Honda is famous for its engineering expertise. In 1999, they finished the first Insight. The Honda Insight was one of the first hybrid automobiles sold in the United Kingdom. Because of its remarkable design and exceptional fuel economy, it is a contemporary classic. The first generation came out as a two-door coupe.
The Honda Insight had been vying for supremacy in the developing hybrid industry with Toyota's Prius during those times. The Prius sold millions of units, and the little Honda became something of a collector's item. After that, Honda released the second generation of Insight. Because it was similar to the Prius, it sparked many debates.
In the beginning, the second-generation Insight was only available in Japan. However, it launched in the UK in March 2009 and quickly outsold the Toyota Prius due to its lower price. In addition, because it featured unique suspension tuning for British roads.
This Insight is a hybrid Mk2. It's still a petrol-electric hybrid, but it has five seats rather than two. So again, it’s a popular green vehicle, a combination that will appeal to those who have never purchased a green car.
Here’s everything you should know about the 2009 Honda Insight
The Honda Insight Is Not Meant For A Huge Crowd
The internal chamber of the Insight is problematic. Although the trunk is more significant than that of a Focus, the slanting roofline limits rear passenger space. To see clearly out of the rear window, you must lower your head. The front seat is more spacious, and the dash design is fresh and exciting, but the hard inside plastics are significantly inferior to those found in a Volkswagen Golf.
The Honda Insight is relatively safe, earning the highest five-star rating from Euro NCAP in crash tests. In addition, the Honda Insight received a whopping 90% for adult occupant protection and 86% for safety assistance features in individual category ratings. The Honda Insight has safety measures like anti-lock brakes (ABS) and electronic stability control (ESC) and driver, passenger, side, and curtain airbags.
The Engine And Performance Of The Insight
The Insight’s ride quality is mainly solid, and the transition between engine-on and engine-off modes is surprisingly smooth. The Honda Insight features a petrol/electric hybrid powertrain that combines a 1.3-liter gasoline engine with an electric motor. The petrol engine provides 87-hp and about 90 lb-ft of torque, while the electric motor recharges the battery during braking and deceleration.
The Honda Insight has a decent performance, going from 0 to 62 mph in 12.5 seconds and reaching a top speed of 113 mph. The Honda Insight includes an Eco button that reduces the engine's response to maximize economy. This feature, on the other hand, adds to the Insight's sluggishness.
When overtaking or climbing steep slopes, the CVT gearbox causes the engine to growl loudly. The steering is slow, requiring more arm effort than the Ford Focus. The Ford is just more pleasant for the enthusiast driver, but the Honda entertains in various ways.
The Design Of The Insight
Honda offered the Insight a more innovative front grille that closely mirrored Honda's more conventional family hatchback offering, the 9th generation Civic. The Honda Insight's design stands out among hybrid cars; it resembles the FCX Clarity fuel-cell vehicle and the 1984 Honda CRX coupe.
The Honda Insight has a futuristic interior, with a lit speedometer that flashes green when one drives effectively and dark blue when one doesn't. The driver may also see a rating of plants (of the garden kind) on another display (of the garden sort). It shows the driver that they are driving as economically as possible if they have five plants. While below one means the opposite.
Furthermore, Honda has generously equipped the Insight line with 15-inch alloy wheels, climate control, all-around power windows, and MP3 compatibility as standard on the HE and HE-T models.
The Insight is known as a family vehicle because of its five-door body form. The aerodynamic roofline limits headroom in the back seats, but plenty of room is everywhere. Despite the batteries, the trunk has a capacity of 408 liters, and one may fold the rear seats to increase that capacity. When compared to standard family hatchbacks, the automobile is competitive.
Final Verdict Of The '09 Honda Insight
The Insight gets 64 MPG (but only 61 MPG in the heavier ES trim) and emits 101g/km of CO2 on the combined cycle. Unfortunately, the Honda Insight 2009 also emits a small number of hazardous pollutants such as NOx, which diesel engines spew out in large quantities. However, when one includes the higher cost of a liter of gasoline, the Insight's benefit is clear.
It's no surprise that the new Honda Insight is technologically advanced. It has the same powertrain installed in the original Insight ten years ago. As a result, it's well-equipped but cramped, and it's not as fun to drive or as well-built as a Volkswagen Golf.
However, the Insight is realistic; it influenced many individuals to purchase an environmentally friendly car. It also allowed them to modify their driving style to reduce the negative impact of their driving on the environment. This is why the Insight was one of 2009's most important vehicles.