The Honda Insight is Back and More Stylish than Ever.

[Turbo]

We all remember Honda's hybrid car, the Insight, as a strange, compact sports car in its earlier years, and towards the end of its life cycle it became a four door even more boring than a Prius. Now, it looks a sleeker version of a Civic sedan. The prototype of the third-gen Insight was released today, and it will debut at Detroit in January. By next summer, it will enter production. Honda even says that the Insight will be loaded with premium interior features.

http://www.carscoops.com/2017/12/detroit-bound-honda-insight-prototype.html?m=1

 

[05XR8]

Was the Insight once a rebadged Civic? Guess it's in that cycle. It'll probably look like the original Insight, after this model.

 

[homeforsummer]

Was the Insight once a rebadged Civic? Guess it's in that cycle. It'll probably look like the original Insight, after this model.

Nope. The first-gen was its own thing, and the second-gen was on the Jazz/Fit platform.

Not yet convinced by this new one. It's a reasonable looking car - more so than the current Civic - so it gives me faith that Honda is once again finding its feet styling-wise. It'll probably drive well too. The Civic does, the larger Clarity does, and I've heard good things about the latest Accord.

It's just a shame there's little innovation to it. There wasn't to the second-gen car either, but at least that had the virtue of being inexpensive for a car of its type. This one seems to play things pretty safe - shove the hybrid drivetrain in a fairly conventional-looking car and aim it at a pseudo-premium place in the market.

 

[Mike458]

Is it me or does it look like EVERY SINGLE NEW GENERATION HONDA EVER?

Honestly their new lineup should be this:

Honda Accord
Honda Accord
Honda Accord
Honda Accord
Honda Accord
Honda Accord
Honda NSX

The cars all look the same so that should prevent confusion...

 

[Carbon_6]

Must be part of Honda's new design brief to have the bit of silver trim run through the middle of its car's face.

I initially thought it was just a feature unique to the Civic.

 

[FT-1]

Every Insight seems to be a radical departure from its predeccesor, this one looks like a Civic "Gran Coupe". I wonder if the premium appearance will translate into premium performance (like being 50% more powerful than the last model, for instance).

 

[homeforsummer]

Is it me or does it look like EVERY SINGLE NEW GENERATION HONDA EVER?

Nose treatment and taillights aside, my first thought on seeing it was more Mazda 6 than other Hondas.

 

[05XR8]

Nope. The first-gen was its own thing, and the second-gen was on the Jazz/Fit platform.

Not yet convinced by this new one. It's a reasonable looking car - more so than the current Civic - so it gives me faith that Honda is once again finding its feet styling-wise. It'll probably drive well too. The Civic does, the larger Clarity does, and I've heard good things about the latest Accord.

It's just a shame there's little innovation to it. There wasn't to the second-gen car either, but at least that had the virtue of being inexpensive for a car of its type. This one seems to play things pretty safe - shove the hybrid drivetrain in a fairly conventional-looking car and aim it at a pseudo-premium place in the market.

Just remembered the Civic Hybrid. That's what I thought it was. All good.

 

[MedigoFlame]

Looks better than the 2018 Honda Accord... Especially the rear with complete taillights, rather than this.

Certainly a shame though that it doesn't have the odd/funky looks of the original Insight. Though, maybe the CR-Z would have suited that name better than this new one.

 

[VXR]

Just what on earth is their current styling direction?! Blobby with a touch of razer blade in the grille does not look good.

 

[TheCracker]

It's just a shame there's little innovation to it. There wasn't to the second-gen car either, but at least that had the virtue of being inexpensive for a car of its type. This one seems to play things pretty safe - shove the hybrid drivetrain in a fairly conventional-looking car and aim it at a pseudo-premium place in the market.

I can totally see why they do it though. As electric and electric-hybrids become the norm, Joe Public will want 'normal' looking cars. At first electrics and hybrids were something different, they were bought predominantly by people who wanted cars that were a little bit different. But that time has been and gone. I would hazard a guess that when the next automotive revolution hits the showrooms, they'll look 'different' too. To begin with.

 

[ToyGTone]

Honda Clarity

Honda Accord

Honda Civic

Is this a new car or what?

 

[homeforsummer]

I can totally see why they do it though. As electric and electric-hybrids become the norm, Joe Public will want 'normal' looking cars. At first electrics and hybrids were something different, they were bought predominantly by people who wanted cars that were a little bit different. But that time has been and gone. I would hazard a guess that when the next automotive revolution hits the showrooms, they'll look 'different' too. To begin with.

I understand the motivation, particularly given that Honda made a loss on every first-gen Insight it sold and the second-gen didn't quite go gangbusters like the Prius did.

I'd just like to have seen something a bit braver in engineering terms, given they've seen fit to create an entirely new model line. If playing it safe is the only priority then a hybrid version of the Civic or the Accord (the latter of which they already do) is the more sensible choice.

Something that seems to be sized somewhere between the two and pitched somewhere between the two in terms of styling seems like a bit of a wasted opportunity. Hoping the best aspect is something we can't currently see - maybe a great chassis, maybe an ultra-low drag coefficient.

 

[Huzar]

Ha looks way better then the ugly civic or accord.