So, Yesterday I Drove a Honda Insight Hybrid
This week’s post is by Callum W. – Yesterday, I needed a Zipcar in NYC. I made my reservation, walked on a brisk (yet oddly mild) January morning to the garage location in Brooklyn, and activated one slightly used 2011 Honda Insight Hybrid. At first, I was excited – my first time driving a hybrid! Though I’m a seasoned renter of vehicles (not including borrowing from friends, because when you live in a city, knowing car owners is like having your own limo service), this was my initiation into the world of gas & electric vehicles.
I was also nervous – after peeking inside many Toyota Prius models parked on my block, how would I operate that funny looking shifter-thing? Luckily, Insight (or, at least this model) had your average, run of the mill shift stick – Park, Neutral, Drive, etc.
I got in, set my radio to HOT97.1 (New York’s Home for Hip-Hop and R&B), and took off. Here’s what I thought:
Pros: The 2011 Honda Insight offered a very smooth ride, even over pot holes littering Williamsburg and Greenpoint streets. I was also shocked at its acceleration, believing a stereotype that hybrids were not known for speed. This was tested during a close call with traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge. Side note: Insight’s horn is decently loud.
My happiest reflection is on Insight’s cargo room. That was why I needed a Zipcar to begin with. Dropping rear seating forward, I loaded 6 very large (and heavy) boxes full of the ex’s junk, without obscuring my rear view. Note, these were being sent to a friend’s apartment, and not dumped into the East River.
Cons: Ok, here’s where I get a little cranky. I enjoyed my Insight experience overall, but two glaring annoyances stick out:
One – GIANT Blind Spots. I understand it’s a scientifically proven aerodynamic design, but looking out the rear was horrifying. In a place where parallel parking skills should be implanted at birth, huge plastic chunks blocking one’s back-up view can be disastrous. I have heard some of these issues were addressed on the 2012 Honda Insight Hybrid.
My other complaint focuses on an unfamiliarity with hybrid vehicles, specifically start/stop technology. At every traffic light (of which there are many between North Brooklyn and Midtown Manhattan) I felt like Insight was stalling. In the future, I’m sure drivers will be comfortable with this. But as a new person to hybrids, it weirds me out.
If you are in the market for a pre-owned hybrid car, I would suggest Insight. Pros far outweigh cons, and these vehicles (even new) are quite affordable.
2011 Insight Specs/Pricing:
40 / 43 MPG
Sedan, Hybrid
MSRP: $18,200
2012 Insight Specs/Pricing:
41 / 44 MPG
Sedan, Hybrid
MSRP: $18,350
Callum W. is a freelance blogger and writer. He contributes to many online periodicals, ranging in topics, and submits regularly to our sister-site: automopedia.org.
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