The Honda Insight is a hybrid electric car manufactured and marketed by Honda. Its first generation was a three-door, two-seat liftback coupe from 1999 to 2006; the second was a five-door, five-seat liftback from 2009 to 2014; the third a four-door sedan from 2018 to 2022; and the fourth a five-door crossover SUV.
Honda Insight at a glance
| Maker | Honda |
|---|---|
| First generation | 1999–2006, three-door two-seat coupe |
| Second generation | 2009–2014, five-door liftback |
| Third generation | 2018–2022, four-door sedan |
| Fourth generation | 2026 onward, crossover SUV |
| Hybrid system | Integrated Motor Assist |
| Japan launch, second generation | February 2009 |
| US launch, second generation | 24 March 2009 |
| UK launch | April 2009 |
| Japan best-seller | April 2009, first hybrid to lead |
| First-year global sales | 143,015 |
| Third-generation base | tenth-generation Civic |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the Insight.
History of the Honda Insight
The first IMA car
The Insight was Honda’s first model with the Integrated Motor Assist system and the most fuel-efficient petrol car available in the United States without plug-in capability throughout its production run. The first generation was a three-door, two-seat liftback coupe sold from 1999 to 2006, based on the J-VX concept car unveiled at the 1997 Tokyo Motor Show.
The volume hybrid
Honda introduced the second-generation Insight in Japan in February 2009 and in the United States on 24 March 2009, making it the least expensive hybrid in America. In December 2010 Honda added a cheaper base model for 2011. The car was launched in the UK in April 2009 as the lowest-priced hybrid on the market and became the best-selling hybrid for the month; in Japan it was the top-selling vehicle of April 2009, a first for a hybrid. In its first twelve months the second generation sold 143,015 units worldwide.
Sedan and crossover
In July 2014 Honda announced the end of Insight production for the 2015 model, together with the FCX Clarity and Fit EV. At the 2018 North American International Auto Show it showed the third-generation Insight prototype, a traditional sedan based on the tenth-generation Civic rather than a liftback. That car went on sale later in 2018 and was discontinued after 2022, replaced by a new Civic Hybrid; the fourth generation returned as a five-door crossover.
Design and features
- Integrated Motor Assist: Honda’s first IMA hybrid.
- Changing shapes: coupe, liftback, sedan and crossover.
- Low price: the cheapest hybrid in America in 2009.
- Fuel economy focus: the most efficient non-plug-in petrol car in the US during its run.
Honda Insight versions
- First generation (1999–2006): two-seat liftback coupe.
- Second generation (2009–2014): five-seat five-door liftback.
- Third generation (2018–2022): Civic-based sedan.
- Fourth generation (2026): crossover SUV.
The Insight is Honda’s other hybrid alongside the CR-Z and shares its sedan basis with the Civic. More Hondas are in the Honda collection.
Sources
- Honda Insight, English Wikipedia: generations, IMA, launches, sales
