30 days. He reported:

"With its narrow track and skinny, rolling-resistant tires, the Insight does a fantastic job of catching the crown of a highway and tossing you all over the place. If the highway pavement is grooved, the unpleasantness factor increases by a factor of five. The entire trip (from Santa Monica to Phoenix), I had to DRIVE the car. There was no chance to relax...With gusts over 40 mph, the Insight felt like a kite on wheels. I watched the IMA battery deplete itself to nearly nothing as I held on through buffeting winds. Large gusts would literally send the super-light Insight careening into other lanes. Not a fun time to say the least."

Our newbie Insight was also christened to the Edmunds.com fleet when it was rear-ended earlier this month. We took it to M2 Collision Care Center in Santa Monica, Calif., where, for $48, we had the bumper removed and the innards inspected. We were subsequently assured that there was no damage done. Our insurance company picked up the bill because we were not at fault.

Current Odometer: 2,594
Best Fuel Economy: 60.6 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 41.1 mpg
Running Average Over Life of Vehicle: 49.1 mpg
Maintenance Costs: None.
Body Repair Costs: $48 (cost to remove bumper for damage inspection).
Problems: None.