2021 Honda Insight – Rochester, NY

• Overview

  

  If you need a car that combines efficiency, style, and a sporty feel, then the 2021 Honda Insight is hard to ignore. The relatively new third generation of this compact hybrid sedan only arrived on the market for the 2019 model year and was a complete ground-up refresh of this model. While the previous two generations of the Honda Insight placed efficiency over exterior design, the newest version of this car closely resembles the popular Honda Civic and Honda Accord. Inside and out, the 2021 Honda Insight is an attractive vehicle that gives no outward sign of its incredibly efficient hybrid drivetrain. And even when you slip behind the wheel and set off on a drive, you will find a car that accelerates and handles just as well as any of Honda’s other sporty products.

  55 / 49²

  Fuel Economy (City/Highway MPG)

  151.5³

  Total System Horsepower (HP)

  197

  Torque (lb-ft)

  Starting at

  $22,930¹

• Performance

  

  The 2021 Honda Insight is a member of the latest wave of modern hybrid vehicles that take advantage of recent improvements in hybrid technology to deliver superior performance than many traditional gasoline models do. With its weight-saving lithium-ion battery pack and high-torque electric motor, the 2021 Honda Insight is a far cry from the early hybrids and their underwhelming performance. And this upgraded performance has not come at the cost of efficiency either as the new car has incredibly low fuel consumption.

  The 2021 Honda Insights Hybrid Engine

  Under the hood of the 2021 Honda Insight, you will find a 1.5L four-cylinder gasoline engine. With 107 horsepower and 99 lb-ft of torque, this engine would normally be decidedly on the weak side. However, it is supplemented by a pair of synchronous permanent-magnet electric motors that are capable of producing 129 horsepower and 197 lb-ft of torque. Together, the gasoline and electric systems peak at 151.5 horsepower, resulting in a car that has as much horsepower and considerably more torque than the traditional gasoline cars in its class. And while the 2021 Honda Insight does have an Eco mode to increase fuel efficiency, it also has a Sport mode to increase performance, allowing you to choose your driving experience depending on the situation.

  How Well Does the Insight Perform?

  An equally important factor in the amazing performance of the 2021 Honda Insight is its remarkably low weight. By using the same lithium-ion battery technology found in cell phones and laptops, this car weighs in at under 3,000 pounds. This light weight considerably improves handling, acceleration, and efficiency compared to older cars with their heavier battery packs. Further, the more compact size of the new batteries means that the 2021 Honda Insight also does not sacrifice passenger or cargo space when compared to its traditional gasoline competitors.

  If you are looking at a hybrid, then the numbers that probably interest you the most are the fuel economy figures. The 2021 Honda Insight has an estimated combined fuel economy rating of no less than 52 MPG, making it one of the most efficient hybrids currently on the market.² And like most hybrids, this estimated rating actually goes up to 55 MPG in stop and go city traffic thanks to the car’s regenerative braking system.² But that is not to say that is bad during high-speed cruising either given its estimated 49 MPG highway rating.² 

• Features

  

  Exterior Features

  Inside and out, the 2021 Honda Insight is a feature-rich vehicle with all of the major and minor options needed to travel in style and comfort. On the outside, you will find standard full-LED lighting on all trims, including headlights as well as taillights and brake lights. These ultra-bright lights provide exceptional visibility at night while also lasting longer and burning less electricity than older halogen or xenon lights. On the top Touring trim, a set of LED fog lights is also included to further improve visibility in poor conditions such as fog and mist. A power sunroof is also a major feature of this top trim, providing you with natural lighting and fresh air on nicer days.

  Interior Features

  Inside the vehicle, you will find that all trims of the 2021 Honda Insight come standard with an automatic climate control system that will maintain a constant cabin temperature no matter the weather. And passengers in the back seats will also enjoy having their own rear seat heating ducts to keep them warm on cold days. The climate control system in the top Touring trim is upgraded from the single-zone system to a dual-zone system that allows the driver and front passenger to have their own environmental settings. The Touring trim also adds heated front seats to help keep you warm in bad weather.

  Features For All Drivers

  Smaller touches that help make the 2021 Honda Insight a pleasant vehicle include standard one-touch power windows for both the driver and front passenger as well as one-touch turn signal indicators for more convenient lane changes. Push-button start is also a standard feature across the three trims of the 2021 Honda Insight, although the two higher trims have a slightly more sophisticated system that includes smart entry with walk-away auto-lock. These trims also come standard with a remote start system that is perfect for warming up your car on winter mornings.

  But even without all of these features, the 2021 Honda Insight is quite simply a roomy and well-designed car. While it may be classed as a compact sedan, Honda designed it with an exceptional amount of interior passenger and cargo space. With close to 40 inches of front-seat headroom, the 2021 Honda Insight can comfortably accommodate drivers of any size. And with over 37 inches of rear-seat legroom, even adults will not be cramped in the back seats. Finally, this car offers between 94.7 and 15.1 cubic feet of trunk space, giving you plenty of room for everything from suitcases to groceries. This latter point is particularly important as many hybrid cars sacrifice cargo space in order to fit their bulky battery packs.

• Technology

  

  The 2021 Honda Insight is loaded with technology beyond that found in its cutting edge hybrid drive system. Equipped with a modern infotainment system, advanced driver assistance features, and plenty of other small touches, this car provides all of the comfort, convenience, and safety that should be expected of a 2021 model vehicle.

  Entertainment Features

  Each of the three trims of the 2021 Honda Insight offers its own infotainment configuration. The base LX trim has a 5-inch central display and a 160-watt six-speaker audio setup. While it lacks the more advanced features available on the higher trims, it is still a high-quality system that includes USB and Bluetooth connectivity and even supports music streaming through Pandora. However, the EX trim is still a significant upgrade that brings an 8-inch touchscreen and a 180-watt eight-speaker audio system. Further, it includes smartphone support through both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as HondaLink, SiriusXM satellite radio, and HD radio.

  The top Touring trim of the 2021 Honda Insight has by far the most capable infotainment setup. While it uses the same 8-inch display as the EX trim, it includes built-in satellite navigation with voice recognition and Honda HD digital traffic so that you can plot your way around congestion. Further, it offers a 4G LTE wireless hotspot, providing you with internet connectivity on the go. And last but not least, the Touring trim comes with a high-quality 450-watt ten-speaker premium audio system.

  Driver Assist Features

  The driver assistance equipment in the 2021 Honda Insight includes the Honda Sensing suite of technologies standard on all trims. This comprehensive set of technologies has both automatic emergency braking and lane keep assist systems that can help to prevent accidents. But it also includes convenience features such as adaptive cruise control that will match speeds with the vehicle ahead of you, automatic high beam headlights that will dim themselves when they sense oncoming traffic, and even traffic sign recognition that will detect speed limit signs and display the current limit in your instrument cluster. All but the base trim of the 2021 Honda Insight also come standard with blind-spot and rear cross-traffic alerts to help protect you from unseen vehicles from the parking lot to the highway.

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