Honda Insight Test drive since 2009 hatchback

Honda Insight review. Give hybrids to the masses!

In the first ten days of sales, over ten thousand applications were submitted to the new Honda Insight model. In today's report, I will talk about my first impressions of this new car.
Looks like Prius? Well, okay!
This is the second generation of the Honda Insight model. The production of the first generation was suspended in the summer of 2007. And so, beyond recognition, the changed model returns after almost two years. Unlike the two -seater first -generation Insight, this is a five -seater five -door hatchback. Thus, we are dealing with a competitor to Toyota Prius. In the future, the appearance of a new Insight is clearly not a joyful news for the most famous hybrid car in the world.
So, I expected a meeting with the opponent of Prius, and, I must say, my first and most pleasant impression is connected with this. This is noticeable already in the photographs, and in a lively, in natural light it becomes just egregious: the lines of the back of the body, the development of the rear door in the most immodest way resembles Prius! And the translucent panel of the rear door seems to be taken from the Honda CR-X of the second generation.
But let's not get boring, and okay. By the way, in this regard, I recalled one interview with the filmmaker Takesi Kitano. Do you watch other people's films? The journalist asked. I look so as not to remove anything like, Takesi answered.
With a characteristic feature of the first -generation Insight, with shields covering the rear wheel niches, I had to say goodbye. For all their originality, they were not convenient and they had to remove them every time when replacing the wheel, and in other cases. The creators of the new Insight decided in every possible way to facilitate the service of the car and convince future owners of its comprehensive convenience.
Built -in driving instructor
I conquer the motor and move on the road. Slowly, I gain sensation speeds are natural and pleasant, a power reserve is felt. It seems that even crossing here from an ordinary car, there will be no big discomfort. The InSight hybrid system can be called parallel: the electric motor acts as an assistant engine of the internal combustion engine, so that this hybrid car sensations differs little from a regular car.
On the one hand, there is no sense of novelty. Insight cannot function as an electric car, because the electric motor only works in pairs with the internal combustion engine. Even when at low speed you, as you think, are moving on electricity, the ICE actually continues to work (although the engine control system and suspend the valve operation).
But on the other hand, Insight will surely become very popular. Compared with Prius technically a more complex model, this car is closer to the people, and even cheaper: from 1,890,000 yen (about 19 thousand dollars). This is what I see the radical difference between these two cars: the purpose of Prius reduce fuel consumption, albeit in the most difficult way, the goal of Insight attract as many people as possible to the side of a hybrid car. Hybrids become the subject of hot controversy, and this reminds me of the old days when the world is divided into irreconcilable camps: which is better than a turbine or Dohc, front -wheel drive or rear?
Right before the driver’s eyes, above the dashboard, there is a separate window with a digital speedometer display. The color of the display changes depending on the driving mode. With a strong press on the gas pedal, the display burns in blue; if acceleration is not very sharp blue-green; And if you do not put green on the gas at all (eco-mode). In addition, when moving in eco-mode on a small multi-display located at the bottom of the dashboard, leaves appear. Thus, the car always clearly shows the driver in what mode he moves. From such edification from the side of the dashboard, at first you feel a little uncomfortable, it looks like a driving lesson, as if an instructor was sitting nearby and explains everything. But such lessons will definitely not be superfluous, because they are aimed at improving driving efficiency.
Sports hybrid?
InSight continues the traditions of Honda and in terms of the quality of driving: the car is lively, but on the road, all the irregularities of the coating are remarkably transmitted to passengers. Honda Fit is equipped with a similar suspension, so the idea about traditions is not unfounded.
It is amazing how easily Insight copes with the vijah at high speed. I even had the feeling that I was sitting in a racing car. Here is what the chief engineer of the car chassis says: when compared with FIT, the new Insight received a lower center of gravity. In addition, we somewhat changed the weight of the body, so the car really became more sports. The weight redistribution was achieved due to the placement of the IPU intelligent power system (Intelligent Power Unit), which includes the PCU (Power Control Unit power control unit) behind the posterior seats (in the gender) of the heart of the Hybrid.
The rear passengers are not even too high risk of constantly rubbing their heads on the ceiling. With a height of 170 cm, you can accommodate with comfort, and if your height is 180 cm, take care of your head! The trunk is quite spacious and convenient, despite the fact that he contains a hybrid installation. In appearance, the usual Hondovsky trunk.
In general, my impressions are not yet too flattering. To put it mildly, there is a little discomfort compared to a regular car. And if it is quite honest, I never experienced the joy of the fact of driving on a hybrid.
From Tokyo to Osaka for 2,000 yen
The final stage of our communication with the car was a comparative test for fuel consumption. In addition to Insight, nine more cars participated in the race. We chose a route 25 kilometers long in the city (60% of the path with a small amount of traffic, i.e. at high speed, 40% in conditions of relatively loaded streets, i.e. at low speed). Together with the photographer and employee of Webcg.net, there were three of us in the test car.
Before the start, we received the following useful advice from the leading engineer of the InSight project SEKI Yasunari: do not move quietly, it is better to gain speed relatively quickly, then you will immediately enter the hybrid regime and gasoline will be spent very moderately.
When leaving on the road, I pressed the Econ Mode button, however, as I expected, it was not so easy to enter the hybrid mode. Unlike the PRIUS hybrid system, the Insight system suggests that the internal combustion engine itself does not generate electricity. It accumulates in an electric motor only due to a decrease in speed. Slow down the course of a little electricity has accumulated, you can use the electric motor for a while. And so on: the parish, consumption ... reminds of the maintenance of home accounting to some extent even fascinating.
For some time, nervous of the other participants in the movement, I rode slowly, then, on the advice of the SEC engineer, I gained speed up to 40-50 km/h and released the gas pedal, after which I again smoothly pressed the pedal and entered the electric motor connection mode. It turned out that the technique was not so complicated, I was glad to master it.
So, 1 liter of gasoline for 25.2 kilometers (3.96 liters per 100 km) with this result we took the fourth place among the ten teams. In my opinion (and I, by nature, are terrible), the numbers are magnificent. It turns out to get from Tokyo to Osaka, you need only 20 liters of gasoline. At the nearest gas station, a suitable gasoline for names costs 106 yen. Two thousand with a penny (about $ 22) and welcome to Osaka. Hooray!
Technical characteristics of Honda Insight L
 
Full length: 4 390 mm.
Full width: 1 695 mm.
Complete height: 1,425 mm.
Wheel base: 2 550 mm.
Weight: 1 190 kg.
Drive: front.
Engine: 1.3-liter in a 4-cylinder SOHC 4-cylinder valves, maximum power 88 hp. at 5 800 rpm, maximum torque 12.3 kg-m at 4,500 rpm.
Elektrotor: maximum power 14 hp. at 1,500 rpm, maximum torque 8 kg-m at 1,000 rpm.
Price: 2 050 000 yen ($ 21,720).
The price of a test copy: 2 593 000 yen ($ 27,470).
Options: Fixed wheel wheels with 15 inches (63,000 yen), a navigation system with a hard drive + Automatic fare for high -speed highways of the ETS (249,000 yen), a clean review of Comfort View Package (31,500 yen), a system of course stability VSA (52,500 yen), a remote door opening system (63,000 yen), side airbags and safety curtains (84,000 yen).
 
 
 

A source: webcg.net