2010 Honda Insight - Page 1 Review

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Shopping for a 2010 Honda Insight? MSRP: $19,800 - $23,100

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The experts at TheCarConnection.com have read all the best reviews on the Web regarding the new 2010 Honda Insight Hybrid, bringing you some of the most useful information in this review. TheCarConnection.com's editors, well schooled in small cars and hybrids, have also driven the Insight and pass along their observations.

The Insight is an entirely new vehicle for 2010 and bears no relation to the two-door coupe of the same name, which was discontinued after 2006. Like the Toyota Prius, the 2010 Honda Insight is a dedicated hybrid vehicle, meaning it has a unique look and is only offered with a hybrid powertrain, with space for five. While Toyota attracts affluent, environmentally conscious families with its Prius, which has become more luxurious and feature-laden in recent years, Honda aims the Insight primarily at younger, budget-conscious customers who want to make an environmental statement and cut their fuel consumption.

It's apparent right away that the 2010 Honda Insight worships wind tunnels, with a shape that looks carved to cut through the air with the least resistance. Yet the silhouette allows a hatchback practicality, and Honda has managed to incorporate an impressive degree of design detail for such a low-priced vehicle. The thin projector-beam headlamps are a distinctive break from the large, overwrought designs of recent years, the front grille is complex but simpler than what we've seen in Honda's larger vehicles like the Pilot SUV, and distinctive LED taillamps adorn the rear; also at the back is a tinted window that plays a styling role and allows improved visibility for the driver. Smooth lift-up door handles are a nice break from the chunky, trucky versions that have become expected even on small cars.