Hardware
The 2010 Honda Insight, like the Civic Hybrid, will pair a small-displacement gasoline engine with the automaker’s next-generation Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) technology. In this case, the engine is a 1.3-liter gasoline-fired four-cylinder assisted by a single 13-horsepower electric motor. Honda’s next-generation IMA allows the Insight to operate on electric power alone under certain low- and mid-speed conditions, unlike previous iterations of the technology. It also includes cylinder deactivation technology, which shuts down cylinders when decelerating to save fuel. According to Honda, the 2010 Insight has been rated by the EPA at 40 mpg in the city and 43 mpg on the highway. Combined with a 10.6-gallon fuel tank, that translates to a city range of 400 miles or better.
Safety
Despite the 2010 Insight’s comparatively low price, Honda hasn’t skimped on safety features. It is constructed using Honda’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) philosophy, which focuses not only on occupant protection but also minimizing injury for pedestrians. The Insight’s standard feature list includes dual front, dual side-impact, and side curtain air bags, as well as ABS with electronic brake-force distribution. Stability control comes standard on the Insight EX.
