Comments on: TEST DRIVE: Inhabitat Tests the Real-World Mileage of the 2012 Honda Insight Hybrid

By: Auto iLead

Auto iLead — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:46:51 +0000

Kentercat, you stated’ “We are being conned big time by Auto manufacturers about their new, high priced, fuel efficient automobiles.” At one time, I believed your point to be true. However, today I am placing more blame on our government. For years, the standards for emissions have changed. All cars must burn cleaner and reduce emission levels. This clean burn comes at a cost. Every time the government changes the standards, the cars lose mpg. In many cases, any gains made by technology have been cancelled out by the restrictions of Washington. I do not design cars, but this is how I see it. To me, the auto industry has worked very hard to stay ahead of the real terrorist, Washington DC.

By: semibreve42

semibreve42 — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 01:10:43 +0000

@Fatherfigure and driverz – Those 20 year old cars also didn’t have ABS, TPMS, traction control, 6 airbags or crumple zones. Neither was it’s exhaust as tightly regulated as car’s are today.

Not that I’m complaining – I’ll take the safely features any day, since either way I have to share the road with tractor-trailers and plow trucks, not to mention all the SUV’s and light trucks.

Basically, apples and oranges.

By: semibreve42

semibreve42 — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 01:05:33 +0000

@Kentercat
The CR-Z actually has a more powerful internal combustion engine as the insight, its just the hybrid portion that they share. That’s why the CR-Z gets worse mileage. Also, the manual version is a 6 speed, not a 5 speed

My average for the past 7000 miles in my CR-Z has been 43.2mpg, and I almost never put it in eco mode, just normal or sport.

By: driverz

driverz — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 19:30:37 +0000

I strongly agree with Fatherfigure’s comment! We are being conned big time by Auto manufacturers about their new, high priced, fuel efficient automobiles. I drove a 1986 BME 325E with a six cylinder engine for 10 years and averaged 31mpg highway mileage without the gadgets and hype. My 1973 Super Beetle cost $2400.00 and produced 35mpg highway for eleven years. The 1953 Nash Rambler Metropolitan produced 35mpg for a lot less money. I realize there are air pollution standards to meet, but how can these Auto manufacturers act like they are doing us a favor at $25,000.00 – $60,000 per vehicle.

By: Fatherfigure

Fatherfigure — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 17:08:26 +0000

My 1993 Honda Civic 4 door sat 5 and got 46mpg with over 200,000 miles on the odometer. It had air and all the other amenities so please don’t act like 40 mpg is anything to report unless you are mentioning it in disgust.

By: Kentercat

Kentercat — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 15:50:37 +0000

My 2011 Insight averages 45 MPG. The Econ button generally stays on unless A) I’m pulling away from work, it’s 100 degrees outside, and the air conditioner/engine keep shutting down at every stoplight, or B) I’m really pressed to merge into traffic.
If you miss the old Insight, check out the CR-Z. It’s basically the same power-train as the new Insight but shoved into a two-seater. Despite the smaller size/same power train, it’s less efficient, because it’s designed as a sport hybrid. I would ask an actual owner, though, how it runs in econ mode. It also comes in a five speed, wereas the Insight is CVT.
There is a multi-function display that can either give you real-time mileage or optimal braking/acceleration feedback, making hypermiling a fairly minimal effort activity. It also scores the last five drives as a bar graph. The Insight is as good a tool for saving gas as the Wii Fit is for dieting and exercise.
Insight is 80-85 percent of a Prius (mileage-wise) with more masculine styling and $8000 cheaper. If you intend to keep the car more than 5 years, or gas prices hit $5 in the next three years, the Prius may pay for itself.

By: Max Miles

Max Miles — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 01:27:12 +0000

I own a 2011 Honda Insight and routinely achieve 55 – 60 mpg in highway driving. Mileage for city driving is around 42 mpg. It is an excellent car.

By: caeman

caeman — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 13:52:20 +0000

40 MPG does seem a little…meh. But for a sedan is supposed to be able to seat 5, that is better than 10 years ago.

By: Insightman

Insightman — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 13:30:27 +0000

My 2000 Insight (#221) had air conditioning. My 2001 Insight used to get, and my 2006 Insight gets, 70 mpg regularly–on long trips I can easily exceed 80 mpg. Honda should offer a more expensive model of the new Insight with the fancier, more fuel-efficient engine from the Civic Hybrid for those who prefer to pay up front to save on fuel costs later (and to top the Prius).