The question of the week that greeted me: "So how do you like the new Toyota Prius?"
It would have been a perfectly good question, except I was driving a new Honda Insight.
Doh! How is that mix-up possible?
A little background: The first-generation Honda Insight was introduced in 1999 as a two-seat, three-door hybrid. Two years later, Toyota brought the Prius to the United States. It was dressed as an odd-looking, little four-door sedan with a conventional trunk. But when the Prius was redesigned for 2004, it looked a lot like a Honda Insight -- with five doors. No one seemed to notice. The Insight's sales were anemic, while the Prius' sales took off.
So it's ironic that most observers think the new Insight looks like a Prius. Make no mistake; Honda engineers had the Prius in mind when they designed the latest Insight. Specifically, they were looking at the Prius' starting price at the time: $22,000. The new Insight undercuts it, starting at $19,800 for the LX model. The spiffier EX model starts at $21,300. Want an EX with a navigation system⢠That will set you back $23,100.
Opting for the EX nets some important safety features not available on the LX, including stability control and traction control. EX buyers also get a navigation system, cruise control, steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, a center console with armrest and storage, vanity mirrors, a USB audio plug and a Bluetooth link.
On paper, the Insight seems like a good deal compared to the Prius. So how are they different?
For starters, the Insight never runs solely on electricity. The electric motor is there to assist the 1.3-liter, four-cylinder gas engine. Like all hybrids, the Insight shuts down when you come to a stop and restarts when you hit the accelerator. The Honda has a lively feel that belies its pokey acceleration. There's enough moxie to keep pace with traffic -- just don't challenge sports cars at stoplights.
But you wouldn't do that, right?
This car is all about fuel economy. I'll admit that I drove the Insight without trying to eke out every mpg and still got a more than respectable 43.1 mpg. That's enough for any oil sheik to contemplate selling the family Rolls-Royce.
Yes, I occasionally hit the green "econ" button, which dials back engine power in return for lower fuel consumption. But it also dials back the air conditioning. Being particularly sizzling during the test days, my inner hedonist won out, and I rarely used the button. Besides, this car didn't need even less power.
Give Honda points for trying to give the car a bit more mojo for enthusiast drivers. It has steering wheel-mounted paddles that allow the driver to shift the car manually. You'll never mistake it for a true manual, but it adds a bit of spice to a car not known for it. After all, this gas-fueled frugal four-door was created to deliver people, not fun.
The Insight employs some of the Honda Fit's underpinnings, so it has a narrow cabin that's surprisingly spacious. The car's ride gets uncomfortably harsh over the worst bumps. The seats mirror the ride: very firm. There's quite a bit of road and tire noise. My advice is to turn up the audio system and don't let its numerous buttons intimidate you. After all, they're logically laid out.
