Honda continues to work towards electrifying 2/3 of all global vehicles by 2030.
This summer will see the Honda Insight return, and the production model will most likely look very similar.
The Insight will build on the Honda Civic sedan’s bones, but with a new bodyshell and a roofline that maximizes aerodynamic performance. The 19-inch wheels featured on the show car will not make it into production, but the design and shape of the Insight should be preserved. The car will feature LED lights front and back, a full digital instrument cluster, an 8-inch touchscreen (with a physical volume knob) and standard Honda Sensing active safety tech. According to Honda Sensing, the trunk offers almost the same amount space as a regular Civic sedan. Honda’s difficult-to-use electronic shifting mechanism is also featured in the Insight.
The new two-motor hybrid powertrain that powers the Accord Hybrid is under the skin. However, where the Accord uses a 2.0-liter Inline-four engine, it will be used in the Insight’s 1.5-liter Atkinson cycle mill. Henio Arangeli, American Honda’s general manager, says the new Insight will offer “comparable” fuel economy to its predecessors. He doesn’t mention names but the Hyundai Prius and Toyota Prius will likely be the Insight’s efficiency targets.
He says, “Our strategy is take electrified cars mainstream.” “We want great cars that are electrified.”
Honda intends to electrify 2/3 of its global models by 2030. These plans include full-electrics, as well as fuel-cell vehicles. However, Arcangeli states that “most” will be hybrids or plug in hybrids.
The Insight name has been dead since 2014, but a Civic Hybrid was offered in the past years. Why not revive it now? James Jenkins, Honda’s public relations manager, said that the name is still well-known among shoppers. “The Insight name resonated so well in clinics already.
The new Honda Insight will join other Civic variants (except for the hatchback which is from the U.K.) and be manufactured in Greensburg, Indiana. Jenkins points out that the Insight’s predecessor was built in Japan. However, Jenkins says, “We want it to be built where we sell it.”
The 2019 Honda Insight will go on sale in the summer.
