Someone didn't like the Insight

[the Teuton]

Consumer Reports lambasts Honda Insight, ranks it 21 out of 22 vehicles tested

Calling it "the most disappointing Honda Consumer Reports has tested in a long time," America's most influential product testing magazine has given extremely poor marks to the Japanese automaker's new Insight hybrid.

In a verdict that reminds us of a certain Jeremy Clarkson review (albeit more kindly worded), Consumer Reports blasted the gas-electric hatchback for its "ride quality, handling, interior noise, acceleration, rear-seat, access, and visibility," consigning the hapless Honda to a 21 out of 22 ranking among other small hatchbacks and wagons. Tallying a road test score of 54 points, it was trailed only by the widely panned Dodge Caliber, which managed just 49 points.

Despite the fact that it won't receive a much-coveted CR "Recommended" nod, the Insight still managed to post a "Good" overall road test score (largely on the strength of its 38 miles-per-gallon as-tested fuel economy). Regardless, it was comprehensively beaten by both the Volkswagen Jetta Wagon and the Hyundai Elantra Touring, which scored 80 and 79 points, respectively.

The Insight was the only vehicle in CR's test group to not to be Recommended, save Kia's Soul, which was excluded because the organization hasn't compiled any reliability data on the vehicle yet. Check out the press release after the jump.

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/30/i-consumer-reports-i-lambasts-honda-insight-ranks-it-21-out/

[Byteme]

Consumer Reports lambasts Honda Insight, ranks it 21 out of 22 vehicles tested

Calling it "the most disappointing Honda Consumer Reports has tested in a long time," America's most influential product testing magazine has given extremely poor marks to the Japanese automaker's new Insight hybrid.

It will be interesting to see if this affects sales.  Human nature being what it is I suspect many buyers will buy one anyway just because it's a Honda.

[Vinsanity]

I have to admit, I was looking forward to a lower-priced competitor to take on the Prius, but alas Honda took a page from a 1980's GM textbook in hastily executing it. I wonder if they were afraid of cannibalizing sales of the somewhat successful Civic hybrid, but in the end, any car that makes a Prius look like a good deal is an automatic fail.

[J86]

It will be interesting to see if this affects sales.  Human nature being what it is I suspect many buyers will buy one anyway just because it's a Honda.

My Dad will like it less after reading that.

[the Teuton]

My Dad will like it less after reading that.

After driving the Prius now, I have to say the car scares the shit out of me.

[cawimmer430]

If this were a Prius Consumer Reports would be touching themselves... 

[J86]

After driving the Prius now, I have to say the car scares the shit out of me.

how?  It's just an appliance...  we call it the spaceship

[the Teuton]

we call it the spaceship

Exactly.

[CJ]

If this were a Prius Consumer Reports would be touching themselves... 

The Insight really is a horrible vehicle.  Small, expensive, and it doesn't get that great of mileage.

[ifcar]

"In a verdict that reminds us of a certain Jeremy Clarkson review (albeit more kindly worded), Consumer Reports blasted the gas-electric hatchback for its 'ride quality, handling, interior noise, acceleration, rear-seat, access, and visibility'"

I called it first.


Drove the 2010 Prius today. Night and day. And except for ridiculously light steering, its handling wasn't far from the Insight's either.

[sportyaccordy]

It all started with that God awful Transformer 20% tranformed TL....

[giant_mtb]

38 MPG for a hybrid?  That's pathetic.

[Submariner]

38 MPG for a hybrid?  That's pathetic.

I've seen 35MPG in a V8 Jaguar XJ @70 MPH.

[TBR]

I've seen 35MPG in a V8 Jaguar XJ @70 MPH.

That isn't really relevant.

Remember, C/D could barely get 25 mpg out of economy cars; they don't know how to drive slow.

[565]

It will be interesting to see if this affects sales.  Human nature being what it is I suspect many buyers will buy one anyway just because it's a Honda.

Sales are suffering and Honda knows it.

http://www.s2ki.com/home/2009/06/16/honda-insight-sales-figures-not-as-predicted

"Honda Insight Sales figures not as predicted
Jun 16th, 2009 by energetic.
It looks like Honda predication regarding sales figures of the new hybrid Insight has not reach the initial units of 90,000. Now, American Honda Vice President John Mendel, says that selling 50,000 units will be just fine, and will not put Honda on a difficult selling situation. A bit of disappointment since everyone was waiting a competitor model for the Toyota Prius for so long? Honda was expecting that the insight will sell about 200,000 units globally with half of them sold in North America."


Going from 90k predicted to just 50k, pretty much half of what they wanted.  Plus I hear Insights are selling at discounts while Priuses aren't moving much past MSRP.  Honda faceplanted on this one.

[GoCougs]

Not at all a "face plant," remember, there are markets outside the US, with the second largest being Honda's home turf, where the Insight is a big success (was #1 on the sales charts for April, and #3 the last couple of months behind the Prius and Fit).

[ifcar]

Sales are suffering and Honda knows it.

http://www.s2ki.com/home/2009/06/16/honda-insight-sales-figures-not-as-predicted

"Honda Insight Sales figures not as predicted
Jun 16th, 2009 by energetic.
It looks like Honda predication regarding sales figures of the new hybrid Insight has not reach the initial units of 90,000. Now, American Honda Vice President John Mendel, says that selling 50,000 units will be just fine, and will not put Honda on a difficult selling situation. A bit of disappointment since everyone was waiting a competitor model for the Toyota Prius for so long? Honda was expecting that the insight will sell about 200,000 units globally with half of them sold in North America."

Going from 90k predicted to just 50k, pretty much half of what they wanted.  Plus I hear Insights are selling at discounts while Priuses aren't moving much past MSRP.  Honda faceplanted on this one.

The Prius is still going for sticker because the Insight has been out longer.

[NomisR]

Not at all a "face plant," remember, there are markets outside the US, with the second largest being Honda's home turf, where the Insight is a big success (was #1 on the sales charts for April, and #3 the last couple of months behind the Prius and Fit).

It's mostly due to size and cost.  You have to remember the Insight in the US (MSRP) starts at 20k and goes up to 23k "fully equipped"  On the other hand, the Prius comes in at 23k and going up to 30k.  They're not exactly direct competitors. 

What Insight is is really a compact hybrid car that got major cost cutting to keep it affordable and it shows.  While it's not what it once was, I think there's some value to it, at least when compared to other hybrids.  Well, it did win the MT comparo between the Insight and the Prius but I don't know how much weight their ranking gets today.

[ifcar]

It's mostly due to size and cost.  You have to remember the Insight in the US (MSRP) starts at 20k and goes up to 23k "fully equipped"  On the other hand, the Prius comes in at 23k and going up to 30k.  They're not exactly direct competitors. 

What Insight is is really a compact hybrid car that got major cost cutting to keep it affordable and it shows.  While it's not what it once was, I think there's some value to it, at least when compared to other hybrids.  Well, it did win the MT comparo between the Insight and the Prius but I don't know how much weight their ranking gets today.

The Insight starts at $19,800. The Prius starts at $22,000, but at that price is comparably-equipped to the Insight EX, which is $21,300. (There is no decontented Prius that's the equivalent of the Insight LX yet, but a "Prius I" with no cruise control and missing some other features is apparently on the way.)

That was Honda's problem. It tried to make the Insight less than the Prius but for less money, but instead it's much less than the Prius for nearly the same price.

[NomisR]

The Insight starts at $19,800. The Prius starts at $22,000, but at that price is comparably-equipped to the Insight EX, which is $21,300. (There is no decontented Prius that's the equivalent of the Insight LX yet, but a "Prius I" with no cruise control and missing some other features is apparently on the way.)

That was Honda's problem. It tried to make the Insight less than the Prius but for less money, but instead it's much less than the Prius for nearly the same price.

Well, but if you look at it for what it is.  You get what the "previous", (the version that's running about right now, not gen1) for significantly less.  I think that's their goal.  You get the similar mileage at a lower cost. 

Seriously, if you think about it.. if you have the money, why the hell do you care about how much you're spending on gas.  It'll be considered, sure, but not at the same extent as people that are less well off.  So it makes sense to aim lower especially at the current economies. 

And this would make the car more global as well.  Now if Honda introduces a diesel hybrid, it might actually be popular in Europe too.

[2o6]

I've seen 35MPG in a V8 Jaguar XJ @70 MPH.

Apples to oranges. Hybrids aren't meant for the freeway.

[TBR]

The Insight starts at $19,800. The Prius starts at $22,000, but at that price is comparably-equipped to the Insight EX, which is $21,300. (There is no decontented Prius that's the equivalent of the Insight LX yet, but a "Prius I" with no cruise control and missing some other features is apparently on the way.)

That was Honda's problem. It tried to make the Insight less than the Prius but for less money, but instead it's much less than the Prius for nearly the same price.

Why the hell would you leave out cruise control (which is probably just a button and vaporware on a car with an electronic throttle linkage) on a car designed to get the best possible fuel mileage?

[Byteme]

Toyota sold 12,998 Prius in June while Honda sold 2,079 Insights.

Honda's car sales were down 35.1% in June over June 2008.  Toyota's dropped 37.9%

[GoCougs]

It's mostly due to size and cost.  You have to remember the Insight in the US (MSRP) starts at 20k and goes up to 23k "fully equipped"  On the other hand, the Prius comes in at 23k and going up to 30k.  They're not exactly direct competitors. 

What Insight is is really a compact hybrid car that got major cost cutting to keep it affordable and it shows.  While it's not what it once was, I think there's some value to it, at least when compared to other hybrids.  Well, it did win the MT comparo between the Insight and the Prius but I don't know how much weight their ranking gets today.

IMO it's almost entirely due to the Prius brand. The Insight could be better in all respects and the sales results would be little changed.

[Vinsanity]

Why the hell would you leave out cruise control (which is probably just a button and vaporware on a car with an electronic throttle linkage) on a car designed to get the best possible fuel mileage?

That's exactly what I was wondering. If I want to stretch my mpg's, I use cruise control. Otherwise, I don't want to be bothered with some hypermiling bullshit. A Prius without cruise control is like a Honduh Type-R witout Vtak.

[ifcar]

Well, but if you look at it for what it is.  You get what the "previous", (the version that's running about right now, not gen1) for significantly less.  I think that's their goal.  You get the similar mileage at a lower cost. 

That was the idea, and it's a sound idea. The problem is you get neither similar mileage nor lower cost.

[ifcar]

Why the hell would you leave out cruise control (which is probably just a button and vaporware on a car with an electronic throttle linkage) on a car designed to get the best possible fuel mileage?

You leave out the cruise control so no one will want to buy it and will therefore step up to a higher version. My uncle spent thousands extra for an Odyssey EX over an LX simply for the cruise control.

[Cookie Monster]

I would take the Insight over the Prius just because the Prius looks so damn bad.

But in reality, I would take the Jetta TDI any day of the week before either of them. Looks much better, has a manual and gets better MPG's. Too bad people still have that bad diesel stigma because driving a diesel Jetta is so much better than driving either a Prius or an Insight.

[ifcar]

But in reality, I would take the Jetta TDI any day of the week before either of them. Looks much better, has a manual and gets better MPG's.

It doesn't get better mileage.

[Cookie Monster]

It doesn't get better mileage.

It doesn't? I thought it gets close to 50 mpg highway?

Or that's what I thought it said in the commercials...