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Some of you might know Doug DeMuro on YouTube; he does reviews of all kinds of cars, odd and exotic. He’s started a new system of scoring and rating the cars he’s driven, so I’ve tried to rate the Insight using his own DougScore:
Styling: The styling is pretty divisive. It was cool when it came out, but the overtly and unapologetic early 2000s styling is obvious and a little dated next to cars on the road today. 3/10.
Acceleration: Slower than a Toyota 4Runner from the same year. 1/10.
Handling: The Insight has pretty good weight distribution because of the battery in the back, and the inset rear tires make it nimble around corners, but nothing to brag about. 6/10.
Cool factor: Traditional gear heads will laugh at the 1.0L three cylinder engine, the 72 horsepower, and the tiny size of the thing, but personally I find that women really like it, and nothing’s cooler than that. 5/10.
Importance: It was the first hybrid on the market, and it was highly innovative. But Honda didn’t make more than 17,000, and Toyota’s marketing put the Insight in the Prius’s shadow. 6/10.
Overall Weekend Score: 21
Features and Equipment: The auto stop-start is neat, and the climate control works very nice. But there’s no heated seats, sunroof, cruise control, or aux jack, even as options. 2/10.
Luxury: The ride is harsh and loud, with minimal suspension and no sound deadening. 1/10.
Quality: I love the quality of the dashboard. Everything feels nice to the touch, from the hard rubber steering wheel, the smooth plastic dash, and the solid buttons. But corners are definitely cut, from the driver’s side coin tray that’s moulded from a single piece of plastic, to the trunk that’s exposed styrofoam. 8/10.
Practicality: The 16.3 cubic feet of space gets it a 5. The legendary fuel economy adds another 4, but unfortunately the two seat cabin brings it down 1 for a total of 8.
Value: Tiny cars are really, really undervalued right now. I bought my Insight with a detailed Honda dealer service history, from an owner that lightly but consistently drove it, kept it in immaculate condition, with only 137,000 miles—for $2,500. I’d give it a 7.
Overall Daily Score: 26
Overall Doug Score: 47
I think it’s fitting. It’s a practical and forward thinking car, but just a little too “out there” for most people.
Styling: The styling is pretty divisive. It was cool when it came out, but the overtly and unapologetic early 2000s styling is obvious and a little dated next to cars on the road today. 3/10.
Acceleration: Slower than a Toyota 4Runner from the same year. 1/10.
Handling: The Insight has pretty good weight distribution because of the battery in the back, and the inset rear tires make it nimble around corners, but nothing to brag about. 6/10.
Cool factor: Traditional gear heads will laugh at the 1.0L three cylinder engine, the 72 horsepower, and the tiny size of the thing, but personally I find that women really like it, and nothing’s cooler than that. 5/10.
Importance: It was the first hybrid on the market, and it was highly innovative. But Honda didn’t make more than 17,000, and Toyota’s marketing put the Insight in the Prius’s shadow. 6/10.
Overall Weekend Score: 21
Features and Equipment: The auto stop-start is neat, and the climate control works very nice. But there’s no heated seats, sunroof, cruise control, or aux jack, even as options. 2/10.
Luxury: The ride is harsh and loud, with minimal suspension and no sound deadening. 1/10.
Quality: I love the quality of the dashboard. Everything feels nice to the touch, from the hard rubber steering wheel, the smooth plastic dash, and the solid buttons. But corners are definitely cut, from the driver’s side coin tray that’s moulded from a single piece of plastic, to the trunk that’s exposed styrofoam. 8/10.
Practicality: The 16.3 cubic feet of space gets it a 5. The legendary fuel economy adds another 4, but unfortunately the two seat cabin brings it down 1 for a total of 8.
Value: Tiny cars are really, really undervalued right now. I bought my Insight with a detailed Honda dealer service history, from an owner that lightly but consistently drove it, kept it in immaculate condition, with only 137,000 miles—for $2,500. I’d give it a 7.
Overall Daily Score: 26
Overall Doug Score: 47
I think it’s fitting. It’s a practical and forward thinking car, but just a little too “out there” for most people.
