Hi Scotty- thanks for all the great information and advice you impart in your videos. I enjoy watching them and they have been very valuable to me.
I’m thinking about buying a used Honda Accord 2.0 but then I saw a Honda Insight this morning on the road and I kind of like it. Are they good cars? They seem to have great gas mileage. I realize it’s because they are hybrid. I couldn’t find a recent review of them on your channel. Would you recommend buying this car or am I better off with the accord. I was considering a hybrid vehicle but they are just so expensive so whether it’s hybrid or not does not matter to me but hybrid would be a nice to have. BTW I’ma Camry driver for years who wants to try some thing different but still at the same tier of Toyota quality.
Thanks!
Brad Semmel
The latest generation Honda Insight Hybrid is different than previous generation Honda Hybrids and current generations Toyota Hybrids, including the Prius and Camry. The Insight Hybrid acts more like an EV with a gas generator rather than a traditional hybrid.
In usual hybrids like the Prius or Camry Hybrid and Toyota technology, the ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) and the electric motor go back and forth, throughout most speed ranges. The ICE actually drives the car.
With the Insight Hybrid, the electric motor drives the car until about 45 MPH, and then the ICE may take over. The ICE acts more like a generator than actually drive the car below 45 MPH. So you basically have an gas powered EV, similar to a hydrogen powered EV, for anything below 45 MPH.
One of the biggest benefits of the latest Honda Hybrid technology, is that when the engine does run, it is operating at near peak efficiency and rev range when compared to regular cars and even Toyota Hybrids.
It's compelling technology, but not as time tested as Toyota Hybrid technology. Honda is a company that focuses on quality, so I would be open to an Honda Hybrid, even the Insight. I know other on the forum like to see how things pan out the first few years of a model before jumping on board.
FWIW, the current generation Insight has been around for 4+ years, and they are going to discontinue it soon. Honda appears to be consolidating the Insight into a Civic Hybrid, which makes sense, because they are almost the same car.
If you want tried and true, the hybrid technology in the Toyota has been battle tested for almost 20 years.
If you are willing to take a chance on compelling new hybrid technology (practically an electric vehicle) from a trusted company, go Insight. I am a little more adventurous, so I would probably go Insight (and I currently have a Gen 2 Prius.)
FWIW, I love the Accord too. Especially the non-turbo 4 cylinder versions. I currently roll in a 1999 Honda Accord with 275,000+ miles, since new.
With that said if you were going to get a Hybrid, the only two companies I would get them from is Honda and Toyota. Heck, those are essentially my first two company choices for regular ICE cars too.
Let us know your decision! Tag me when you do get your car:@kaizen. Curious what you decide!
