1st gen insight vs 2nd gen prius

[vmirjamali]

Well I'm looking at used car prices and I'm seeing that the 1st gen insights are on par with the 2nd gen prius'. Mpg on fuel economy.gov is

1st gen insight:
MPG (city)
45

MPG (highway)
49

MPG (combined)
47

2nd gen prius:

MPG (city)
48

MPG (highway)
45

MPG (combined)
46

The prius weighs 1k pounds more, and is technically 1 start better crash rating on the safety tests. Reliability also seems to be close as well.

Just wondering why people consider the insight better. 5 mpg (even below the epa rating) is a safe sacrifice to make for backseats, anyone want to shed some light on this for me.

Note: I'm only interested in the cvt version atm, since I don't want to learn manual.

Thanks

[ac7ss]

This is a fairly biased place to ask.

The 1g is TINY! But can hold my "Generous" 6'3" carcass. I like the very low center of gravity that the Insight has, but the lack of a back seat is a real issue if you have kids. The back deck is perfect for grocery shopping, you don't have to bend over to pick up the bags. However you can fill it rather quickly if you are going to the airport (or Costco.)

If it is a primary vehicle (as in your only) get the Prius. If you have a sedan or compact car already, get the Insight.

P.S. It is easy to learn to drive a manual. It takes about an hour.

[vmirjamali]

Biases yes, but if I believe a car is worse and I ask in an insight forum, they can make that car which is disadvanted, advataged by letting me know it's pro's.

Thanks for letting me know. I know it's a tiny car, but still I do prefer the idea of more mpg with the insight.

I wonder what would happen with the prius mpg if they used alum metal all over as well, lowering their weight down to 2200 or so pounds. Wonder if they could beat the 1st gen insight's mileage.

[uhtrinity]

My parents have a 2008 Prius. Driving it the same way as my Insight I can eek out 65 mpg. That is a route with speed limits ranging from 45 - 60 mph. On the same route I can easily do 80 mpg, sometimes 85 - 90. Those EPA numbers are suspect unless they are for the CVT version.

Prius Pros:
can seat 4 comfortably
can easily average 55 mpg if you drive it carefully peaking into the mid 60's.

Prius Cons:
they seem to hold value longer
all steel construction which means they weigh about 1,000 lbs more than an Insight mk1

Insight mk1 Pros:
built from the ground up to be the #1 mpg car in the US and all that comes with that (ie. aluminum, light weight and friction, aerodynamics, etc.)
surprisingly sporty, but at the expense of mpgs

Insight mk1 cons:
2 seater
harsh ride typical with light cars
roughly 15,000 were made from 2000 - 2006, most of which are 2000 - 2002 models (is this correct?)

[ac7ss]

There is a significant difference in the way that the "Hybrid" works between the two vehicles. With my limited experience on the Prius, it seems that for highway work, you can eke out better mileage (if you are applying HM tactics) because the Prius will run pure electric whereas the Insight always runs. The other big advantage of the Prius is to make it a PHEV by adding a larger battery and updating the software to allow it to run up to 30 miles without using the ICE.

Also, I don't truly hypermile, but I average over 55mpg on the freeway. (57 this tank.)

[MN Driver]

Originally Posted by ac7ss

There is a significant difference in the way that the "Hybrid" works between the two vehicles. With my limited experience on the Prius, it seems that for highway work, you can eke out better mileage (if you are applying HM tactics) because the Prius will run pure electric whereas the Insight always runs. The other big advantage of the Prius is to make it a PHEV by adding a larger battery and updating the software to allow it to run up to 30 miles without using the ICE.

Also, I don't truly hypermile, but I average over 55mpg on the freeway. (57 this tank.)

Not quite. On the highway in stock vehicles, both of them are running the engine all the time. The Prius gets better in the city than its highway mileage because the Prius can run electric only which is beneficial due to low load with higher rpm vs wheel rpm that accompanies alot of city or stop and go driving. If you need more than 2 seats or drive quite a bit in the city or stop and go, you might want a Prius. IMO The EPA ratings are a bit off of what you really can obtain. The difference is smaller with a CVT but you should get better mileage with an Insight either way. ...but most importantly, will you be happy with the car? I wasn't happy when I test drove a Prius and I drive on the highway and use a stick shift with lean burn and go 20k miles per year. If my situation was different I might still be pulling 40ish from my 95 Prizm which I still own, instead of getting the Insight. In my opinion, the price for a Prius is a tad high for me to consider for the MPG to be a cost cutting measure for me, I don't have other motivations though, It depends on what you want in a car too.

Not sure if this helps your decision or not.

PS. That 2nd gen Prius has a body that can rust out, the 1st Gen does not. That was a HUGE bonus for me since I buy 10+ model year old cars for the MN sales tax benefit if the car meets the criteria.

[ac7ss]

Originally Posted by MN Driver

Not quite. On the highway in stock vehicles, both of them are running the engine all the time. The Prius gets better in the city than its highway mileage because the Prius can run electric only which is beneficial due to low load with higher rpm vs wheel rpm that accompanies alot of city or stop and go driving.

Thanks for the clarification MN. As I said, my experience was limited.

[RobertSmalls]

I can't recommend the CVT Insight over the second-gen Prius, unless you need a quirky-looking car. The Prius has only 18% more aerodynamic drag despite being, what, three times larger inside? It achieves similar fuel economy around town due to its more powerful and versatile hybrid setup. However, a skilled driver (i.e. one who does not brake hard or often) could probably do slightly better in an Insight.

The Insight 5MT is a different story. It has lean burn, which is a huge boost on the highway. If you enjoy driving efficiently, the Insight will be a the most entertaining car you've ever driven, as it will ask you to manage lean burn, electric assist/regen, and gear selection. Much more engaging than a car with a skinny pedal that you push to go faster, and a fat pedal that you push to slow down.

I drive faster than the speed limit, and I've been turning in 70+mpg tanks all summer. I know I wouldn't be seeing numbers like those in a Prius.

[RyanA]

Having both an 01 manual Insight and an 01 Prius, I can say I'd go with the Insight every day of the week. Here are a few reasons why:

1. My manual insight gets 15-20 mpg better fuel economy on the highway and about 10-15 better around town.
2. When the hybrid battery on my Insight failed (at 401,000 miles....) I was still able to drive the car with no issues. HOWEVER, the Prius has 258,000 miles and the Main Battery light came on recently. Due to this, you are stranded where ever this happens. You have to get a tow truck as the Prius can NOT run on the ICE only.
3. My insight, since it has an aluminum and "plastic" body has no rust. The Prius has small amounts of rust somewhere on each rear wheelwell.
4. You don't have to have an expensive code reader to pull codes from an Insight. The Prius, to get the complete code, requires a specialized scan tool. Without the correct type scan tool, you don't get the whole code; because of this, you are missing out on some very crucial troubleshooting information.

My biggest reason for the Insight is you don't get stranded if (when) the main battery finally dies. It will happen. That said, they both have their benefits and drawbacks. Prius can hold 4 people somewhat comfortably, Insight can only seat 2. Prius seems to be quieter inside while on the highway, Insight is louder at similar speeds. Since I don't have a CVT Insight, I can't really give an honest, apples to apples, comparison. Obviously, drive both and see which one you like best and also which ones suits your needs.

According to FuelEconomy.gov, here are the new ratings for a 2001 Insight and Prius. Old ratings are in the ( ):

2001 Prius: 42 City, 41 Highway (52 City, 45 Highway)
2001 Insight (CVT): 45 City, 49 Highway (57 City, 56 Highway)
2001 Insight (Manual): 48 City, 60 Highway (61 City, 68 Highway)

[satchel]

Originally Posted by vmirjamali

I don't want to learn manual.

You really should learn to drive a manual whether you end up buying one or not. It's not that difficult. You may find yourself in a situation where you need to know.

I love my '02 MT Gen 1 to death and driving 36K+ a year it's been a money saver. Rented a '10 Prius a couple of weeks ago on vacation and really enjoyed it, 49mpg without doing anything special. Now the wife wants one to replace her old Civic.