2003 Honda Insight CVT

Complementing this ultra-efficient I-3 is Honda's own IMA package, a thin, lightweight alternator/generator/starter motor unit located just ahead of the transmission that helps increase overall fuel efficiency by up to 24 percent. Capable of providing an additional 7 horsepower and 13-25 lb.-ft. of torque on demand, it's powered by a Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) battery that recharges on the fly by storing energy primarily gathered through regenerative braking of the Insight's standard disc/drum ABS binders. Output of both manually shifted and CVT-spec Insights is 73 horsepower, however the torque curves and differential ratios differ. The 5-speed develops a combined 91 lb.-ft. of torque at 2,000 rpm. That figure dips to 79 in the Insight CVT, although it arrives at an even lower 1,500 revs. A deeper final drive (5.70:1 vs. 3.21:1) also helps offset the relative torque deficit, as does a switchable normal/Sport setting on the CVT programming.


Opting for an autoshifted variant does exact a modest fuel economy penalty. With a manual transmission, the Insight tops the EPA charts at a phenomenal 61/68 mpg. Those numbers drop to 57/56 in CVT trim. While admittedly less spectacular, they still leave it holding down the number two spot by a considerable margin in the overall EPA rankings while moving the autoshifted model from ULEV to the even cleaner SULEV (Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle) status.

Honda refers to the Insight's interior as a "personal fit capsule," and for one or two people, it's definitely a livable space.

Honda refers to the Insight's interior as a "personal fit capsule," and for one or two people, it's definitely a livable space. Not exactly the ideal cross-country cruisemobile, but more than capable when it comes to daily commuting work. Cabin room is good, although lack of a seat height adjuster coupled with a fixed-rake steering column means that the driver must accommodate the car and not the other way around. Fortunately, the factory did its homework in setting up the package. Primary storage space is a modest but very usable 5.1 cubic feet while another 1.5 cubic-foot covered compartment resides under the rear portion of the cargo bay.


The Insight's chassis pairs MacPherson struts up front with a twist-beam rear axle. Directional control comes via a lightweight, variable-assist rack-and-pinion system that lightens effort by using electric rather than hydraulic boost. Final element in the chassis chain is a set of low-rolling resistance 165/65SR14 Bridgestone Potenza RE92 all-season radials. The combination yields a ride that's well controlled but a tad harsh over less-than-ideal road surfaces. And those sensible shoes are clearly skewed to max mileage, not pure grip. Even so, the Insight can be a modestly engaging city scooter when kept within its limits.


The same is true with respect to its acceleration, which is best described as acceptable, albeit hardly scintillating. In stoplight-to-stoplight spurts, particularly when the Sport setting on the CVT is engaged, this little pup has no trouble running with a goodly number of modestly larger dogs. Change the venue to a curving uphill freeway on-ramp or an altiplano mountain pass, and the scramble becomes a bit more frenetic. In a nutshell, patience, prudence and foresight are attributes that Insight drivers must learn to embrace. However, that learning curve is shortened and sweetened by the prospects of dramatically lower fuel expenditures, the moral rectitude that driving a SULEV-clean vehicle brings—and a tasty $2,000 credit on one's federal income tax.