Head to Head: Toyota Prius and Honda Insight
We’ve looked at both the 2010 Toyota Prius and the 2010 Honda Insight
separately, but since they’re the two big hybrids on the market, a head to head comparison is definitely in order. Will the Prius retain its hybrid crown or will the upstart Honda seize the throne? Well, in this case, there’s no clear cut winner.
First of all, there are quite a few differences between the Prius and the Insight. The 2010 Prius has expanded its interior room, moving the car firmly into the midsize category, while the Insight is most definitely a compact. Second, while both cars are hybrids, the actual hybrid drivetrains are fairly different. And third, the Prius is more expensive by a few thousand dollars, which, depending on an individuals economic situation, could be a dealbreaker.
Okay, with that out of the way, let’s get cracking. The Insight has a combined EPA mileage rating of 41 mpg while the Prius has a 50 mpg rating. Initial advantage goes to the Prius. However, when you look carefully at how that mileage is acheived, the Insight gains some ground. In designing the Insight, Honda took their Civic Hybrid architecture and essentially stripped it down. The Insight has a 1.3-liter gasoline engine producing 88 horsepower, mated to a 13 horsepower electric engine. As many components as possible have been compacted and miniaturized, reducing overall materials and manufacturing costs. The most expensive part of a hybrid vehicle is the drivetrain, but Honda has managed to cut the cost of their Insight’s drivetrain 40 percent compared to the one powering the Civic Hybrid. Quite an acheivment.
The Prius’ drivetrain has undergone an overhaul for the 2010 model year, but the setup is basically the same. The gasoline engine has increased in size to 1.8-liters and, while this may sound contradictory, that actually helps the gas mileage because the larger engine can turn at lower RPMs at highway speeds, decreasing the need for fuel. The electric motor in the Prius has become more powerful and also been decreased in physical size.
Styling-wise, as you can see from the pictures, the Insight is heavily influenced by the Prius, so we’ll call that one a draw. When it comes to handling, the two also come in at a dead heat. The Insight is lighter, allowing for maneuverability, but Honda’s cost cutting is apparent in the steering response, so those benefits are negated. The Prius is bigger and heavier, so the ride is firmer and more stable, but with that extra size comes reduced maneuverability, so, again, those benefits are negated.
What the comparison comes down to, essentially, is the price. The Insight starts out at a $20k base price while the Prius starts at $23k. Add on a few extras and a well-equipped Insight will be $23k and the Prius reaches $29k. You notice the price difference in the ride quality and the fuel economy, but the Insight will probably draw a large amount of customers who want a hybrid but can’t afford the extra $6,000. As far as hybrid technology goes, the Prius retains its crown and provides excellent fuel economy, but the Insight does that almost as well, and for a fair bit less.American Zombie hd
April 6th, 2009 at 5:13 pm
[...] market segment of its own. You can read our full head-to-head comparison of the two vehicles here. Share and [...]
April 26th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
[...] now, but with the recent introduction of the Honda Insight (check out our head-to-head comparison here), that may change. The Insight has a base level price tag of under $20,000, and it could very [...]