There was a time when the Honda Insight was considered a radical set of wheels: a gasoline-electric hybrid with styling exotic enough that other drivers would pull up alongside you just to give you a big thumbs-up.
Fast-forward two decades, and that super-aerodynamic two-door hatchback design that turned so many heads when it was the first hybrid sold in the U.S. has been replaced by a four-door sedan body that would be utterly unrecognizable if you pulled up next to it at a stoplight. And yet, this third-generation Insight is a vastly better car by almost any measure.
Inside is where you’ll notice the biggest improvements, including a back seat with adult-size comfort. The original hatchback’s cargo bay has been replaced by a trunk with a decent 15.1 cubic feet of space; fold-down rear seatbacks make room for longer items.
So, while the Honda Insight might have lost its “hey-look-how-green-I-am” styling, it now feels like a hybrid that’s all grown up.
STRENGTHS
- 50-plus miles per gallon from an ordinary-looking sedan
- Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration standard
WEAKNESSES
- Some buyers will find it too ordinary-looking.
- Push-button gear selector takes some getting used to.
BOTTOM LINE
- Excellent fuel economy without the way-out styling
PRICING
- Base Price: $22,930
- As Tested: $28,340
SAFETY
- NHTSA: 5 Stars
M.P.G. (city/highway)
- 55/49 (1.5L I4/CVT automatic)
