Beautiful Engineering

I just recently was in the process getting a new car and test drove a friend's Insight around the streets of Cleveland, Ohio before going to a dealership for more information. Not only was I impressed with the smooth acceleration and power, but I was even more impressed with the low cost the affordability of the Insight. I initially chose this car as the result of going to an environmental education event where this car was rated by this organization as having the lowest fuel cost per year.

This would perhaps be the best feature of the car. The salesman said that I could expect to get as much as 60 on the highway or 66 in the city with this car. After test driving, I filled up the tank (where it was when I got it) and it got 62 miles per gallon after I drove it on both I-271 and through the city streets. This is at least twice the fuel mileage that most people get from their current non-hybrid cars. Since I drive approximately 250 miles a week, I could save hundreds of dollars a year just by getting this car. Over its lifetime, one could easily expect to save a great deal of money to make this vehicle more affordable than a non-hybrid counterpart.

Unfortunately, this car is not initially the most cost effective. To save the money on gas, one must spend the money on the new technology. The 2 door hatchback base has a MSRP of about $19,330 while the CVT (continuous variable transmission) has a MSRP of $21,530. I did not drive the CVT, but I still feel that the $19,330 is still a very good deal compared to other vehicles one could buy. The optional equipment on the 2 door base hatchback includes Air Conditioning and an Automatic Climate Control system that adds a MSRP of $1,200 to the cost. Still, I feel that though it is a tad expensive, it is still somewhat of a bargain.

Driving the vehicle is a joy. For 2006, the Honda Insight has an idle-stop system where the gas engine will shut off when the car is stopped. This works well and I have had no problem with it; if you are in stop and go traffic a lot or are caught in rush hour traffic frequently, this is a feature that you might seriously want to consider for your next vehicle even if it is not an Insight. The engine itself is a 1.0 liter, 3-cylinder engine that produces just over 70 hp. Though it sounds small, this engine provided smooth and stable acceleration with the basic 5-speed manual transmission. One thing that the salesman at the dealership reminded me was that this car never needed to be plugged in since the gas engine helped recharge the battery of the car.

The body style initially turns people off, but it can become one of its best features. The most striking feature is that the rear wheels are covered by a body panel. However, this means that the car has less drag and will actually help the owner money on gas over time. Very practical and good engineering in my opinion.

This car does have one main flaw. This car is not for a family. There is only room for two people, so this probably is not the car for those who have a large family or need to haul items.

Overall, this was the best car that I ended up test driving and I did end up buying it for slightly less than the MSRP. I have had no problems with it and with reports that Hondas are predicted to retain the highest amount of their MSRP over time, I feel that I have made the right choice.