Just curious how the Insight owners here feel about the practicality of their vehicles beyond commuter cars. From browsing the threads in the forums here, I can say it seems as if many if not most Insight owners are not using their cars to transport much more than themselves. Is that an accurate statement?
I'm single with no family now, but that might not be the case forever. If I were ever to have kids, I find it hard to picture the Insight being a useful vehicle given the lack of backseat room.
I test drove the '12 Insight EX last week and found it interesting. The Auto Stop at a stoplight was dismaying, because it also stopped the heat (it was in the low 40s that night). But in reading the threads here, I see it's pretty common for the Insight's HVAC system to cut out when the engine is stopped.
The back seat, when the front seat is pushed back to a level I would like to drive at (I'm only 5-foot-7), is pretty much unusable for adults in my view. I sat in the back behind the driver's seat, and my knees were flush with the seatback. And I'm only 5-foot-7. I wouldn't have wanted to be in that backseat for more than 15 minutes or so. Of course, I could have scooted the driver's seat up a bit to accommodate a passenger, but then my legs would have been a bit cramped in the driver's seat.
If I were to go for the Insight, I would be trading in an '06 CR-V EX. I have to admit, when I got back into my car after the test drive, I was amazed at how wide open and expansive it felt compared to the Insight, which suddenly seemed cramped and almost bunkerlike.
I owned a '96 Saturn SL sedan for a few years, and I'd have to say driving the Insight felt a lot like driving that Saturn, in terms of interior space and engine noise.
But the prospect of getting 44 miles per gallon is intriguing, I have to admit. And being able to pay about $5,000 or so less than I would for a Prius or Prius V is especially appealing.
Anyone else trade in a larger vehicle for an Insight, and if so, did you regret it?
Anyone use the Insight to transport his or her family regularly, and if so, do they enjoy riding in the car?
I went from a Mazda CX-7 to the Insight. That cut my fuel bill over 60%. There is plenty of volume for carrying stuff, as long as it's not adults.
You should be fine with the volume being single. Unless you wed into a pre-made family, you will still get a some good years of savings. By the time you really need legroom for 4, the Insight would be a good trade in.
Interesting that you came from a CX-7 and that it cut your fuel bill 60 percent! Whoa!
Chuckled at your line "as long as it's not adults"! Indeed!
You know, I was wondering if the Insight would be a good trade-in, if it would hold its resale value, given that the battery might have a shorter life span than the engine. I checked at KBB.com, which lists a given model's predicted resale value along with its fair purchase price if there is enough data on a given model, and it didn't list either quantity for the '12 Insight.
You think the Insight will hold its resale value well?
I just checked the projected resale value of a 2011 Insight EX at KBB.com, and it said after five years, the Insight will have retained 28 percent of the MSRP ($22,260, the site says) and should have a projected resale value of $6,233.
I traded both for one vehicle. I got 30 mpg from the Xb and 18 from the toy.
Regardless of how I drive mines I get no less than 54mpg. My highway best was 87 and city driving 96mpg. My car frequently goes175 miles before the gas needle moves from full.
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I went from a 2010 CR-V to a 2011 Insight. I was not at all impressed by the CR-V once I had driven it for a couple of thousand miles. I thought it was terribly loud, and, if you stomped on the gas, all it did was make a lot of noise. The Insight is (to me) a lot more quiet, and is constructed with better quality materials. My thought when trading was: I'm not having any fun in the CR-V, I might as well get decent gas mileage. The Insight is a lot more fun, and a hell of a lot quieter (even with the crummy Dunlops). I'm at almost 11,000 miles, and it's now averaging about 47 mpg per tank, calculated. I don't have any fancy stuff on it like Cobb, so that's why I don't get anywhere near what he get from an mpg perspective.
I went from a 2010 CR-V to a 2011 Insight. I was not at all impressed by the CR-V once I had driven it for a couple of thousand miles. I thought it was terribly loud, and, if you stomped on the gas, all it did was make a lot of noise. The Insight is (to me) a lot more quiet, and is constructed with better quality materials. My thought when trading was: I'm not having any fun in the CR-V, I might as well get decent gas mileage. The Insight is a lot more fun, and a hell of a lot quieter (even with the crummy Dunlops). I'm at almost 11,000 miles, and it's now averaging about 47 mpg per tank, calculated. I don't have any fancy stuff on it like Cobb, so that's why I don't get anywhere near what he get from an mpg perspective.
Very interesting, dieselnine! Sorry you had a bad experience with the CR-V. I have been in CR-Vs for nearly nine years now (bought an '03 new early in '03 and then traded it in for an '06 in early '06), so I guess I have become acclimated to the noise, which has always been mentioned by reviewers of the CR-V. To me, it has never been a problem. (Though I am amazed at the quiet that has resulted since I put the Pirelli P4s on it in October.)
That's great that you're getting such terrific mileage and that you think it's a lot quieter and better constructed than the CR-V. Are you going to replace the tires? If so, do you know with which brand/model?
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To trade or not to trade?
