UNCONFIRMED New Insight Specs incl. MPG

[gpsman1]

From: http://www.insightman.com/

The new Insight will reportedly come in 3 trim levels.
Most surprizing to me is:
The LS model adds:

16-inch aluminum wheels
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA)
front fog lights
7-speed paddle shifters
sun-shade tinted windshield

A 7 speed transmission with "paddle shifters"!!!
Info is out of Japan, translated from Japaneese, and is subject to change for the U.S. and other markets.

Body color options:

Spectrum while pearl
Milano red
Premium deep violet pearl (also a Jazz color, but not a US Honda color)
Crystal black pearl
Polished metal metallic
Alabaster silver metallic
Brilliant sky metallic (also a Jazz color, but not a US Honda color)
Interior color options:

Blue
Warm gray
Other data:

Length 4390 mm (172.8 inches)
Width 1695 mm (66.7 inches)
Height 1425 mm (56.1 inches)
Wheelbase 2550 mm (100.4 inches)
Weight 1180 kilograms (2601.5 lbs)
Minimum turning radius: 5 meters (16.4 feet)
Engine type: inline 1339 cc SOHC 4-cylinder
Engine generates 88 horsepower @5800rpm and 12.3 kgm torque @4500rpm
IMA motor generates 14 horsepower @1500rpm and 9.4 kgm torque @500rpm
Japanese 10.15 mode fuel consumption test: 30.0 kilometers per liter (which is greater than 70 mpg, but the EPA tests will return lower numbers; the Toyota Prius rates 35.5 km/l or greater than 83 mpg in this test.)

UNCONFIRMED but comes from Japaneese dealer brochures.

[Aaron Cake]

The new "Insight" is less and less like a real Insight the more I read about it. 2600 LBs, no manual transmission, 4 doors, almost the same power as the real Insight which weighs a lot less, etc. If I was in the market where I would consider buying the new "Insight", I'd buy a Prius instead since it's mature and will be coming with a plug in option very soon.

[Dougie]

Well, 2600 pounds isn't too bad for a 5 passenger car (Civic hybrid is 2900), and one of the "problems" with the gen 1 Insight is that it has too much power (can't operate it at full throttle under any normal driving conditions). And I suspect that the current Insight is going to be the last manual transmission hybrid...

[jat1793]

These new numbers are quite odd.

The Civic hybrid is 110 hp. The (new) Insight is 88. Civic hybrid is 123 ft/lb torque. The Insight is 88 ft/lb torque. The Civic hybrid is 20 hp. The Insight is 14hp.

Thanfully, it weighs almost 300 pounds less, but it still seems to have vastly less power.

If you compare it to the old civic hybrid, you'll see that the specs are almost identical. Nearly the same hp and torque for both the electric motor and engine. However, the old civic hybrid weighs over 100 pounds more.

[joecvt]

Originally Posted by Aaron Cake

The new "Insight" is less and less like a real Insight the more I read about it. 2600 LBs, no manual transmission.....

Does that mean that CVT current model Insights are not "real Insights"

JoeCVT = Just your average CVT owner

[Insightful Trekker]

Originally Posted by joecvt

Does that mean that CVT current model Insights are not "real Insights"

Some people catagorize them as such

I'd say their just hyper MPG wanna-be's.

But with the apparent demise of a MT/Hybrid option that will soon enough place me in the "dinosaur" mentality of thinking.

[jack9994]

Originally Posted by Dougie

Well, 2600 pounds isn't too bad for a 5 passenger car (Civic hybrid is 2900), and one of the "problems" with the gen 1 Insight is that it has too much power (can't operate it at full throttle under any normal driving conditions). And I suspect that the current Insight is going to be the last manual transmission hybrid...

Never heard anyone say that the old Insight has too much power - i am always driving mine wishing it had alot more.

[james]

Well, 2600 pounds isn't too bad for a 5 passenger car (Civic hybrid is 2900), and one of the "problems" with the gen 1 Insight is that it has too much power (can't operate it at full throttle under any normal driving conditions).

Can't operate it at full power? And you live in Colorado Springs? Don't you ever drive in the mountains? Around here, if it's uphill, I'm generally at full throttle.

And if 2600 lbs isn't bad for a 5 passenger car, that's just one more reason not to drive a 5 passenger car. Figure 700 lbs of car, plus a potential 600 lbs or so of passengers, and you have to size the engine &c to handle that...

[budomove]

It's kinda like calling a 4 door automatic only civic a crx. I'm thinking, Not so much.

[Dougie]

Originally Posted by james

Can't operate it at full power? And you live in Colorado Springs? Don't you ever drive in the mountains? Around here, if it's uphill, I'm generally at full throttle.

I drive in the mountains quite a bit, and what happens is that when you shift down to 3rd then you have to run it at part throttle. I have never been in a situation where I needed more power, and that includes merging into fast traffic on I25 in Denver, climbing long hills like Loveland Pass, or steep inclines like Lizard Head Pass. You shift down and run the engine faster: It works just fine at 5500 rpm. If you're not doing that, then you're not making use of the available power--so what is the need for even more?