2011 Honda Insight Consumer Reviews
Most Helpful Reviews
Positive Review
I purchased an Insight LX a couple of months ago, and have been very happy with it thus far. While I was originally planning to purchase a Prius, my wife already has a Prius and we decided that it would make more sense to get a smaller (and cheaper!) vehicle for my commute (about 12 miles each way). The insight is not going to blow anybody away performance-wise (although in sport mode with econ off it blows the Prius out of the water), but my 47.1 mpg average over about 6000 miles so far more than makes up for that. I haven't had any problems with the car, and find it to be generally comfortable and sort of fun to drive. I miss having a manual transmission, but the CVT in the Insight is, from what I hear, a necessity in terms of getting the maximum benefit from the hybrid system. While the Insight is small, its form factor makes it surprisingly versatile. I frequently need to move large boxes, and my dog's kennel, and have had no problems in that regard (far better than my old '08 civic). The car actually feels smallest in terms of its width, though other than sacrificing center console space, that doesn't seem to be a big deal. I definitely would not recommend this vehicle for anybody who routinely needs to have three people in the rear seat, although I've had two adult passengers in back on a few occasions and have had no complaints. The interior is definitely that of a budget vehicle, but is generally well-configured and attractive. I'm a huge fan of the hybrid-specific display readouts, which provide some useful fuel economy information and nice cues regarding real-time driving efficiency. In terms of features, the Insight EX and EX Nav are certainly more full-featured than my LX, but I can't complain too much (considering its purpose as a commuter vehicle). The LX lacks cruise control and variable intermittent wipers, but includes temperature-based climate control and an external temperature sensor, which I'm not used to seeing on base-level vehicles. All-in-all, I'm happy with my little Insight, and would highly recommend to others who are looking for an efficient, versatile, and relatively inexpensive vehicle.
VS
Critical Review
I used to own the 2001 Honda Insight... the two-seater. After 239k, I decided to get the 2011 Insight. More seats was an equal trade-off to less MPG. Aside from more room, it fell short with every feature it provided in comparison to other makes that offer the same features. Variable Transmission Putting the car into gear prompted a few second delay. So if you put the car in Drive, and placed you foot on the throttle, it would rev the engine and then 'jump' into gear. You had to wait. The engine was also not responsive coming out of a stop. NAVIGATION It only offered "easy, direct, maximize freeways" routing methods. Garmin and Tomtom are able to rout the fastest route. I tested my built-in Honda nav against my dashboard Garmin, and the Garmin consistently saved 20-35 minutes of drive time to get from north detroit to ann arbor mi. The Honda Nav would take you on routes that made absolutely no sense if you knew better. MP3/USB You can plug on a flash drive or thumb stick into the car to play music. On the stereo, the folders and track names come up. Scrolling through them was a pain because the screen's reaction (loading time) took forever... to the point where I don't like using it. This was an essential feature I wanted in my car, and it was simply disappointing. The dash located behind the wheel had to be toggled every time you run the car to get the one screen you prefer to be up at all times. This was just a small hassle. BRAKES the brakes were spongy and soft and seem to take longer to come to a stop than most other cars.
2011 Insight Reviews
Showing 8 of 160 reviews.
Has mpg
Ride is stiff. Jarring. Do not buy.
2012 year engines blow up. These cars are junk. I let the dealer know this. That is why I now drive a Corolla.😀
Mileage is great, zippy, manoeuvres well
Low in the front end, basic suspension
We ordered this car from the dealer and waited for delivery from Japan. This vehicle is a jewel. With regular oil change and service there has been nothing to repair in 12 years. Still running on the original hybrid battery. Tons of room in the hatchback with folding seats. Love it!
Efficiency
Not super comfortable
I bought my insight when it had 40,000 miles on it. It now has 210,000 miles and still going strong (until it got totaled today). I would guess it would go for many thousands of more miles because there were no issues and ran ran well. Although it is not a very powerful car at all. Also, I did have it maintained regularly, which I believe helps with any car. So if you want power, you don’t want this car. But if you want good gas, mileage, and just a basic car, with a roomy hat back it’s great.
Great MPG
Spare tire location too small for full size tire
I bought a used 2013 Honda Insight in 2018 with 80,000 miles on it. It has been the most reliable vehicle I’ve ever owned. I’ve been very pleased with it. It is my first Honda and now I’m pretty sure my next vehicle will be a Honda as well. The only problem I had ended up just being a bad battery (not the electric one). The battery tested good but from googling I discovered there is an issue with the 2013 models specifically being sensitive to dying batteries. I replaced the battery and problem solved. It’s been two years since I replaced it and I haven’t had a problem with it starting since then. Just keep up with maintenance and it’ll be good to you.
Very reliable, good mpg, nice interior, etc
Slow acceleration, uncomfortable seats, transmissi
Great car got it for cheaper than a Prius around 4 years ago at 120k miles. My first car and it’s up to 160k miles now. Definitely a good car with good gas mileage still get 41mpg in the city and on the highway. Very easy to maneuver and has a great turning radius. Never had any mechanical or appearance problems with it. Very roomy with the back seats down i can haul a lot of stuff. Basically the perfect size for parking in town. The few drawbacks include the suspension, it’s a little bumpy. And the very bad acceleration when getting onto highways and stuff. It also has a kinda clunky transmission and rolls back when you let off the brakes to go uphill. You also cannot change the back tires to a spare yourself if you get a flat they are held in by something other than lug nuts. Seats aren’t the most comfortable after a long drive. Even with all that, I love the car. it’s perfect if you don’t plan on going very fast and want to save money on gas. Great first car for a teen.
economical, efficient
cheap interrior, lack of power
I've driven Honda insights since generation 1 insight when I bought a 2001 used in 2007. I bought a used 2012 in 2015 and I purchased a used 2014 in 2017 which I currently still own (its dec 2021 now). These are great cars, very reliable and efficient, but if you are looking for comfort or speed, its not the car for you. I do think the car looks pretty cool from the outside but its a very basic vehicle on the inside. I basically use the thing as a 'truck' toting tools and materials all around and the cargo space is awesome in this car. Recently I replaced the clunky looking radio a pioneer screen that has apple CarPlay and its made a huge difference. It feels like a completely different vehicle.
great gas mileage
At a light in the summer, the AC stops a moment.
This car has been excellent for us. We are retired and going down to only one car. Our other car is 4 years younger and also a good car. It still gets 42 miles to the gallon, and rides well. It has smooth operation.
Reliable
Road noise
I bought this car used with 60,000 miles on it in 2012 and have owned it for nearly 8 years. It’s been such a great car. I kept the oil changes up and did the tune ups when recommended and haven’t had any mechanical issues besides the compressor for the HVAC go out in 8 years. It was perfect for having two large dogs with the hatchback rear. She’s got 215,000 miles and still starts right up and runs like a champ. Good job Honda! Made me a forever customer for sure.
