Honda Insight Being Replaced By More Hybrids Across Lineup
Ahead of Honda’s planned EVs offensive for the United States, the automaker has announced a deluge of hybrid variants of existing products. However these new vehicles will come at the expense of the Insight, which the company had just confirmed will be discontinued after 2022. In its stead will be new hybrid trips for the CR-V, Accord, and Civic — the latter of which served as the template for the passing model.
That effectively makes the approaching (returning?) Civic Hybrid a direct replacement, giving those in the market for a compact hybrid an obvious alternative. But it’s still a little sad to see the Insight departing after seeing the model hang in there for so long without ever really being a hit with consumers. Despite this, your author frequently suggested it to people who were seeking cheap, reliable transportation and lacked any strong opinions about anything other than fuel economy.
Later examples of the Honda Insight shared some of the best aspects of the Civic. But even the earlier models competed admirably with the Toyota Prius and it being far-less popular meant dealers were often eager to see them taken off the lot. Throughout most of its lifespan, the compact struggled to break 20,000 annual deliveries in the United States. By contrast, Toyota’s hybrid reliably cleared 100,000 units every year it was on sale until 2018 — and even broke 200,000 U.S. deliveries in 2012, 2013, and 2014.
Honda’s offering probably wasn’t ever quite as good as the Prius, even though it landed on our market first. It sometimes felt like the second-generation Insight struggled bit more at highway speeds — especially when crosswinds became a factor — and the first-gen model’s automatic stop-start feature left a lot to be desired. But it could frequently be found tied to lofty discounts back when dealers still offered such things simply by it being the tougher sell.
The manufacturer doesn’t seem to have any nostalgia for the model, so it’s to be quietly done away with in June. From there, Big H said it plans to continue focusing on increasing hybrid volume of its core models. Honda will introduce all-new models of the CR-V Hybrid this year, followed by the Accord Hybrid, which will allegedly make up 50 percent of the sales mix of each model in the future.
“Hybrid-electric vehicles are effective in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and are a critical pathway toward Honda’s vision for 100 [percent] zero-emission vehicle sales in North America by 2040,” said Mamadou Diallo, vice president of Auto Sales at American Honda Motor Co. “Making the volume leader of our core models hybrid-electric will dramatically boost electrified sales in the Honda lineup, a strategy that will be augmented by the arrival of a Civic Hybrid in the future.”
[Images: Honda]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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Notice how that old Insight does not hug the ground and still gets world class mpg? I hope the new hybrids can have decent ground clearance. That is the biggest failing of the Prii, excepting maybe styling. And as ugly as they are, still not the ugliest Toyota.
I remember an old article in Popular Mechanics where they were comparing early Prius and Civic Hybrids. Then they had a take on the VW TDI of the time. I quickly lost interest in the hybrids and eventually owned a TDI Sportwagen. I didn't want any other kind of car in that time of my life. Its too bad they went away. I looked at a Civic Hybrid after my TDI days ended but decided I didn't want to ride around in a video game. I wish Subaru would get on the stick and bring out the Outback in a hybrid.