The 2019 Honda Insight sedan joins Honda’s growing family of electrified vehicles as a dedicated hybrid sedan. Insight features the kind of fuel efficiency hybrid buyers demand, but with sleek styling, robust acceleration, and driving refinement they might not expect. Though the third Honda to bear the Insight name, the 2019 Honda Insight is all-new, positioned as a premium compact sedan between the Civic and Accord. Its universally appealing styling wraps around a refined 5-seat interior with class-leading interior space, premium appointments and the latest technology, such as standard Honda Sensing® and available in-car Wi-Fi, Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™ integration.
With power derived from the latest generation of Honda’s innovative two-motor hybrid system, Insight also offers robust acceleration performance along with an EPA-estimated 55 mpg city rating. Refined and responsive driving performance at the top of its class is assured by the adoption of the 10th-generation Civic body and chassis architecture along with numerous enhancements, including revised springs, dampers and bushings along with unique sheetmetal in nearly every location. The new Honda Insight comes standard with the Honda Sensing® suite of advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies. All trims also come with a multi-view backup camera system, and EX and Touring models come with Honda LaneWatch™. Insight Touring models also includes the latest iteration of HondaLink, which offers multiple cloud-based services including a 4G Wi-Fi mobile hotspot (data plan required), smartphone-based remote vehicle locking/unlocking, stolen vehicle tracking and more.
The 2019 Honda Insight is offered in three trims: the well-appointed LX, upgraded EX, and the fully-equipped Honda Insight Touring. Standard features include LED exterior lighting, including headlights, daytime running lights and taillights; 16-inch alloy wheels, heated side mirrors, push-button start, heated side mirrors, a 6-speaker audio system with Bluetooth® and Pandora® integration, and a 7-inch TFT digital driver’s meter. Insight EX adds Smart Entry, two additional speakers, and an 8-inch Display Audio high-resolution touchscreen with a smartphone-like customizable home-screen layout and Apple CarPlay™ and Android AutoTM integration. The line-topping Touring model features 17-inch alloy wheels, LED fog lights and side-mirror turn signals, rain-sensing windshield wipers, a power moonroof, perforated leather-trimmed seating, heated front seats with 8-way power adjustment for the driver and 4-way power for the passenger, dual-zone climate control, a 10-speaker audio system, embedded Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System™, and Honda HD Digital Traffic.
The sleek lines, coupe-like profile, and wide stance of the new Insight communicate a sophisticated yet elegant design. Details like the “flying wing” grille, standard low-profile LED headlights and taillights, tasteful use of chrome, and dynamic character lines emphasize its premium compact sedan character. Touring models up the ante with larger, 17-inch alloy wheels and LED fog lights. Insight’s design is as functional as it is aesthetically pleasing. Careful attention was paid in wind-tunnel testing to control airflow over, under, and around Honda Insight for optimum fuel efficiency and noise reduction. The low aluminum hood helps to reduce weight and improve air flow and visibility. Out back, the short trunk lid contributes to the coupe-like profile, and the sharp cut-off at the rear edge helps the airflow separate cleanly from the rear of the car, aiding fuel efficiency.
The driver-focused cockpit of the 2019 Insight features an elegance not found in its hatchback competitors. Premium appointments include a stitched dash, soft-touch surfaces, a sport steering wheel and ergonomically sculpted seats. The instrument panel features a customizable digital (color TFT) driver’s meter and a 7-inch multi-information display (MID), while an available 8-inch Display Audio touchscreen with Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™ integration sits atop the dash. Insight doesn’t compromise function for the sake of form. The long wheelbase provides for a class-leading 97.6 cubic feet of passenger space (LX/EX), including 37.4 inches of rear legroom, which is up to four inches more than top competitors. By locating the hybrid battery under the rear seats, Honda Insight provides up to 15.1 cu-ft of trunk space, bigger than many gasoline-powered midsize sedans while preserving the people- and cargo-carrying flexibility of a folding rear seatback – one piece on LX trims and split 60/40 in EX and Touring.
Powering the 2019 Honda Insight is the third-generation of Honda’s two-motor hybrid system. The highly efficient 1.5-liter Atkinson-cycle gasoline engine and powerful electric drive motor combine for a system output of 151 horsepower and 197 lb-ft of electric motor torque. Under most conditions, Insight operates as a series hybrid — the gasoline engine connects to a generator motor to produce electricity that either powers the electric propulsion motor, recharges the 60-cell lithium ion battery pack, or both. To customize the driving experience for maximum efficiency or driving performance, drivers can choose between ECON, SPORT and EV modes, in addition to the Normal driving mode. Drivers can also choose between three different levels of regenerative braking using selector paddles mounted on the steering wheel. By pressing the EV button on the center console, drivers can opt to go for roughly a mile under electric power alone.
The 2019 Insight chassis is designed to deliver luxury-class ride quality, superb cabin quietness, and peak efficiency, making Insight an ideal commuter vehicle while still being fun to drive. Honda Insight’s body and chassis are a further evolution of the 10th-generation Honda Civic platform. Aside from its exterior sheetmetal, Insight’s body structure shares much of its engineering with the 10th-generation Civic, including the latest generation of Honda’s proprietary Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure, extensive use of high-tensile steel, and leading technologies such as its crash stroke front frame design, which enables a shortened front overhang, and tailor-tempered “soft zones” in the body sides and rear frame for enhanced collision protection. Unlike Civic, the Insight utilizes an aluminum hood (skin and inner frame) for reduced weight and a new, reengineered rear floor structure to support and protect its hybrid battery pack, which is located under the rear seats. The fully independent suspension features updated springs, dampers and bushings.
Like all Honda vehicles, Insight’s attention to driver and passenger safety performance is of the utmost importance. All Insights come standard with Honda Sensing®. This advanced safety and driver assistive suite includes Forward Collison Warning (FCW), Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™), Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keeping Assistance System, Road Departure Mitigation, Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow and Traffic Sign Recognition. All models also come with a multi-view rearview camera, and Insight EX and Touring trims come equipped with Honda LaneWatch. Insight includes Honda’s next-generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure and advanced airbags, and targets top collision safety ratings of a NCAP 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score from the NHTSA and a TOP SAFETY PICK rating from the IIHS.
Category Archives: Honda
2019 Honda HR-V
The 2019 Honda HR-V arrived in dealer showrooms in the US with a starting price of $20,520 (excluding $995 destination and handling). For 2019, HR-V expands its appeal with the addition of new Sport and Touring trims, refreshed styling, new technology, and a more refined driving experience, adding to an already established reputation as a versatile and sporty 5-door subcompact SUV. For the first time, HR-V now features the Honda Sensing® suite of advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies – including but not limited to Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™), Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Lane Keeping Assist (LKAS) – standard on EX and above trims, making Honda Sensing® available on every model Honda sells.
All 2019 HR-V models feature new styling, with revised bumpers, headlights, grille, and taillights, while the new HR-V Sport and Touring trims get a unique look all their own. Blackout trim and 18-inch wheels visually distinguish HR-V Sport trims, while the all-wheel-drive-only Touring trim gets multi-element LED headlights, dark chrome trim, and LED fog lights. Inside, HR-V benefits from a new Display Audio system featuring a simplified interface that includes a volume knob and the addition of Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™ integration. The navigation system, available exclusively in Touring trims, has also been improved with sharper graphics and 3D landmarks. All models feature a redesigned driver’s meter with a large analog speedometer and digital tachometer. EX models and above receive a 4.2-inch Thin-Film Transistor (TFT) Driver Information Interface color display offering additional selectable information including available turn-by-turn directions.
Sport trims get a unique interior treatment that includes a black headliner, gloss-black trim and sport pedals, while EX and EX-L models get redesigned seat upholstery with high-contrast stitching. Touring models get double-stitched leather-trimmed seats, with 8-way power adjustment for the driver. The 2019 Honda HR-V benefits from refinements to its standard Continuously Variable automatic Transmission (CVT), resulting in a more natural driving feel and quieter operation. Other measures to reduce interior noise include additional sound deadening in the fenders and floor, plus the inclusion of Active Noise Cancelling on Sport and above grades. HR-V Sport models also receive variable-ratio electric power steering, while upgrades to the available all-wheel drive system yield improved performance in low-traction conditions such as snow.
The 2019 Honda HR-V is powered by a 141 horsepower, 1.8-liter DOHC i-VTEC® 4-cylinder engine. Driving either the front or all four wheels, all HR-V models now use a Continuously Variable automatic Transmission (CVT). The 6-speed manual transmission has been discontinued for the 2019 model year. HR-V’s CVT receives numerous upgrades for the 2019 model year to help provide a more natural feeling driving experience. At full throttle, the CVT now features revised shift mapping that, under hard acceleration, more closely resembles the stepped gear changes of a conventional fixed-gear transmission. This “stepped” feel gives HR-V a more familiar feel during acceleration, while also helping to reduce interior noise levels. Additionally, HR-V’s CVT uses a more refined and natural feeling engagement, staying at lower revs more often. Other improvements include HR-V shifting to higher revs under deceleration, providing a measure of engine braking force and better responsiveness when the driver returns to the gas pedal.
For the 2019 model year, HR-V EX and higher trims come standard with the Honda Sensing® suite of safety and driver-assistive systems. Honda Sensing® includes Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™), Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS) and Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) incorporating Lane Departure Warning (LDW). HR-V’s A-pillars have also been reengineered to achieve a Good score in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) test for small-offset frontal collisions. Lastly, EX and higher trims receive Honda LaneWatch™ as standard equipment. The 2019 Honda HR-V also benefits from a long list of standard active and passive safety features. This includes Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) with traction control, driver and passenger front and side airbags, side curtain airbags with rollover sensor, Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist and Honda’s next-generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure.
The 2019 HR-V incorporates numerous upgrades to its in-vehicle technologies. Headlining the changes is an updated Display Audio system available in Sport and higher trims. Its 7-inch touchscreen has been reconfigured with new icons for ease of use, and there is now a physical volume knob. Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™ integration is now standard on Sport and higher trims as well, while Touring models are available with an upgraded navigation system with higher resolution, 3D landmarks, and an easy-to-use interface. Standard on EX models and higher are walk-away door locks, which automatically lock HR-V’s doors when it detects the key fob is no longer near the vehicle. Sport and higher grades also benefit from Active Noise Cancellation for a quieter cabin, Smart Entry and push-button start, SiriusXM® and HD radio™, fully automatic headlights, and variable intermittent wipers.
