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| 2014 Honda Insight Review, Specs, Price, Pictures |
The 2014 Insight is carried over unchanged. It was revamped for 2012 with a new battery pack, very minor styling updates, and revisions to the interior materials and instrument displays.
The Honda Insight shares the high-tail hatchback shape of the Toyota Prius, simply because its aerodynamically most efficient. The windshield is raked at a steep angle, and the tailgate has a small second vertical window as well as the long, almost-horizontal main glass, improving visibility. Space inside is good in front, although taller drivers may find the lower cushion of the front seat too short. But the sloping roofline makes rear-seat headroom very tight indeed, despite a reshaped headliner in 2012 that added half an inch. Its strictly a two-adult seat, though three smaller kids will fit in emergencies.
Price
2014 Honda Insight MSRP : $18,725 - $22,190
Specs
The 2014 Honda Insight is rated at 42 mpg combined, against the 50 mpg of the Prius C and even the 44 mpg rating of the admittedly much more expensive Honda Civic Hybrid sedan that uses the same powertrain. With hybrid buyers being more affluent than general car buyers, the Civic Hybrids more spacious, more luxurious cabin may seem worth its $5,000 higher cost.
The base model of Honda Insight costs less than $19,000. While it includes remote entry, power windows, automatic climate control, and an audio system with two speakers, its still fairly spartan. Most buyers will want to move up to the mid-level LX models, which adds niceties like an armrest console, map lights, a security system, and floor mats as well as a four-speaker audio system with USB interface and steering-wheel controls.
The Insight is powered by Hondas Integrated Motor Assist system, which is a combination of a 1.3-liter gas engine and a 13-hp electric motor, all attached to a continuously variable transmission. The engine and motor combined generate 98-hp and 123-lb.ft of torque, and provide 40-plus mpg fuel economy. The base trim offers six airbags, anti-lock brakes, electronic stability and traction control, automatic climate control, power windows, locks and mirrors, keyless entry and a two-speaker CD audio system with an auxiliary input. The LX trim adds floor mats, cruise control with steering wheel controls, a security system and a four-speaker CD audio system with USB interface. The EX trim adds alloy wheels, a six-speaker audio system, Bluetooth for hands-free cell phone use, heated exterior mirrors with integrated turn signals and steering wheel mounted paddle shifters. A voice activated navigation system with FM traffic and a rearview camera is available on the EX trim.
Engine
That engine is a 1.3-liter four-cylinder unit, with a 10-kilowatt (14-horsepower) motor sandwiched between the engine and a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The combined overall output is 98 hp; torque is 123 lb-ft. The motor cant move the car on its own; instead, it supplements engine output with added torque, restarts the engine after a stop, and acts as a generator to recharge the cars lithium-ion battery pack. That pack is sited under the load floor, meaning a shallow cargo bay in contrast to the Prius C, which managed to shoehorn its battery under the rear seat next to the gas tank, providing a full-depth load bay behind the rear seat.
