2011 Honda Insight Review
Price Estimate: $2,701 - $4,216





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Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Thrifty fuel economy
- cheap-for-a-hybrid price tag.
Cons
- Excessive road noise
- unsophisticated ride
- cramped backseat
- air-conditioning shuts off with auto-off engine at traffic lights.
What’s new
There is a new base model for the 2011 Honda Insight, which drops the base price along with several features. The previous LX base model lives on as a midgrade trim and gains standard cruise control, a center armrest storage console and an iPod/USB audio interface. All Insights now come standard with stability control.
Edmunds says
While fuel-efficient and reliable, the 2011 Honda Insight doesn't measure up to its archrival, the Toyota Prius.
For sale near Ashburn, VA
22 listings
- 135,522 miles
- No accidents, 2 owners, personal use only
- 39 City / 41 Hwy MPG
- 83 Autos LLC (82 mi away)
- Tire Pressure Warnin...
- Auto Climate Control
- Trip Computer
- Rear Bench Seats
- Stability Control
Close
Located in York, PA
?? For Sale: 2011 Honda Insight Base 4dr Hatchback Stock #: 001614 Fuel efficiency meets practicality in this sleek 2011 Honda Insight Hybrid! ?? Wit...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
40 Combined MPG (39 City/41 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: JHMZE2H34BS001614
Stock: 001614
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 06-15-2025- $6,490great price$1,314 below market
- 113,630 miles
- No accidents, 3 owners, personal use only
- 39 City / 41 Hwy MPG
- CarsNc (223 mi away)
- Tire Pressure Warnin...
- USB Inputs
- Auto Climate Control
- Alarm
- Trip Computer
Close
Located in Wake Forest, NC
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
40 Combined MPG (39 City/41 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: JHMZE2H73BS010078
Stock: 010078
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 09-13-2025
Vehicle overview
When it debuted last year, the Honda Insight took on the Toyota Prius. It, too, was a hybrid, looked the way Americans think hybrids should look and got better fuel economy than anything else on the road. On top of this, the Insight promised a cheaper price and a driving experience that didn't isolate one to the point of falling asleep. The formula seemed like a winner. But one year of lackluster consumer interest and a 20,000-mile Edmunds long-term test have us thinking of the Insight as an incomplete copycat, not a challenger.
In terms of fuel economy, the 2011 Honda Insight is certainly no laggard, since its EPA-rated 41 mpg on the city cycle is pretty darned thrifty. At the same time, the Insight's hybrid system is a so-called "mild hybrid," which means it can't propel the car on electricity alone. This makes it less complex and expensive, but it also means the Insight's low-speed, urban driving isn't quite as fuel efficient as full hybrids like the 2011 Toyota Prius. This is a big deal to hybrid owners, who love the sensation of all-electric motoring. It also means that the air-conditioner shuts off along with the engine when the car comes to a stop. (Be warned, desert dwellers: You'll be choosing between fuel economy and sweating.)
Next comes the driving experience. It's true that the Insight is more engaging to drive than a Prius, but the downside is a relatively unsophisticated ride. The amount of road noise entering the cabin is substantial, even at the Insight's modest price. By comparison, the Prius feels like a step above in terms of ride comfort and refinement. The Insight's backseat also lacks adult-rated headroom, which compromises its utility as an all-around vehicle.
Certainly, there are some upsides to the 2011 Honda Insight. During our one-year 20,000-mile test, it was absolutely bulletproof in terms of reliability, and the fit and finish was impressive. The Insight is also cheaper than the Prius, with a new base trim level for 2011 that cuts the cost even further. Given this, the Insight could be a good choice if you're mainly looking for a basic set of wheels that gets great fuel economy. But for most shoppers we recommend the Prius, as its higher cost is more than offset by a more refined experience.
Performance & mpg
The 2011 Honda Insight's hybrid system consists of a 1.3-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine and an electric motor paired with a nickel-metal hydride battery pack. The gas engine is good for 88 horsepower and 88 pound-feet of torque, while the electric motor chips in 13 hp and 58 lb-ft. Due to varying power peaks, the maximum combined output is 98 hp and 123 lb-ft of torque.
At our test track, the Insight accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 10.9 seconds -- a few tenths slower than the Prius, but a substantial 2.6 seconds quicker than the glacial Civic Hybrid. EPA-estimated fuel economy is 40 mpg city/43 mpg highway and 41 mpg combined.
Safety
Every 2011 Honda Insight comes standard with stability and traction control, antilock brakes (front disc, rear drum), brake assist, front side airbags, side curtain airbags and active front head restraints. In Edmunds brake testing, the Insight came to a stop from 60 mph in 125 feet -- a good distance for a compact hybrid.
The Insight has not been rated using the government's new, more strenuous 2011 crash-testing procedures. Its 2010 ratings (which aren't comparable to 2011 tests) were a perfect five stars for the driver in head-on collisions and four stars for the front passenger. In side-impact tests, the Insight received five stars for the driver and four stars for rear passengers. In Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests, the Insight received the best possible rating of "Good" in frontal-offset and side crash tests.
Driving
As a hybrid, the 2011 Honda Insight delivers on the promise of miserly fuel economy. There is no transition between electric and gasoline modes since the Insight's engine is assisted by its electric motor rather than working in tandem with it. This makes it seem like a more normal car when driving than the Prius, and some folks might like that.
Thanks to responsive steering and relatively sporty suspension tuning, the Honda Insight is more fun and responsive to drive that a Prius. But the overall experience is still noticeably less engaging than what you'll get out of other fuel-efficient cars like the Ford Fiesta, Honda CR-Z or Mini Cooper. The ride also leaves much to be desired, as you feel even minuscule bumps, and the suspension noticeably registers pavement imperfections. There's a lot of wind noise at highway speeds as well.
Interior
The Insight's cabin has interesting architecture, but it is utilitarian in spirit very much in the characteristic fashion of Honda as a whole. This is particularly noticeable in the base model, which lacks a front armrest and has just two speakers for the stereo. Regardless of trim level, the Insight lacks rear seat headroom; it's tight even for those of average height.
On the positive side, the Insight's controls are quite simple to use and the standard automatic climate control is a nice touch. Also, the Insight has a couple neat visual aids (the changing background color of the speedometer and little cartoon trees in the trip computer that grow or wilt as your long-term fuel economy improves or declines) to help the driver optimize the efficiency of his or her driving style.
2011 Honda Insight models
The 2011 Honda Insight is available in three trim levels: base, LX and EX.
Standard equipment includes 15-inch steel wheels, keyless entry, full power accessories, automatic climate control, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, driver seat height adjustment, a trip computer and a two-speaker sound system with a CD player and an auxiliary audio jack.
The LX adds cruise control, a front center armrest and storage bin, floor mats, four speakers for the sound system and an iPod/USB audio interface. The EX adds 15-inch alloy wheels, heated mirrors, steering wheel shift paddles, steering wheel audio controls, vanity mirrors and six speakers. The EX can also be equipped with a navigation system, which includes a touchscreen interface, voice controls, Bluetooth and a digital audio card reader.

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Compare 2011 Honda Insight trim levels
Helpful trims summary and side-by-side comparison chart
Cost to Drive
Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia
$94/mo for Insight Base
Insight Base
vs
$158/mo
Avg. Compact Car
Reliability
The 2011 Honda Insight has a 3 years / 36,000 miles basic warranty and 10 recalls. RepairPal gives it a reliability rating of 4.5 out of 5, ranks it #5 out of 6 among Alternative Fuel Vehicles. Below you’ll find our owner reviews.
Reliability Rating by RepairPal
4.5 out of 5 stars4.5/5Excellent
#5 out of 6 among Alternative Fuel Vehicles
RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.
Cost
$319/yr
vs. $377/yr
for Average Alternative Fuel Vehicle
for Average Alternative Fuel Vehicle
Frequency
0.76x/yr
vs. 0.52x/yr
for Average Alternative Fuel Vehicle
for Average Alternative Fuel Vehicle
Severity
9.1%
vs. 8.3%
for Average Alternative Fuel Vehicle
for Average Alternative Fuel Vehicle
powered by RepairPal
Recalls
10 recalls foundChecking if a car has a recall is simple. Just type the car's VIN number into the NHTSA website (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls). If there's an unrepaired recall, you'll see it there.
If a recall shows up, just call your local car dealer. They'll know about the recall and will work with the car maker to fix it for free (if the recall happened within 10 years of the car being first sold).
- Recall Number:
- 19V502000
- Manufacturer Recall Number:
- F5F, Q5E
- Manufactured from:
- 2012-11-19 to 2013-05-31
- Number of vehicles affected:
- 9555
- Defect Description:
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura TSX, 2011-2014 TSX Sport Wagon, 2010-2013 ZDX, 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic and Civic Hybrid, 2008-2010 Civic GX NGV, 2012-2015 Crosstour, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2009-2013 Fit, 2014 Fit EV, 2010-2014 Insight, and 2009-2015 Pilot vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
- Defect Consequence:
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Corrective Action:
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are F5F and Q5E.
- Recall Number:
- 19V500000
- Manufacturer Recall Number:
- S5B, W59
- Manufactured from:
- 2006-09-13 to 2007-05-21
- Number of vehicles affected:
- 1558
- Defect Description:
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013 Acura ILX, 2015 RDX, 2005-2010 and 2012 RL, 2009-2014 TL, 2010 and 2012 ZDX, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2011-2013 and 2015 CR-Z, 2009-2013 Fit, 2013 Fit EV, 2010-2011 and 2013 Insight and 2007-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with driver frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
- Defect Consequence:
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Corrective Action:
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are S5B and W59.
- Recall Number:
- 19V378000
- Manufacturer Recall Number:
- M4O, P4R,
- Manufactured from:
- 2009-02-28 to 2009-12-17
- Number of vehicles affected:
- 19086
- Defect Description:
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura TSX, 2011-2013 TSX Sport Wagon, and 2010-2012 ZDX and 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic, Civic Hybrid and Civic NGV, 2012-2014 Crosstour, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2009-2013 Fit, 2010-2013 Insight, and 2009-2015 Pilot vehicles. The front passenger air bag inflator may have been installed incorrectly during replacement.
- Defect Consequence:
- An incorrectly installed air bag inflator may not properly deploy the passenger frontal air bag in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
- Corrective Action:
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the inflator installation and, if necessary, replace the passenger frontal air bag module assembly, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin June 28, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are M4O, P4R, T4Q, and W4P.
- Recall Number:
- 18V661000
- Manufacturer Recall Number:
- M2J, S2K
- Manufactured from:
- 2009-08-24 to 2010-12-30
- Number of vehicles affected:
- 1357311
- Defect Description:
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2014 Honda Insight and Acura TSX and TSX Wagon, 2014-2015 Honda Crosstour and Pilot vehicles nationwide, as well as certain 2014 Honda FCX Clarity and Fit EV vehicles in Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, California, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan) and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Honda is also recalling certain 2011-2013 Acura TSX, TSX Wagon and ZDX, Honda Crosstour, Insight, Fit and Pilot vehicles, 2011-2012 Honda Accord and 2011 Honda Civic NGV, Civic, Civic Hybrid and CR-V vehicles in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Lastly, Honda is recalling certain 2010-2013 Acura TSX and ZDX, Honda Crosstour, Fit, Insight and Pilot, 2011-2013 TSX Wagon, 2010-2012 Honda Accord and 2010-2011 Honda Civic NGV, Civic, Civic Hybrid and CR-V vehicles in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag air bag inflators assembled as part of the frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment (such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bags), may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to higher absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
- Defect Consequence:
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Corrective Action:
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin November 13, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are M2J and S2K.
- Recall Number:
- 18V268000
- Manufacturer Recall Number:
- C1X
- Manufactured from:
- 2004-10-21 to 2005-01-28
- Number of vehicles affected:
- 492
- Defect Description:
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2012 Honda Accord and Pilot, 2010 Accord Crosstour, 2001-2011 Civic, 2002-2011 CR-V, 2003-2004, 2006-2008 and 2011 Element, 2007 and 2009-2013 Fit, 2010-2012 Insight, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2012 Ridgeline vehicles. The front passenger air bag may have been installed incorrectly during replacement.
- Defect Consequence:
- An incorrectly installed air bag may deploy improperly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
- Corrective Action:
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the passenger frontal air bag module assembly, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin June 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are K1P, and M1O.
- Recall Number:
- 18V042000
- Manufacturer Recall Number:
- B0K, L0J
- Manufactured from:
- 2008-02-25 to 2008-12-19
- Number of vehicles affected:
- 691726
- Defect Description:
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Acura TSX, ZDX, Honda Accord Crosstour, Fit, Insight and Pilot vehicles, 2011-13 Acura TSX Sportswagon, 2010-2012 Honda Accord,, 2010-2011 Honda Civic, Civic NGV, Civic Hybrid and CR-V vehicles and 2013 Honda FCX Clarity and Fit EV vehicles ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, Honda is recalling certain 2010-2012 Acura TSX, Honda Accord, Accord Crosstour, Fit and Pilot, 2010-2011 Honda Civic, Civic NGV, Civic Hybrid and CR-V, and 2010 Acura ZDX and Honda Insight vehicles ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Unless included in Zones A or B above, Honda is recalling certain 2009 Acura TSX, Honda Accord, Civic, Civic NGV, Civic Hybrid, CR-V, Fit, and Pilot vehicles ever registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment (such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bags), may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to higher absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
- Defect Consequence:
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Corrective Action:
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 16, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are B0K and L0J.
- Recall Number:
- 17V545000
- Manufacturer Recall Number:
- O07,Y0A,N0
- Manufactured from:
- 2005-07-19 to 2006-09-01
- Number of vehicles affected:
- 646
- Defect Description:
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2008-2012 Accord, 2010 and 2012 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2009-2012 Fit and Pilot, and 2010-2012 Insight vehicles that received replacement passenger frontal air bag inflators. One dealership may have incorrectly installed the replacement air bag inflators.
- Defect Consequence:
- In the event of a crash, an incorrectly installed passenger frontal air bag inflator may deploy the air bag improperly, increasing the risk of injury.
- Corrective Action:
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag module assembly, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin October 1, 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are O07, Y0A, N06, G05, M04, Y01, and O09.
- Recall Number:
- 17V030000
- Manufacturer Recall Number:
- KE1, KE2
- Number of vehicles affected:
- 977708
- Defect Description:
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2012 Acura TSX, 2011-2012 Acura TSX Wagon, 2010-2012 Acura ZDX, 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2012 Honda Accord Crosstour and Honda Insight, 2009-2012 Honda Fit, 2009-2012 Pilot, 2007-2011 Honda CR-V, 2012 Honda FCX Clarity and 2006-2011 Honda Civic, Civic Hybrid, Civic NGV vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, if not included in "Zone A" above, Honda is recalling certain 2009 Acura TSX, Honda Fit and Pilot, 2008-2009 Honda Accord, 2006-2009 Civic, Civic Hybrid and Civic NGV, and 2007-2009 Honda CR-V vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, if not included in "Zone B" above, Honda is recalling certain 2008 Honda Accord, 2006-2008 Honda Civic, Civic Hybrid and Civic NGV and 2007-2008 Honda CR-V vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
- Defect Consequence:
- An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Corrective Action:
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger side air bag inflator, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KE1 and KE2.
- Recall Number:
- 16V346000
- Manufacturer Recall Number:
- KA4, KA5,
- Number of vehicles affected:
- 2719386
- Defect Description:
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Acura TSX, 2011 TSX Wagon, 2010-2011 Acura ZDX, 2008-2011 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic, Civic Hybrid, and Civic GX, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2010-2011 FCX Clarity and Insight, and 2009-2011 Fit, and Pilot vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless already included in "Zone A" above, Honda is recalling certain model year 2008 Honda Accord, 2006-2008 Civic, Civic Hybrid and Civic GX, and 2007-2008 CR-V vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Vehicles not originally sold or ever registered in either Zones A or B are not subject to this safety recall. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
- Defect Consequence:
- An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Corrective Action:
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflator, free of charge. Remedy parts are expected to be available in late Summer/Fall 2016. Interim notices will be mailed to owners beginning June 27, 2016. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall is KA4, KA5, KA6, and KA7.
- Recall Number:
- 16V061000
- Manufacturer Recall Number:
- JX2, JX3,
- Manufactured from:
- 2010-01-01 to 2014-12-31
- Number of vehicles affected:
- 2230000
- Defect Description:
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Honda CR-V, 2011-2015 CR-Z, 2010-2014 FCX, and Insight, 2009-2013 Fit, 2013-2014 Fit EV, 2007-2014 Ridgeline, 2013-2016 Acura ILX, 2013-2014 Acura ILX Hybrid, 2007-2016 RDX, 2005-2012 Acura RL, 2009-2014 Acura TL, and 2010-2013 Acura ZDX vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.
- Defect Consequence:
- In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Corrective Action:
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflator, free of charge. Remedy parts are expected to be available in Summer 2016. Interim notices will be mailed to owners during March 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are JY0, JY1, and JY2.
Warranty
3 years / 36,000 miles Basic Warranty- Basic Warranty
- 3 years / 36,000 miles
- Drivetrain Warranty
- 5 years / 60,000 miles
- Hybrid component Warranty
- 8 years / 80,000 miles
- Rust Warranty
- 5 years / unlimited miles
Honda Insight Owner Reviews
Most Helpful Owner Reviews
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Honda Insight Base
5 out of 5 starssteve190, 04/29/2011
2011 Honda Insight 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
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
4.5 out of 5 starsbarbarossa3, 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
5 out of 5 starsNick, 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.
17K Miles later...
4.38 out of 5 starsnickdapit, 11/13/2011
2011 Honda Insight EX 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
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.
2011 Insight Highlights
Base
Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee | $18,200 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Mild hybrid |
Combined MPG | 40 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $94/month |
Seating | 5 seats |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 15.9 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Warranty | 3 years / 36,000 miles |
Safety
Key safety features on the Insight include:
- Alarm
- Tire Pressure Warning
- Stability Control
NHTSA Overall Rating
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverallNot RatedDriverNot RatedPassengerNot Rated
- Side Crash RatingOverallNot Rated
- Side Barrier RatingOverallNot RatedDriverNot RatedPassengerNot Rated
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront SeatNot RatedBack SeatNot Rated
- RolloverRollover4 / 5Dynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of Rollover11.3%
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