Honda has revealed the 3rd generation Insight ahead of its global debut at the 2018 New York International Auto Show.
The new Insight is built on the same platform as the 10th generation Civic, featuring Honda’s Advance Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure. An aluminum hood reduces weight, while additional sound insulation in the engine bay, front fenders, front firewall, and front and rear floor further aids cabin quietness, the company said.
As for the styling, the 2019 Insight boasts a sleek sedan design with a low and wide stance highlighted by Honda’s signature “flying wing” grille and bold front fascia, low-profile LED headlights and taillights, sharp character lines and a coupe-like roofline. 16-inch alloy wheels are offered as standard.
Inside, the new Insight features premium cabin appointments including a soft-touch dashboard, a 7-inch TFT instrument cluster, 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, Bluetooth, Pandora compatibility, optional heated and leather-trimmed seating, heated side mirrors, 6-speaker audio system and more.
The range-topping Insight Touring adds 17-inch alloy wheels, LED fog lights, rain-sensing wipers, a power moonroof, LED side-mirror turn signals, perforated leather seating, heated front seats with 8-way power adjustment for the driver and 4-way power for the passenger, dual-zone climate control, embedded Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System, Honda HD Digital Traffic, 4G LTE Wi-Fi with mobile hotspot capability and Wi-Fi-enabled over-the-air system updates, next-generation HondaLink subscription services, a 10-speaker premium audio system, and HomeLink Remote System.
The generous wheelbase of 106.3 inches and exceptional packaging efficiency yields best-in-class rear legroom of 37.4 inches, along with a spacious 15.1 cu.-ft. of trunk space that rivals gasoline versions of midsize cars, Honda said.
Safety
The 2019 Insight will include the Honda Sensing suite of advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies as standard equipment, which 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. Insight EX and Touring trims will also come equipped with Honda LaneWatch, and all trims will have a multi-angle rearview camera.
Powertrain
Powering the new Insight is the third generation of Honda’s two-motor hybrid system, featuring a 1.5-liter Atkinson cycle engine, an electric propulsion motor, and a lithium-ion battery pack. Total system output is 151 hp and 197 lb.-ft. (267 Nm) of electric motor torque. Under most conditions, the Insight operates as a series hybrid, in which the gasoline engine, connected to the generator motor, produces electricity that is supplied either to the electric propulsion motor and/or the 60-cell lithium-ion battery pack. Fuel efficiency is claimed to be 55 mpg in the city.
The Insight features 3 selectable driving modes – Normal, ECON, and Sport. Additionally, all Insights have steering wheel-mounted deceleration selectors to choose among 3 levels of regenerative braking performance, depending on driving conditions. In normal mode, the Insight is capable of all-electric driving for short distances of roughly a mile. Unlike competing systems, Honda’s two-motor hybrid technology works without the need for a conventional automatic transmission, with the electric propulsion motor directly powering the drive axles. During higher speed operation a lock-up clutch connects the engine to the drive axles to provide the most efficient operation during highway and freeway driving, the company said.
Suspension is a fully-independent – Macpherson strut front and multi-link rear – with liquid-sealing compliance bushings at both ends (Touring only). Like Civic, the Insight also features variable-ratio dual-pinion electric power steering. Confident and linear braking performance is provided by an electro-servo brake system, which seamlessly combines efficient regenerative braking and mechanical (friction) braking for ultimate stopping performance, Honda said.
The Insight will be manufactured alongside the Civic and CR-V at Honda’s plant in Greensburg, Indiana. The hybrid battery unit will be assembled at the company’s Marysville Auto Plant in Ohio, with the 1.5-liter Atkinson cycle engine manufactured by Honda’s Anna, Ohio engine plant, which also produces the engine for the Ohio-made 2018 Accord Hybrid.
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