Updated: Official 2010 Insight mpg figures and specs - Page 4

JimmyHiggins · 01-13-2009, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by budomove

Wayne Gerdes coaxed 180.1mpg on an original Insight on a 20 mile loop,
and 59mpg in a regular old Accord, so the fact that he only managed 70mpg on the new Insight is pretty sad actually.

Maybe, maybe not. The key is not how high you can get it... 70 mpg for a 5 seater ain't bad. It is how low the average will be for the layman driver. If a typical driver gets in this car and gets only 30 mpg, then this is a disaster. However, if the car is almost dumby proof, and the typical driver gets about 40+ mpg, then this car will be a hit.

Yes, I think everyone would prefer for the mileage to be higher, but right now we need an economical hybrid that can get 40+ mpg for the average driver. If this car can do that, then this works. If this car gets 25 to 30 mpg, then it doesn't work.

Dgate · 01-13-2009, 03:33 PM

Here is a link to a test drive of the new Insight... http://alternativefuels.about.com/od/20 ... nsight.htm

DGate

aussieinsite · 01-14-2009, 07:59 PM

I wonder what the impact on consumption woudl be if they installed a larger battery/electric motor combination, the simple technology will keep the cost down, it seems to me that I could drive further at more speeds with say a 20Kw or 40Kw electric motor and a corresponding battery pack.

flymuck · 01-16-2009, 11:08 AM

Here's a link to an article from the LA Times (the guy test drove the new 'skate and got around 62 mpg, but on the same course someone managed to get 70 mpg out of the 2nd gen Prius, so who knows...).

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-n ... 6936.story

Overall, it's a positive review. The reviewer understands that part of the joy of Honda is *driving* a Honda, numbers and figures and gadgets be damned!

Hondas don't drive like microwave ovens.

budomove · 01-16-2009, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flymuck

The reviewer understands that part of the joy of Honda is *driving* a Honda, numbers and figures and gadgets be damned!

Hondas don't drive like microwave ovens.

haha!

ElectricTroy · 01-18-2009, 10:13 AM

43mpg is a joke. This car doesn't deserve to be called an Insight, which was a hypermileage vehicle, whereas this travesty is just another car. Nothing special.

On the other hand, I can see why Honda wouldn't want another 65mpg car, since we Americans basically ignored the first one. The original Insight is likely considered a "failure" since so many insights sat in dealer lots collecting dust. They wouldn't want to repeat that same mistake. Volkswagen looks to be my new favorite car company. Their ULEV-qualified Jetta will be getting 60mpg, and in Europe they have a new two-seater aimed at over 200mpg. They recognize that in an era of $4 gasoline, people want to save money.

bryankwalton · 01-18-2009, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElectricTroy

43mpg is a joke. This car doesn't deserve to be called an Insight, which was a hypermileage vehicle, whereas this travesty is just another car. Nothing special. Volkswagen looks to be my new favorite car company. Their ULEV-qualified Jetta will be getting 60mpg, and in Europe they have a new two-seater aimed at over 200mpg. They recognize that in an era of $4 gasoline, people want to save money.

The 2009 diesel Jetta numbers aren't that great actually. The fuel economy that the EPA assigned it are much lower than what VW was hyping before the EPA tests (and actually worse than the 2nd generation Insight). However, I do agree that the VW 1 liter car looks really slick. I agree that the 2nd generation Insight appears to be a disgrace. I love my 2000 Insight and plan to drive it as long as I can. When it comes time to replace it, I hope that I can purchase either the VW 1 liter car, or the hybrid Aptera-2h.

-Bryan

Insightful · 01-26-2009, 02:34 AM

I was in Park City UT last week, and the Insight is the "Official Car of the Sundance Film Festival". They had them all over the place! On display, and being driven by runners and officials. I must have seen about ten of them over a period of a week, being driven or parked for show. It's a nice looking car. The back seat definitely looks small/cramped compared to the Prius, and even compared to the Civic Hybrid. Even though Honda had clearly spent a lot of money to show off the car, with booths, free Honda lip balm (!), etc., they would not allow anyone in the cars! All the display models were locked, and the Honda reps did not have keys. Weird. Anyway, I'm sure I'll test drive one, but I doubt I'll end up owning one. I don't see Honda dethroning the Prius with this car, unfortunately.

Steve

Dgate · 01-26-2009, 05:55 AM

budomove wrote.......Hondas don't drive like microwave ovens........

Wonder if you would care to expand on this remark. I have just exchanged an Insight for a Prius due to extra requirements and find the driving experience better and more relaxing.The car is quieter,smoother,rides better, goes around corners and stays on course without constant correction while being more versatile.
The down side is more bulk when parking,non aluminum body,less mpg,staid image but none of this relates to dynamic driving feel.
Don't get me wrong the Insight is great and I still love it, but it hardly qualifies to be the ultimate driving experience except in economy terms .
Fact is its just different and not what a lot of great drivers would tolerate.
And to prove my fairness in adopting this attitude I am already complaining that the Prius needs the hydropnuematic suspension of a Citroen to make the package more to my liking.

DGate

red1dr · 01-26-2009, 09:18 AM

Every car is a complex mixture pluses and minuses weighted differently by different people. Some people want four full sized seats, some are OK with two smaller back seats (kids?, occasional use?), others are happy with a two-seater, perhaps because they never carry more than two people or because they have another vehicle that seats more. People don't carp on the limited seating of Porsches because they are familiar with the other plusses of the brand. Handling, noise, and ride are highly subjective, and in any case are weighted differently by different people, as is fuel economy.

IOW, if one car suited all we'd all be driving Yarises. Or Suburbans. Or Accords.

And this leads to the question of a model being a "failure" or not. IMO, the only useful measure of "success" of a model is whether it meets the sales numbers projected by the manufacturer. Returning to the Porsche analogy, does anybody seriously fault Porsche for failing to sell a huge number of vehicles? They seem to do quite nicely selling to a niche market. And larger manufacturers sell a menu of "niche" vehicles targeted at different sets of customer wants/perceived needs.

Honda projects selling 200,000 2010 Insight II's worldwide. They certainly have planned production, costs, and component orders based on this figure. If they sell fewer, they will probably lose money on it. If they sell more, that could also affect profit/unit because supplemental, possibly "rush", orders for components may cost appreciably more/unit than the original orders. So it might be better for Honda to limit output to the original figure for this model year. Or not.

It gets tiresome hearing that the Insight I "failed" because Honda did not sell say 100,000 of them. It's doubtful that Honda ever envisioned selling a large number of them, or even could have produced many more to meet demand if it had existed. Honda probably had many different motivations in producing the Insight I, but from the outset it must have been crystal clear to Honda just from its experience with CRX's that for various reasons this vehicle would suit only a small group of customers. So it's not a "failure" because only 15,000 were made.

The same applies to the Insight II (or any other model): it's built to appeal to a segment of buyers. How well it sells depends on how accurately the size of that segment has been estimated and how well the Insight II meets their needs.