I recently bought a g1 insight and been driving it like I stole it and still getting 54mpg. I was bragging to my brother who owns a g3 prius on how I get 55mpg driving 80 mpg on the fast lane and without trying. He said, "Well, if you crash, you'll fold up like a tin soda can."
I had nothing to say. To think of it, a g1 insight is about 1900 lbs and made of aluminum. Does the insight really fold up like a tin can (figuratively speaking). There weren't much g1 made so comparing fatality won't fair well.
Have anyone seen or experienced a decent collision with the g1 insight?
I see a lot of people talk about how great the g1 insight is as a commuter, including myself but when safety comes up, I'm kind of lost for words. Never have I seen or heard a proud g1 owner bring up safety.
Common sense would suggest a "decent" collision with a G1 at 80 mph probably would be fatal in an Insight. as would be with another car too.
A crash between an SUV and insight g1 probably will leave more damage to the G1 and its driver .
If you are seriously looking to decrease your chances of dieing on the road , suggest you slow down. A recent safe driving course stated that for each 10 MPH above 50 you are doubling your chances to kill yourself in an accident:
so the formula will be look like :
I think my main q is if anyone has witnessed or experienced a collison in a g1. I drive 80 knowing the risk and it's obvious what'll happen if I crashed at 80. 80 here is the flow of traffic on the fast lane.
I'm not an Insight owner, just doing my research into them before I decide to buy one. But I do work in auto insurance claims, specifically focusing on auto physical damage. In all my years, I've only seen a few Insights wrecked. I don't recall anything particularly good or bad that stood out about them. A lot of it depends on the design of the structure. Small cars can do very well in crash tests. For example, the Smart ForTwo actually does very well, it's structure is very well designed. So assuming the Insight is well engineered (duh), it should do OK. However, physics are physics. As speeds climb, even the best engineered small car can't hold up if struck by a much heavier object. So on rural roads, the Insight would probably do fine. But if hit at high speed by a big SUV....ouch.
Having said all that, if you're driving it like you stole it on public roads, you're just asking for trouble. There's a difference between keeping pace with traffic (at a reasonable distance), and driving something recklessly. Sorry, not trying get get on a soapbox and be a safety nazi...my favority hobby is road racing (on racetracks). But drive with common sense and you're much safer, no matter what car you're in.
Also there was a discussion a year or two ago on this and someone had done some research and found that the G1 Insight death rate was slightly less then the average. Tried searching for it but didn't see it, will look more later when I have more time.
The Thixotropic aluminum welding process used in first gen Honda construction lends great strength , there's some info on that in the Encylopedia.
Some past fatalities in the Honda Insight are noted as part of a previous discussion: Insight safety and driver survivability
_________________
Detailed NHTSA Testing Reports following crash testing can be found here:
Thanks all for the insight. When I say drive it like I stole it, I don't mean weaving in and out of traffic. It's hard to do it with the insight anyways. I just meant speeding up at highway speeds quickly to catch up on the fast lane. Anyways...
I have both a gen 3 Prius and a G1 insight. Both feel safe. But that doesn't really mean much.
If the comparison is between those 2 cars, the Prius has more air bags and is built a decade later. I'm guessing higher crash safety standard in 2010 than 2000.
But at its time the G1 passed its requirements.
Physics point of view, it's lighter, so it has less kinetic energy than most other cars going at the same speed. Less energy, less to dissipate, less damage.
Although I think newer cars are 'softer' making them safer, but less salvageable.
As someone famous once said, speed is not really the problem, stopping abruptly is.
Whether you are in a massive SUV or an Insight, if you hit a solid concrete bridge support at 80mph (for example) and go from 80mph to zero in the space of a few feet, your heart and internal organs will slam into your rib cage and you will likely die.
As shown in previous threads, the Insight stands up pretty well to being rolled and deforms as required in a head-on crash. The Insight's lightness, comparative nimbleness and low centre of gravity may help you avoid a crash in the first place. Many fatal injuries from car crashes are to the head - SUV's with their high centre of gravity are more likely to roll over and cause these to their occupants.
Cheerful stuff! Just make sure you keep an eye on all the other drivers around you...
__________________
2005 Insight, UK Spec Silver 5 speed with Grid Charger, IMA C&C, Alpine stereo & subwoofer & speakers & iPod link, Matiz rear springs, Shark Fin aerial, 165/70/14 Continental tyres, Garmin EcoRoute HD, Skinz sound deadened rear shelf, 'InsightCentral' number plates, 19" rear wiper, K&N air filter
Previous owner of 1999 Japanese Silver 5sp, 2001 UK Citrus 5sp & 2000 Japanese Red CVT Honda Insight - An extraordinary car for ordinary people
The AutoGuide.com network consists of the largest network of enthusiast-owned enthusiast-operated automotive communities.
AutoGuide.com provides the latest car reviews, auto show coverage, new car prices, and automotive news. The AutoGuide network operates more than 100 automotive forums where our users consult peers for shopping information and advice, and share opinions as a community.
Just how safe is the G1 insight?
