Used 2020 Honda Insight

The 2020 Honda Insight is exceptionally likable. We’ll qualify that grand statement by saying that it’s based on the Civic, one of the best-selling compact cars around. And although the Insight is a hybrid, it feels just like a regular car to drive, and a good regular car at that. Except that it achieves something like 50 mpg without the driver trying too hard to be economical.

It was a brand-new model last year, the third time a car has worn the Insight badge, and is streets ahead of anything Honda has come up with before in the hybrid arena. This is a confident, well-styled, well-engineered compact sedan. It doesn’t have the overtly self-conscious styling of a Toyota Prius. But its main competition will come from the new-for-2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid and revamped 2020 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid, both of which have more conventional looks.

A generally quiet cabin, tidy handling and a refined ride quality all contribute to make the Honda Insight a great car for commuting. Nor would we have any qualms about taking it for longer drives. Accelerating up to freeway speeds is a stress-free experience, even if the engine does become a little vocal on those occasions.

Hybrid cars have regenerative brakes, capturing that energy and storing it as electricity. In most cases, they feel a bit weird and take some getting used to. But a driver with no previous experience of hybrids could get in the Insight and perform perfectly smooth stops without having to adapt. The whole hybrid setup is similarly unobtrusive. We also appreciate the selectable drive modes, giving the opportunity to sharpen the throttle pedal’s responses if required. The Insight is extremely user-friendly.

Because the Insight is based on the Civic platform, it enjoys a useful amount of passenger space for a compact car. Placing the battery pack beneath the rear seats not only keeps the car’s center of gravity low (an asset for handling), it also enables them to split and fold (in EX and Touring trims). This brings extra cargo-carrying flexibility that’s already impressive thanks to a roomy trunk measuring 15.1 cubic feet. That’s as good as some midsize sedans.

The 2020 Insight moves above the Civic with its active noise cancellation and extra sound deadening, making the cabin noticeably quieter than its non-hybrid stablemate. The Touring trim is even classier, thanks to perforated leather seating surfaces.

Occupants will also like the large configurable display (in EX and Touring) and the spot for a smartphone in the center console right next to a USB port.

Here’s some aesthetic justification for why Honda didn’t call this car the “Civic Hybrid.” The Insight has its own styling, sharing only the roof and rear panels with the Civic. Everything else is Insight-specific.

Having said that, it doesn’t push any design envelopes, and no one would guess this was a hybrid without stepping much closer and reading the understated badges. It comes across as a mainstream sedan, albeit one that’s easy on the eye. There are some premium touches, though. Such as the LED headlights and taillights and 16-inch alloy wheels.

REGENERATIVE BRAKES
A special addition to the Insight’s stopping system is that the force of the regeneration process can be adjusted via paddles mounted beneath the steering wheel. This is especially useful on downhill stretches.

8-INCH INFOTAINMENT SCREEN
This is standard in the EX and Touring trims. It brings Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, while moving through the menus is simple and intuitive.

The LX trim is the least expensive 2020 Honda Insight, yet it still includes adaptive cruise control, forward-collision mitigation with automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance and automatic high beams. It also has dual-zone automatic climate control, LED ambient console lighting, and a 5-inch infotainment display. Strangely, the LX omits the external trunk release in the other trims. However, the EX trim is only $1,380 extra and brings many more features.

The 2020 Insight EX is the sweet spot in the lineup, adding keyless entry/ignition with walk-away auto lock, 60/40-split/fold rear seats, center armrest, remote start, blind-spot monitoring, external trunk release, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration, dynamic guidelines for the rearview camera, two USB ports, and an 8-inch touch screen. The Touring trim brings leather seating surfaces, heated front seats, navigation, moonroof, rain-sensing wipers, Wi-Fi and a 450-watt/10-speaker audio system upgrade.

Internal-combustion geeks will be interested to know that the 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine in the 2020 Insight runs on the Atkinson cycle, a method that prioritizes efficiency over power and is often adopted by other manufacturers’ hybrids. Two electric motors draw current from a lithium-ion battery and the whole system makes 151 horsepower. This energy goes to the front wheels through a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

Honda has a fine reputation for engineering excellence, and this also applies to the Insight’s hybrid system. When the engine kicks in or shuts off is virtually imperceptible. The Insight also features an EV mode where, under certain conditions, the driver can cover up to one mile on battery power alone.

1.5-liter inline-4 + electric motors (hybrid)
151 horsepower combined
197 lb-ft of torque combined
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 55/49 mpg (LX/EX), 51/45 mpg (Touring)