Used 2011 Honda Insight Hatchback Consumer Reviews
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Honda Insight Base
steve190, 04/29/2011
2011 Honda Insight 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
19 of 19 people found this review helpful
Fun car for the money, yeah you won't win any races with it but that is not what it was designed for. If you are looking for a car that is reasonably fun to drive and great on gas if you drive it right check out the Insight. You can do better on mileage with the Prius but you will also pay more for it and in my opinion the Honda drives and handles much better. Try them both and decide for yourself. Excellent value for a hybrid! Loving it so far!
Money saver
barbarossa3, 02/25/2012
2011 Honda Insight LX 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
15 of 15 people found this review helpful
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.
17K Miles later...
nickdapit, 11/13/2011
2011 Honda Insight EX 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
18 of 19 people found this review helpful
So far I couldn't ask for much more from the car, I bought the car specificlly for my job as I drive large stretches of the country. My latest trip took me from Los Angeles to Denver; then Denver to Seattle; then Seattle back to Los Angeles. I have had no problems with the car and average the EPA estimate for driving. (42 mpg) The only thing that dissappoints me is the rear seat area, a six foot man cannot fit even with a 5 foot driver in the front seat. Headroom is almost ridiculous to the point where Honda should have just made an inch or two higher for the rear seats even if that cost the vehicle 2 mpg's overall! The leg room is very tight in the rear. Don't buy if family is large.
Great car
jakata, 07/28/2011
2011 Honda Insight 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
I've had my Insight for a week now and I'm very pleased. Very comfortable, I don't notice much road noise as mentioned in the Edmund review. Although it's a very small car it has a excellent ride and feel of a much larger car. I'm getting 45 mpg with air on all the time. I love it's looks and feel. After researching every car out there I feel I made an excellent decision.
Don't sweat the official reviews -it's a great car
Nick, 02/25/2021
updated 02/26/2024
2011 Honda Insight LX 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric mild hybrid CVT)
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
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.
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Best Bang For Your Buck!
mikeyt1818, 02/22/2011
2011 Honda Insight EX 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
14 of 15 people found this review helpful
I get better MPG's than EPA estimates (45.2 w/ mixed driving and AC always on). Great steering/handling! Awesome safety features, reliable. ITS NOT A PRIUS! Lol! Nothing against Toyota but way too many Prius drivers out there. I prefer to be distinct!
A fun hybrid? Go figure
msbella, 09/08/2012
2011 Honda Insight EX 4dr Hatchback w/Navigation (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
I am thrilled with this car! I bought it for a year-long 220-mile round-trip commute that would have been miserable and expensive in most other cars but was actually pleasant in this one thanks to the comfort, handling, and iPod connection. The front-wheel drive also got me home safely during an epic blizzard last winter. After 32,000 miles in 18 months, and now commuting 60 miles round-trip on a winding rural road, I can still say I love this car, as do my growing kids and two big dogs. I'm averaging 45 mpg across all conditions and terrains, and the 12,000-mile oil changes are nice, too. One change I did make for my rural area was wider tires, which are more durable and widely available.
Better car than it looks on paper
mike579, 02/19/2012
2011 Honda Insight 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
I do a 40 mile highway commute on weekdays and some city driving on weekends. By my own calculations, I get an honest 50 miles per gallon. The dashboard readouts give you the information you need to modify your driving style to maximize MPG. I see people complain about a noisy car, but that's not my experience. It's quiet on the freeway. It will get noisy on a rough roads or if you stomp on the gas pedal. The interior is a little plasticy, but it still looks clean and functional. Because of the car styling, the car has larger blind spots than I would like.
Updated 3 year review.
mattwc1, 04/30/2013
updated 07/01/2021
2011 Honda Insight 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
14 of 17 people found this review helpful
I bought my base 2011 Insight to replace a very nice 2009 Rav4. It has in over 1000 miles already saved fuel costs by 1/2. June 2016: So far the only maintenance items I have had to do is oil changes (approx 8-10K miles. I follow the maintenance minder on the car. I still do CVT fluid changes approx every 2nd oil change (about every 20k), (1) interior air filter and (1) air filter. That is it. I did change my stock steel wheels to a used set of alloy wheels (with better Michelin tires) about 30k ago. I felt the Michelins handle a lot better with little or neglible impact on mpg . My car has nearly 70K trouble free miles and I average between 45-50mpg on my commute. Pros: Regularly exceeds EPA mpg Quiet and reliable Excellent used car value Cons: lack of center armrest on base model real window visibility Paint chips easily Front seats are awful and fabric stains easily Dec 2018: A quick update on my car. I have surpassed over 120k mileage. At about 110k , I changed the spark plugs (all 8 of them!), exterior trans filter, front brake pads and replaced the tires with the OEM Bridgestones. ( Still on the soon to do list is a brake bleed, radiator fluid change and maybe relashing the valves.) The car has been to the dealership once for the Takita Airbag recall. It still is reliable, fuel efficient and a good overall commuter. . The Pros and Cons from above stay the same. I will add that I despise the front seats. I am not a big guy but anything over an hour ride and my back is killing me. The lack of lumbar support is the main culprit. However, the car happily chugs along and has served as a reliable commuter, teaching aid for my kids when they were getting their drivers license, and perfect errand car. Unlike other Honda models, the resale values are not good so this car will probably soldier on in our family as an extra car. It now is showing some more wear on the exterior, the interior is a little frayed but mechanically the car is on point. I would highly recommend one for a new driver or someone looking to test the waters of hybrid ownership. I would buy another hybrid as there are less compromises now. I'm eyeballing the new Insight (ala Civic Hybrid) as a potential replacement. May 2019 Car was traded in for my daughter’s first car. This was a good entry into the hybrid experience but must confess that hybrids are world’s better now with little compromises. Still a sold used car option.
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Exceeded my expectations
chaffstealth, 08/18/2011
2011 Honda Insight LX 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
15 of 19 people found this review helpful
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.
Basic down to earth hybrid
readykilowatt, 05/08/2014
2011 Honda Insight 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
6 of 7 people found this review helpful
We have owned our 2010 insight for three years and have 37,000 miles on it. The professional reviews are right in that it is a lot like the early Japanese cars that were on the market in the 70's which were very reliable but very basic in design. If you want a reliable small cars for commuting back and forth, it is a great purchase. We use it to go back and forth to town and it gets us about 50 mpg as it seems to love going about 50 mph. Yes it rides a little hard and is short on sound insulation but for what we use it for, it's ideal. I wouldn't use it for a long drive though. We'll be passing it on to the children and probably getting another the last year of production.
Honda Insight Delivers Fun & Savings
rfbronk1, 06/27/2011
2011 Honda Insight EX 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
6 of 7 people found this review helpful
I really like my Honda Insight EX in polished metal. I am getting better than 40 MPG and what I really like it how well it drives. I like the hatch feature and the styling. The Insight is just sharp and it works nicely. I like the ECO feature - when you stop in traffic it just stops! I tried the Prius but found the Insight to just be more fun. Also - the Insight EX is a much better value. I am very pleased with my choice.
One of the best cars I have ever owned.
Chris P, 08/04/2015
2011 Honda Insight LX 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
6 of 7 people found this review helpful
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.
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Final review after 6 years and 130K
Mattwc1, 06/28/2019
2011 Honda Insight 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
6 of 7 people found this review helpful
The is the final review of my 2011 Insight Base. I purchased this used in 2013 for a little over 12k ( w/ 12k mileage) and just traded it in last month. Pros: *MPG exceeded EPA ( averaged 45mpg throughout ownership w/ high of 63 and low in high 30s) *extremely reliable (no unforeseen maintenance items during ownership) *Easy car for first time drivers/ city dwellers Cons: *(IMO) Front seats uncomfortable for longer drives *Fabric easy to stain *Slow even by economy car standards Items of note: Maintenance items easy to change (oil/ trans fluid) Brakes changed at 115K, front pads still had about 10K life left Engine is a twin sparkplug design CVT fluid changes every other oil change (approx every 18K). Easy to do and good insurance Hybrid Battery pack had no appreciable degradation over life of car
Quigz Review
quigz, 03/24/2011
2011 Honda Insight EX 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
26 of 36 people found this review helpful
I traded in a 2004 Pontiac GTO! I had a 5.7 liter V8 gas monster, and traded this in for a gas saver. I don't care to much about being green, I care about saving money, and the Insight allows me to do just that in gas. I love this car! I save so much money in gas it is unreal. I have a 10 gallon gas tank and get over 60 MPG! I get triple the gas mileage now. I get $30 in gas every seven days as opposed to $45 every three days. I am using a solar panel now to increase my MPG's [violative content deleted]
LOVE my 2011 EX Insight
rjbjr5, 05/31/2011
2011 Honda Insight EX 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
13 of 19 people found this review helpful
The main reason I love the Honda Insight is the gas mileage I'm getting. I had a 2006 Pacifica, getting 18-19 MPGs... now I average about 42 MPG just running errands and back & forth to work. Drove to NH & back and got 48.6 MPGs - calculated manually (miles/gallons). I am saving at least 1/2 my monthy car payment in gas each month! Driving it is fun & feels sturdy... it's a smooth ride and I never can tell when transitioning from gas to battery etc. Since this is only the 2nd year of the new Insight, I'm really hoping the engine etc. is made as well as all other Hondas and will last just as long... time will tell.
50K Miles Later
spartan949, 09/18/2013
2011 Honda Insight EX 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
6 of 8 people found this review helpful
I have owned my Insight since March 2011 and have driven 50,000 miles. I have averaged 41.3 MPG for the entire life of the car so far, which is what I expected and am very pleased. I have had to do nothing but 5 oil changes, air filter, cabin filter and one CVT trans fluid change as recommended. There have been no other issues with the vehicle. Tires are finally bald and will be replaced at 50K miles as well. Number don't lie though, I did the calculations and with the lower price and good fuel economy you would have to own the Prius for 7-8 years before it would start saving you money over the Insight.
Enjoying my '11 EX Insight
benjiej, 01/21/2011
2011 Honda Insight EX 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
12 of 20 people found this review helpful
OK, I had a 2010 Insight LX, but only for a few months. There were many things I didn't like, but most of them were due to features I had given up by choosing the LX instead of the EX. I have been driving the 2011 EX for about a month and I am much happier with this car. Some of this is subjective, but it seems to drive better than the 2010, the transitions from electric to gas aren't as noticeable (the 2010 shuddered annoyingly), the Auto Stop engages for longer periods at stop lights, and of course I love the features the EX offers over the LX. (note that the 2011 LX has gained many features that my 2010 did not have). For the way I drive it's a great car.
Disappointed
tradingitin, 08/23/2012
2011 Honda Insight EX 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
6 of 11 people found this review helpful
I've owned this car for four months and I'm trading it in next week. Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) is annoying -- when you step on the gas, there's a delayed reaction. It revs noisily during entire acceleration arc. Very gutless. Most of my driving is city and MPG averages about 39. Above 65 miles per hour, MPG drops to low 30s. In Econ mode, AC stops with engine at stoplights. Rear seatbelts get pinned behind seats after folding them up. Cramped back seat leads to dirty upholstery when kids with dirty feet climb in. Paint job is SOFT and easily scratched. Body style is typical hybrid ugly, grille is inexplicably gray... would look much better matching the body.
Insight fan
William R, 07/14/2018
2011 Honda Insight 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This is a great value in a car. I have gotten on average about 43 mpg. This is my second Insight, my first 4 seater. I have owned Hondas since 9/1979. I have been very pleased with the various models that I have owned (3 Civics, 2 Insights and 1 CRX). My current Insight has been the best.
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great car, comfortable, best gas mileage
jml16, 10/02/2011
2011 Honda Insight EX 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
2 of 5 people found this review helpful
We get 41 MPG in the city & up to 48 on the HWY. we don't find road noise to be excessive. we have had the car approx 7 months. the dealer is terrific. the mechanics are local & loyal. at least 1 has been there over 20 years. Only issue is people that are heavy & tall cannot ride easily.
My worst purchase ever
vadbrown, 05/10/2012
2011 Honda Insight EX 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
8 of 26 people found this review helpful
I loved the test drive. I should have spent more time doing it. I would have found out what was wrong. I realized it was a mistake to buy the car as soon as I got on the highway after leaving the dealership. I noticed several bad things immediately - road noise, very bumpy ride and no passing power. After driving it for a few days commuting back and forth to work, I began having horrible headaches. This was the thing that really made me sell the car. My guess is that it had something to do electromagnetic radiation from the hybrid motor and wires that go through the cabin. Never buying a hybrid again until they do studies on this. Lost $7k selling it back in 2 months.
WORST CAR IVE EVER OWNED
Mansoor ahmed, 12/09/2016
2011 Honda Insight LX 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
1 of 12 people found this review helpful
I was looking for a hybrid car and wwanted to buy a certified pre owned vehicle for warranty. The Honda insight seemed suitable and fit in my price range. I paid over 14k USD for this car about 1.5 years ago. This car is terrible. The CVT transmission is pathetic and the acceleration in this car is a joke. The sseats are extremely uncomfortable and the visibility in this car is terrible. I constantly have to go to the dealership for a faulty tire pressure sensor on this car. Also, this car lacks so many basic features. There aren't mirrors in this car. No Bluetooth. I've looked up the current bluebook value of the car and its only worth around $6k now. That is terrible depreciation in value and I will never buy a Honda again. I'm stuck with this car now since I paid so much for it 18 months ago and its worth literally NOTHING now. I would have been better off buying a Mercedes Benz for the price I paid. Absolutely disgusting Honda crap.
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Honda Insight 2011 Its a Beast!!!
mike.a, 08/26/2018
2011 Honda Insight EX 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
ok if you do find one now because its an oldie 2011 its a good buy but drive the car first, make sure you check everything and ask all the questions you need make sure is certified and that the battery was changed or charged at 60000 or 100000 if its over that many miles. My car its a beast because I don't treat it like one, you drive with patience and discipline and it can take you to the moon its over 125000 miles and drives great I have confidence in my car only problems ever has been my wheel studs from dumb people changing tires at a wheel place, but you can changed it and fixed it on your own. Besides tires knock on wood nothing else has been an issue on it thank god the car its a monster yes the oil changes are expensive but at the dealer its cheaper but you wait a long time that is all patience once again if you do not have any do not buy this car lol
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It’s apparently tasty
Kat, 01/14/2019
2011 Honda Insight 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
0 of 10 people found this review helpful
3 times now rodents have chewed through hoses!! This caused the car to leak gas several times. I’m stuck with a car I’m scared to drive. The IMA light & the tire light comes on constantly. I can’t afford to do a trade in because the value on the car has dropped drastically. There is no Bluetooth. The visibility through the back is awful. The only technology is 1 USB hub & a connection for a FireWire.
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