00:00 - INTRO: The 60+ MPG Commute-Crushing Hybrid
If I wanted a used vehicle that gets amazing fuel economy at a far more reasonable price than a used Tesla, I would buy the first hybrid sold in the US. It’s a vehicle that had an amazing EPA fuel economy rating and it’s a car I still geek out over today, in spite of the fact that the earliest examples are more than 20 years old and they’re not exactly fast. In fact, I’d say they’re more… funky. And no, it’s not a Prius, but I’ll tell you what it is and why you might want one in just a moment, so hop in, buckle up and let’s go for a drive!
01:20 - OPEN – Hybrid Technology Offered The Best Fuel Economy In The Early 2000’s
Today it's electric vehicles, but 20+ years ago, if you wanted great fuel economy, you had to get a hybrid. The Prius was the first one to be launched in 1997, but it was a Japan-only model for the first couple of years and it wouldn't come to the US until model year 2000.
02:25 – The 2000 Honda Insight – The First Modern Hybrid Vehicle Available In The US
In spite of Toyota's Prius being the first mass-produced hybrid, Honda beat the Prius to American soil with the introduction of their first Hybrid, the 2-seat Honda Insight. While the Prius had impressive fuel economy, the Insight crushed it with a 61-city and 70-mpg EPA highway MPG rating.
03:35 - 2000-2006 Honda Insight is a more modern interpretation of the 1980s Civic CRX HF
Introduced in 1984 to the US market, the Honda CRX was a sporty, lightweight, front-wheel drive, 2-door hatch back that in its highest horsepower configuration (the CRX Si) offered sports car like performance that could give a comparable year Toyota’s MR2 or Pontiac’s V6 Fiero a run for their money. But in addition to the Si model, Honda also offered an HF or high fuel mileage version of the CRX that was equipped with a more fuel efficient engine and taller gearing to improve fuel economy.
For comparison, the base model 1984 CRX with a 1.3-liter 4-cylinder engine and a 5-speed manual transmission has a revised EPA fuel economy rating of 38 city / 48 highway and 41-mpg combined. That’s better highway mileage than the first Prius and matches the combined Prius rating of 41 mpg… without the complication of a hybrid power train. Of course, the CRX was much lighter because it was a smaller 2-seat vehicle, plus it didn’t have to meet model year 2000 crash standards. But still, the fuel economy of the 1.3-liter 1984 CRX was impressive. Fast-forward 16-years and the 2000 Honda Insight Hybrid expanded on those numbers with even more impressive fuel economy.
When first introduced, the EPA rating for the Insight was 61-mpg city / 70-mpg highway and 65 MPG combined. Those numbers were later revised to 49-city/61-highway/53-mpg combined. Yet even the revised EPA fuel economy estimates for the First Generation Honda Insight are impressive by today’s fuel economy standards.
So if that piques your interest, let’s get into why you might want a 2000-2006 First Generation Honda Insight.
05:45 - You Might Want A First-Generation Honda Insight If…
07:55 - How Honda Improved Fuel Economy In The First Generation Insight
The Simple Stuff
Other Interesting Stuff
11:25 - First Generation Honda Insight Performance
12:05 - Motorweek tested a 2000 Honda Insight:
13:05 - Not a Penalty Box For Driver & Passenger
14:05 - Issue To Watch For And Problem Areas
BIG ISSUES
NIGGLING ISSUES
RAVAGES OF TIME
20:05 - PRICING
26:00 - What To Look For In A Great Honda Insight
29:30 - WRAP
For those of you with a long-distance daily commute who want something interesting to drive that’s still frugal, check out the 2000-2006 Honda Insight Hybrid. It’s a 2-door, 2-seat coupe that evokes some of the looks and fun-to-drive dynamics of the early Honda CRX, while also delivering exceptional fuel economy. For a long-distance daily driving geek who doesn’t want to spend too much, this might be the perfect car.
Relevant Links:
Bumblebee Batteries IMA Install video for their replacement battery: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i57mLqZyxx4
It is about 20-minutes long, but it shows you the replacement process in detail, so worth a look if you are into the whole DIY thing with your First Gen Honda Insight