Thursday, July 25, 2013
2006 Honda Insight Reviews Specs
If youre looking for a car that can go for over 600 miles on about 30 bucks worth of gas, youve finally found it. And if you like to make that drive with music playing and cold air blowing in your face, thats great because in this car you can do that.It actually has quite a bit of storage space for a car its size, too. So if you want to load up the back with duffel bags full of clothes, cameras, and CDs and drive a week-long cross-country road trip with one very cool person riding shotgun, you can do that too. For probably less than two hundred bones in gas cash. Awesome.
Although these sound like a lot of perks, theyre (unfortunately) all the perks the Insight has. Theres only room for two, and that wont even be pleasant if the driver is over 6 feet tall. The interior is rather cheap and the chunky, oddball design hasnt changed once since its inception.
Its also a slow car that has trouble getting to highway speeds in an expeditious manner. Sure, nobody expects this car to blow away Vettes and Vipers on the dragstrip, but 10.2 seconds to 60? Come on. Gas station attendants chase shoplifters faster than that.
However, if you do a lot of city driving and dont mind having to put up with a slow car that looks funny and only has a manual transmission, your wallet, that gas station clerk, and the air (since Insight is a rather low-emissions vehicle) will all thank you for choosing the Honda Insight.
News
Insight wont be back after model-year 2006. Introduced in 1999 as the first hybrid-power car in the U.S. market, the small two-seater was never meant to be a high-volume seller, but demand has been miniscule the past several seasons, hence Hondas decision to drop it.
Meantime, Honda has announced a new "dedicated" hybrid model for a 2009 debut. The company says the vehicle will be designed solely for gas/electric power, not an adaptation of an existing model, and will be smaller and less expensive than todays Civic Hybrid. The apparent target is Toyotas uniquely styled Prius. Stay tuned.
New For 2006 Honda Insight
The only two-seat gasoline/electric hybrid on U.S. roads is unchanged for 2006. This hatchback coupe teams a 3-cyl gasoline engine with a battery-powered electric motor for 73 hp. It can run on one or both of its power sources to balance acceleration and fuel economy; no plug-in charging is required. Insight offers a 5-speed manual transmission or a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) that provides near-infinite drive ratios. The CVT has steering-wheel buttons marked "D" and "S" to select normal and higher-performance ranges. ABS is standard. Side airbags are unavailable.
Interior Design and Special Features
The Insights cabin combines quasi-futuristic aesthetics with forthright functionality. The digital instrument cluster includes one meter to show you when the electric motor is assisting and when its charging the battery pack, another meter to show instantaneous fuel economy, and a third display to show you the average mpg. If youre the driver of the Honda Insight, you cant keep your eyes off this stuff. Whether you feel excited by the challenge or merely guilty, youre motivated to improve the numbers before you. This challenge makes driving the Insight like piloting a high-tech video game.
Safety
In government crash testing, the Honda Insight earned four stars (out of a possible five) for frontal and side-impact safety. Antilock front disc/rear drum brakes are standard, but side airbags are not available.
Powertrains and Performance
The most revolutionary thing about the Honda Insight is its gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain or, in Hondas terms, the Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) system. IMA combines the efforts of a 1.0-liter, 12-valve, inline three-cylinder VTEC-E gasoline engine and a lightweight permanent-magnet electric motor capable of recharging its own power supply -- a bank of 120 D-size nickel-metal hydride batteries (with a total output of 144 volts) housed under the cargo floor.
The gas engine does the bulk of the work; mounted between the gas engine and the transmission, the electric motor provides only supplemental power. Yet, the motors contributions at low rpm are what make the Insight feel livable, as it improves the total torque output to 79 lb-ft at 1,500 rpm with the standard five-speed manual transmission, and 89 lb-ft at 2,000 rpm with the optional continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), while adding 6 extra horsepower for a total of 73 with the manual, 71 with the CVT. The manual transmission is standard, while the CVT is optional. With the five-speed, the Honda Insight is rated at 60 mpg in the city and 66 on the highway and is ULEV-certified. The CVT offers 57 city/56 highway, and has the even more squeaky clean SULEV rating.
Body Styles, Trim Levels and Options
The two-door, two-passenger Honda Insight hybrid comes fully equipped with power windows, mirrors and locks; keyless entry; a CD player; and a rear window defroster and wiper. Automatic climate control air conditioning is optional (a manual heater-only system is standard).
Driving Impressions
The Insights power is adequate for most driving. However, the battery charge will drain quickly in the manual-shift version if you hold a high gear too long under heavy IMA assist. IMA assist and regenerative braking work much better with the CVT, as the balance of gas and electric power is managed automatically (which also makes draining the battery virtually impossible). The Honda Insight is highly susceptible to crosswinds, and the narrow tires easily track any groove in the pavement. On the plus side, the cars small dimensions and light, accurate steering make it a breeze to maneuver in crowded areas.
2006 Honda Insight: Prices & Equipment
Base 2-door hatchback coupe $19,330 $18,062 $550
Base 2-door hatchback coupe w/air conditioning $20,530 $19,181 $550
CVT 2-door hatchback coupe $21,530 $20,114 $550
Overall Review
It has very good fuel economy and the price isnt too high. Definately worth it.
