Honda Insight Returns to Take on the Toyota Prius with Sleek Design, High-Tech Interior

TopSpeed

By Ciprian Florea

Published Jan 16, 2018

Promises more than 50 mpg combined

The Toyota Prius' main competitor for many years, the Honda Insight took a break from the U.S. market between 2006 and 2009 and was again discontinued in 2014. The Japanese hybrid is set to return once again in 2018 with a brand-new design and Honda just previewed its upcoming production model with a prototype at the Detroit Auto Show. A production-ready vehicle at first glance, the new Insight is a significant departure from its predecessor, a scenario we've seen before. While the first-gen Insight was a rather weird-looking three-door hatchback with hidden rear wheels, the second-gen model had a more conventional design and five doors. For its latest iteration, Honda went with a four-door sedan configuration, probably hoping to appeal to a bigger crowd.

Needless to say, the third-generation Insight look pretty normal. And this is a good thing. Early hybrids, including the Insight and the Prius, received a lot of heat for their odd exterior designs and it's common knowledge that poor styling has kept many potential customers away. Honda wants to change that and if the production car remains close to the prototype, I think we may have a winner. The styling is clearly based on existing Honda products and the revised "flying wing" grille gives the sedan a powerful, aggressive look, as does the muscular beltline. The rear end is rather generic apart from the sleek fastback layout, but hey, it's better than the boxy rear ends of the previous generations.

The interior feels modern and classy, and it also seems to be roomier than ever. The tech package is looking good on paper, as it includes an eight-inch infotainment display, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Wi-Fi, and a seven-inch instrument cluster. The production model will also get Honda LaneWatch, Honda Sensing, Collision Mitigation Braking System, Road Departure Mitigation, Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow, and Traffic Sign Recognition.

Power will come from the company's latest two-motor hybrid system pairing a 1.5-liter Atkinson-cycle gasoline engine, an electric motor, a starter-generator, and a lithium-ion battery pack. The Japanese firm expect the system to return more than 50 mpg combined. This figure puts it below the Toyota Prius (56 mpg) and Hyundai Ioniq (58 mpg) but above the Chevrolet Volt (46 mpg).