2010 Honda Insight vs. 2010 Toyota Prius
With the recent introduction of Honda's new 2010 Insight hybrid, comparisons to the Toyota Prius are inevitable. Both are relatively affordable hybrids, and each is a model unto itself, with no gas-only version offered. Each is a four-door hatchback with five seats (or at least five seat belts), and to top it off, all it took was some early Insight photos several months ago to drum up accusations of copycatting.
That's the least relevant comparison; I illustrate in my full Insight review that it's not so clear who's copied whom. I tested the Insight before the Detroit auto show, where Toyota unveiled its third-generation Prius, the 2010 model. Though we haven't driven it yet, colleague Kelsey Mays and I took the opportunity to compare it to the 2010 Insight at the auto show, extending my comparison with the current, 2009 Prius. If you don't have the wherewithal to watch a video of two nerdy guys talking about two nerdy cars, I'll give you the conclusion: It's an unfair test, at least until the companies announce pricing.
On closer inspection, it appears that we're comparing not apples to oranges, but perhaps oranges to grapefruits. The Insight is small, sized below the Honda Civic and Fit yet still within the compact-car class. The 2010 Prius, as before, is midsize. The current Prius starts at $22,000, and we expect the 2010 to cost more, as redone models often do. The Insight hasn't been priced, but Honda is billing it as the most affordable hybrid, and rumor has it that the target is below $20,000 for the base Insight LX — perhaps substantially below.
By the numbers, the Insight has decent legroom, but I found the driver's seat a bit too close to the floor and my legs stretched out far ahead, even with the seat adjusted all the way up. The new Prius didn't have this characteristic and is roomier. Despite a change to its center console — which sweeps back between the front seats — it has a very open feel. The backseat also has clear advantages over the Insight's: It has good headroom and legroom, and it's demonstrably wider. Yes, there are three seat belts in both, but fitting three passengers in the back of the Insight might get ugly.
Both of the cars are hatchbacks with folding rear seats, and that's a big deal because no trunk-equipped hybrid car to date has had a full folding backseat. Both of the cars have a truncated tail design and liftgates with a supplemental window pane below the rear spoiler -- a design Honda introduced but for which the current Prius is more widely recognized. The new generation's rear view has improved a bit, but Toyota missed a step with backseat head restraints that obstruct the view a bit. The Insights' collapse flush into the backrest for better visibility and ease of folding.
The hybrid drivetrains reflect the two companies' different approaches. The Prius will have a similar setup to the 2009, where the car can propel itself on electric power alone (at lower speeds), gas alone or a combination of the two. The Insight's electric motor simply assists the gas engine. Both cars regenerate electricity when braking or coasting. Honda says the Insight technically can trundle along on electric power alone, with the fuel injectors shut off, but the crankshaft and engine parts are moving whenever the electric motor and car are, so there's no silent operation like that of the Prius. I always defend the technology because it's the results that matter, but by this criterion the Insight comes up short: Its EPA-estimated mileage is 40/43 mpg city/highway. That's still good, even for a small car, but the Civic Hybrid is rated 40/45 mpg, and the 2009 Prius is 48/45 mpg. Toyota promises combined city/highway mpg of 50 for the 2010 Prius.
The Insight's actual mileage is higher in some conditions, as I experienced when I drove it, but the same is probably true for the upcoming Prius. In the second-gen model, I've easily exceeded 50 mpg on warm days. The mileage — real or estimated — could be the Insight's Achilles’ heel. Fairly or not, shoppers expect a smaller car to be a more efficient one, unless it's some kind of performance vehicle, which the Insight is not — though it is quite fun to drive. To the average person, a hybrid's a hybrid, and comparisons are natural.
Based on the information we have now, there's no contest. Is this why Honda introduced the Insight ahead of the Detroit auto show with little fanfare? The issue of price is critical; that's probably why Honda has held off on setting it. Perhaps it’s waiting for Toyota to make the first move?
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You miss the point - the point of the Insight is to make hybrids affordable and thus accessible to more car buyers.
The civic hybrid is ~$24k.
The prius will be at least ~$22k.
The insight is expected to be as low as $18.5-$19k, which would be a four door family car for less than the old two seat insight.
If the combined mileage is only 1 mpg less than the civic hybrid - you'll have to buy a LOT of gas to make up for the $5k+ savings.
Even with a combined rating of 8-9 mpg less than the expected rating for the prius, that's maybe $200-$300 difference in annual fuel cost @ 15,000 miles per year, so potentially more than ten years to make up the difference in initial cost.
That being said, the 800 pound gorilla is still used cars. You can save a lot more on gas+car payments+insurance with a used Civic or Corolla vs. either of these cars.
In fact, the Insight is longer but narrower than the current Civic according to the P.R. at the NAIAS.
Prius is still the best hybrid in the world. Honda needs to update the technology in order to catch up.
Six, If you are strictly weighing in on what car to purchase how is a vehicle that sells only $3,000 less than the Prius that much more affordable? You are talking $50 per month difference in payments. A payment of $425 or $475 isn't going to really change if a family can afford the vehicle or not. If you are that worried about being able to afford a vehicle, and quality is of no issue, it is a simple decision...KIA motors!
Anyone paying $20k for an insight g2 or prius in general is a moron.
2000 insight, 60mpg?
I'll take that.
Why would you pay $20k for one of these?
buy an old civic for $2000, you will get 30's mpg, and won't look like a moron driving one, you'll have more $$$ in your pocket when the newer green car, shits the bed.
Morons.
i PREFER PRIUS.