2019 Honda Insight is Pricier, Less Efficient… but Possibly More Fun

Canadian drivers who like Honda and green cars have the new Accord Hybrid and Clarity Plug-In Hybrid to consider, but when the company introduced the all-new 2019 Honda Insight at the beginning of the year, it signaled its intention to once again offer a smaller and more affordable option.

Of course, you remember that the first and second generations of the Insight failed to gain traction in the market. So, if the third time is supposed to be the charm, styling needs to be a lot better and more universally appealing—and it is.

What about pricing and fuel economy? How competitive will the car prove? We now have those answers.

The 2019 Honda Insight is officially rated at 4.6/5.3/4.9 L/100km (city/highway/combined), and it will start at $27,990 when it goes on sale this summer. There’s an EV Drive mode where the car is powered solely by its electric motor, but expect a very limited range.

For comparison’s sake, here are the numbers for other compact hybrids in Canada:

Hyundai IONIQ Hybrid Blue: 4.2/4.0/4.1 L/100km – $24,299
Toyota Prius: 4.4/4.6/4.5 L/100km – $27,650
Kia Niro L: 4.5/4.8/4.7 L/100km – $24,995

While it costs more and sips more fuel than direct rivals, the new 2019 Honda Insight promises class-leading power (151 hp) and passenger space (including rear legroom) along with a “surprisingly satisfying” driving experience (we’ll be the judge of that when we take it for a spin). Standard equipment includes LED headlights, push-button start, an 8-inch Display Audio unit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, as well as the Honda Sensing suite of advanced safety and driver-assist technologies.

Priced at $31,590, the Touring model adds leather seating surfaces, four-way power adjustment for the front passenger, a power sunroof, navigation and more.

With the Clarity Plug-In Hybrid, Accord Hybrid and now Insight, Honda begins its quest to grow electrified vehicle sales to two-thirds by 2030. That’s no easy task. Let’s wait and see how buyers respond to the new offerings.

Share on Facebook

More on the subject

Detroit2019 Honda Insight Preview
Honda has been an active player in the hybrid vehicle market for quite some time now. The original Honda Insight was launched in North America back in 1999, a few months before the first Toyota Prius . The Japanese brand followed up with two generations of the Civic Hybrid, two …
ElectricEnd of the Road for the Insight
Do you remember the Insight? The hybrid Honda launched nearly a year before the Prius? It’s easily forgotten, ever since its launch in 1999, its death in 2006, or its resurrection in 2009. While Toyota has sold 3.19 million Prius globally since launch, only 280,629 Insight found homes, and more …
Test DrivesHonda Clarity Plug-in Hybrid: the Future is Here
You may have already heard of the Honda Clarity in years past. In fact, the vehicle was originally known as the FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle that the manufacturer sold from 2008 until 2014 as a kind of test platform. Given the experimental nature of hydrogen-powered vehicles and the lack …
Test Drives2018 Honda Odyssey: Technovan
Let’s stop pretending we’re not parents for a while and figure out what we really need in a family vehicle. Taking the kids to hockey practice, carpooling, going camping, heading to the cottage, fetching the groceries; all these tasks require a spacious vehicle, one in which everyone fits without arguments …
Test Drives2019 Honda Insight: Yes, It’s Back
As almost every automaker is talking about electrifying its future product lineup, plug-in hybrid and fully electric vehicles will flood the market within the next few years. Consumers will obviously get to recharge their vehicles at home or using public charging stations in order to get from point A to …