2020 Honda Insight Review

Name: 2020 Honda Insight
Brand: Honda

Price Range: $15,894 - $26,590

Honda Insight Touring Sedan Exterior Shown

The 2020 Honda Insight is a sensible small hybrid with excellent fuel economy. Beyond that, it's generally nice to drive and a pleasant place to spend time. It combines comfort and practicality with a refined interior and easy-to-use tech, making it a powerful hybrid contender, even if it underperforms by a few mpg against top competitors.

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Average price: $20,989

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Honda Insight for Sale

2020 Honda Insight Review

Pros

High fuel economy figures
Quick acceleration for a hybrid
Refined and roomy interior

Cons

Gas engine sounds coarse at times

What's new

No significant changes for the 2020 Insight
Part of the third Insight generation introduced for 2019

Overview

Written by automotive expert Will Kaufman

8/21/2019

Part of the Toyota Prius' original appeal has been its distinctive styling. Whatever you might think of it, at least everyone knows what it is. It's built-in advertising for the hybrid lifestyle, sort of like bringing your lunch to work in a Whole Foods tote bag. But if you prefer driving a little more anonymously, Honda would undoubtedly like you to check out its 2020 Insight.

Continue reading Edmunds Expert Rating below

For sale near Ashburn, VA

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2020 Honda Insight
Touring Sedan
$20,388
good price
$710 below market
- 49,551 miles
- No accidents, 3 owners, personal use
- 51 City / 45 Hwy MPG
- Passport Toyota (34 mi away)
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Navigation
- Leather Seats
- Sunroof/Moonroof
Close
Located in Suitland, MD
Elevate your driving experience with this exceptional 2020 Honda Insight Touring. Boasting a sleek gray exterior and a well-appointed interior, this h...
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:
48 Combined MPG (51 City/45 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: 19XZE4F96LE001588
Stock: T001588P
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 11-29-2025
New Listing
Stock photo^**
2020 Honda Insight
Touring Sedan
$15,894
fair price
$578 above market
- 103,261 miles
- 1 accident, 2 owners, corporate fleet vehicle
- 51 City / 45 Hwy MPG
- Motorcars of Gaithersburg (20 mi away)
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Navigation
- Leather Seats
- Sunroof/Moonroof
Close
Located in Gaithersburg, MD
Regularly maintained, Non-smoker owner, Vehicle Runs Well, Must test drive, MD Safety Inspection, Family friendly, Title in possession, New floor mats
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: No
Personal Use Only: No
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:
48 Combined MPG (51 City/45 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: 19XZE4F96LE011151
Stock: YA011151
Certified Pre-Owned: No

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Honda's Insight favors more subdued styling. Most people won't guess it's anything but a regular car unless they happen to catch sight of the rather small "Hybrid" badges. This more traditional approach can be found inside, too. The Insight's cabin is familiar and comfortable, and the driving experience is more refined and satisfying than what you typically get from other mainstream hybrids. Because the Insight is a sedan, you give up a bit of cargo-carrying versatility compared to a hatchback, but the Insight compensates with excellent small-item storage.

The main drawback is the Insight's somewhat noisy operation. There can be significant engine vibration at idle when the car needs to charge the battery, for instance. But this is a minor gripe considering everything else and the EPA-estimated 52 mpg. Taken on the whole, the Insight is an excellent sedan that makes the fuel-sipping hybrid lifestyle more appealing. It might even give Prius die-hards a reason to switch.

Notably, the 2020 Honda Insight is a featured vehicle in our Cheapest New Cars article and we picked the 2020 Honda Insight as one of Edmunds' Best Gas Mileage Cars for 2020.

Edmunds Expert Rating

edmunds TESTED

by the Edmunds Experts

Great

8.1

out of 10

We drove the 2020 Honda Insight on our test track and on real roads. Our Edmunds team conducts rigorous independent vehicle testing, driving 500,000 miles a year.

Performance

7.5/10

How does the Insight drive? The Insight leans more toward sobriety than spirit, but it's livelier and more refined than a Prius. The electric motor feels torquey around town and makes for seamless and responsive acceleration. It's not fast, but at 8.1 seconds to cover 0-60 mph, it's quick among hybrids. The steering is precise, and the Insight is tidy around corners and willing to change directions.

Our tester stopped from 60 mph in 123 feet, which is decent for the class. The braking is predictable and easy to modulate, but the pedal feels a bit disonnected during hard braking. We were also bothered that, in normal driving mode, the adjustable regenerative braking system kept resetting itself.

Comfort

8/10

How comfortable is the Insight? Honda has gotten most of the fundamentals right. The seats are comfortable, with medium-firm foam and enough contouring to provide support over long drives, although some drivers may miss adjustable lumbar. There's some bounciness when driving over humps in the road, but single-wheel impacts and smaller road textures are snubbed deftly.

The climate system has big and clearly marked physical controls, and the vents provide good coverage. The main downside is noise. The gas engine can idle loudly and create vibrations when the battery needs charging, and it makes more noise at freeway speeds than some competitors. Wind noise is well-suppressed, but there's also noticeable road noise at speed.

Interior

8.5/10

How’s the interior? Larger on the inside than the exterior suggests, this cabin typifies Honda's mastery of space utilization. There's plenty of headroom and elbow room for front passengers. Drivers of various proportions should be able to find an agreeable seating position, although we wish there was a hair more range on the telescoping steering wheel. In the back, headroom is snug for taller adults, but there's good toe room.

The Insight is functional and well-designed, with obvious and well-labeled controls. Using the transmission selector buttons is a bit more distracting than moving a traditional gear lever, but you'll get used to them. Visibility is good out of the front, though the wide rear roof pillars and tall rear deck create some rear blind spots.

Technology

8/10

How’s the tech? Honda's infotainment screen is quick, sharp and easy to use. The physical shortcut buttons on the screen's left side are also useful. It makes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (standard on EX trim and up) less of a priority, though Honda's integration with both is excellent.

Honda's advanced driver aids continue to lag the competition, as they're rather conservatively tuned. The brake alert comes up a bit too readily in routine city driving, but it's not as intrusive during the initial warning phase as some other systems. The adaptive cruise system is OK, but other systems are more natural in their operation.

Storage

8/10

How’s the storage? The Insight isn't quite as cargo-friendly as the Prius, but it's still quite useful. The reasonably deep cargo hold has about 15 cubic feet of capacity, and the 60/40-split rear bench can be folded down via levers in the trunk. The hybrid batteries are situated under the back seat and do not impede on cargo volume.

A well-thought-out center console is the centerpiece of the in-cabin storage. The space is deep and provides outstanding volume. You also get a removable and sliding insert and divider system. A handy rubberized pad on the console is ideal for a phone. For child duty, the Insight has car seat anchors in the back that are easy to access under fabric fastener flaps, and there's ample space for car seats.

Fuel Economy

9/10

How’s the fuel economy? The EPA estimates the Insight gets 48 to 52 mpg in combined driving. That's among the highest fuel economy of any car you can buy. Encouragingly, we observed 50.5 mpg on our 115-mile evaluation route, which consists of mixed driving conditions.

Value

8.5/10

Is the Insight a good value? The Insight is a sensible and well-built sedan that punches above its price point. The well-screwed-together cabin has a pleasing design and plenty of soft touchpoints at every trim level. This is typical Honda cabin construction, which is no bad thing. It's also a great value, and it feels and drives like a more expensive vehicle.

Warranty coverage is on par with Toyota, but it significantly trails Hyundai and Kia. While the Insight shouldn't be an expensive car to own or operate, some competitors offer perks such as free maintenance that aren't standard-issue for Honda.

Wildcard

8/10

The execution of the Insight is a subtle but significant step forward for inexpensive hybrids. It has shown the genre evolving beyond the nerdy awkwardness of adolescence and into a more confident phase. It doesn't need to broadcast its green cred, and that's a breath of fresh air. This car exudes a level of sophistication that surpasses its price point.

2020 Honda Insight trim level differences

The 2020 Honda Insight is a five-passenger hybrid sedan that comes in three trim levels: LX, EX and Touring. All are driven by a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that primarily acts as a generator to supply power to an electric motor that drives the front wheels (and takes over powering the wheels at freeway speeds). Combined system output is 151 horsepower.

Which Insight trim does Edmunds recommend?

We like the EX for its added standard features. These include useful extras such as folding rear seats that improve cargo flexibility and an upgraded infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The EX also returns better fuel economy than the top-tier Touring, which trades a little efficiency for more luxuries.Compare 2020 Honda Insight trim levels

Cost to Drive

Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia

$68/mo

$155/mo

Avg. Midsize Car

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Reliability

The 2020 Honda Insight has a 3 years / 36,000 miles basic warranty and 5 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

Frequency

0.76x/yr

vs. 0.52x/yr
for Average Alternative Fuel Vehicle

Severity

9.1%

vs. 8.3%
for Average Alternative Fuel Vehicle

Recalls

5 recalls found

Checking 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:: 23V858000
Manufacturer Recall Number:: KGC, KGD
Number of vehicles affected:: 2490460
Defect Description:: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Defect Consequence:: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Corrective Action:: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.

Recall Number:: 21V215000
Number of vehicles affected:: 624552
Defect Description:: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Acura MDX, MDX Sport Hybrid, RDX, TLX, Honda Accord, Civic Hatchback, Insight, 2019 Acura ILX, Honda Accord Hybrid, Civic Coupe, Civic Coupe Si, Civic Sedan, Civic Sedan Si, Civic Type R, Fit, HR-V, Odyssey, Passport, Pilot and Ridgeline, and 2018-2019 CR-V vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Defect Consequence:: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Corrective Action:: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin May 18, 2021. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 20V-314.

Recall Number:: 20V798000
Manufacturer Recall Number:: K9E
Number of vehicles affected:: 27838
Defect Description:: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020 CR-V Hybrid, Accord Hybrid, and 2020-2021 Insight vehicles. The DC-DC converter may shut down and prevent the 12-volt battery from recharging, possibly resulting in a loss of drive power.
Defect Consequence:: A loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.
Corrective Action:: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the power converter unit (PCU) software, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 25, 2021. Owners can contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is K9E.

Recall Number:: 20V771000
Manufacturer Recall Number:: X95
Number of vehicles affected:: 737233
Defect Description:: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Accord Sedan, Accord Hybrid, and 2019-2020 Insight vehicles. A software error may cause intermittent or continuous disruptions in communication between the Body Control Module (BCM) and other components. This may result in malfunctions of various systems such as the windshield wipers and defroster, rearview camera, exterior lights, audible warning of a stopped vehicle, and power window operation. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 103, "Windshield Defrosting and Defogging Systems" and number 111, "Rear Visibility" as well as FMVSS numbers 104, 108, 114, 118, and 305.
Defect Consequence:: Various system malfunctions such as inoperative windshield wipers, defroster, rearview camera, or exterior lighting can increase the risk of a crash.
Corrective Action:: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the BCM software, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 18, 2021. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is X95.

Recall Number:: 20V314000
Number of vehicles affected:: 135995
Defect Description:: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Acura NSX, 2019 Acura RDX, RLX and RLX Sport Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Accord, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R and HR-V, 2019-2020 Insight and 2019 Fit vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Defect Consequence:: If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Corrective Action:: Honda will notify owners and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly, free of charge. The recall began July 22, 2020. Fit and HRV Owners will receive an interim letter notifying them of the safety risk, and a second letter will be sent once parts are available. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.

Warranty

3 years / 36,000 miles Basic Warranty

Basic Warranty: 3 years / 36,000 miles
Drivetrain Warranty: 5 years / 60,000 miles
Rust Warranty: 5 years / unlimited miles
Roadside assistance Warranty: 3 years / 36,000 miles

Honda Insight Reviews

Owner Reviews

4.7

28 reviews

5(86%)

4(7%)

3(0%)

2(7%)

1(0%)

See all 28 reviews of the Honda Insight

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Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Sports mode vs economy mode

Rick in Seattle , 02/04/2020

2020 Honda Insight LX 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)

I have owned the new Insight for a year now and I think I understand how the sports mode can help reduce the occasional high revs that occur in the engine when the electric battery pack is low. The sports mode keeps the battery pack at least half full to full so your car has the power to handle passing, and smoothly get up steep hills and mountains. In the economy mode the battery is …

Truly a super value hybrid

Socali, 01/11/2020

2020 Honda Insight EX 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)

2020 Insight EX has given me amazing mpg, especially in traffic. Value also comes from the technology, and it looks fabulous. I trust Hondas build quality, and for the price you get more than you would expect, but dont expect a luxury ride, just a better ride than a Prius, and looks way betterr than a Prius, in my opinion. Putting it into Sport mode, I find its surprisingly peppy and …

The Insider

The ultimate driver, 12/13/2019

2020 Honda Insight EX 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)

Had the car over a year. Really nice car. It is quiet and rides like a compact luxury car. It is solid and fast. Have no problems getting up to speed especially in sport mode. So far, I am getting about 47 miles per gallon in mixed driving not bad for an aggressive driver. When the gas engine kicks in it is noticeable. It is really not that bad when you get use to it. I think that …

Commuter's Dream

Kim H, 11/02/2019

2020 Honda Insight Touring 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)

I have owned Hondas exclusively for the last 13 years. I have loved them all. I bought this somewhat on a whim because I drive over mountains 80 miles round trip daily and my 2005 CRV-SE is getting old and is thirsty. The MPG was the biggest influence in my choice but the aesthetic over the Prius was the big bonus. I bought the Touring Edition and my favorite feature is ELECTRIC SEATS! …

2020 Insight Highlights

Trim:

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$22,930
Engine Type	Hybrid
Combined MPG	52 MPG
Cost to Drive	$68/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	15.1 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles

See all features & specs

Safety

Our experts like the Insight models:

Collision Mitigation Braking System: Warns if a front collision is imminent and automatically applies the brakes if the driver doesn't respond in time.
Lane Keeping Assist: Warns if your vehicle is drifting out of its lane and corrects steering back to center if the driver doesn't respond.
Honda LaneWatch: Projects a view of the side blind spot when the turn signal is activated to show you if a vehicle or other object is present.

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Side Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Side Barrier Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front Seat5 / 5
Back Seat5 / 5
Rollover
Rollover5 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover9.3%

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Good
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Good
Side Impact Test – Updated
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Good

2020 Honda Insight Review

Price & Payment

2020 Honda Insight Review

Pros

Cons

What's new

Overview

For sale near Ashburn, VA

2020 Honda InsightTouring Sedan

AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary

2020 Honda InsightTouring Sedan

AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary

Edmunds Expert Rating

Performance

Comfort

Interior

Technology

Storage

Fuel Economy

Value

Wildcard

2020 Honda Insight trim level differences

Which Insight trim does Edmunds recommend?

Cost to Drive

Reliability

Reliability Rating by RepairPal

Cost

Frequency

Severity

Recalls

Warranty

Honda Insight Reviews

Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Sports mode vs economy mode

Truly a super value hybrid

The Insider

Commuter's Dream

2020 Insight Highlights

Safety

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2020 Honda Insight
Touring Sedan

2020 Honda Insight
Touring Sedan