GreenHybrid - Hybrid Cars - View Single Post - Follow-up to "Anyone know about the "2006" Insight?

tigerhonaker · #3 (**permalink**) 05-23-2005, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hawkGT647

Hi Terry,

As an owner of a 2005 Insight 5-speed with A/C, let's see how many of your questions I can answer.

I drive to maximize mileage, but I do drive the posted speed limits. It may take me a little longer to get up to speed, but I eventually get there.

Only three tanks so far, but my mileage stats are:

http://www.greenhybrid.com/compare/m...r-shocker.html

I do use the A/C, when it's just me in the car, I cycle it. Similar to what you did in your Civic. If my wife or friends are riding in the car, it stays on, and I watch the MPG's drop. As the temps go up the A/C will be used more, and expect to drop to the low 70's. Doesn't totally answer your question, but I don't have many miles on the car yet.

The sound system is still the same, Honda just upgraded the head unit to a CD player and added two more lousy rear speakers. I used the fader and turned off the rears and replaced the door speakers with Infinitys from Crutchfield. It's better, but not great. The stock rear speakers are worthless. Maybe one day I'll add an aftermarket head unit and small amp.

I have heard of other people installing satellite radio, a search should give a few hits.

Cruise - I wish Honda would install it, with the option to choose a set miles per hour or mpg. Aftermarket units are out there.

Road noise - it's not my wife's Acura TL, doesn't ride as smooth or as quiet. It's a small, light two-seater. And drives and sounds like one. It is louder than most luxury cars, but thats not a fair comparsion.
I believe it is acceptable, but noticable.
Turn the stereo up, and everything is fine.

All kidding aside, I believe the road surface makes the largest impact on the interior sound level.

A few months ago I was excited as I waited for my new Insight to be delivered. Now that I've had it for awhile, I'm still as excited. It's an incredible car.

For people like you, Honda really needs to make more cars available for test drives to answer your basic questions about the car. Have Insight demo cars at select dealers in the prime market areas. Have salespeople that are really up on all the features.
When I bought mine, it was a leap of faith. I had only driven a used CVT Insight, with a drained main battery. But the different forums around gave me enough info to make up my mind. I don't regret the purchase.

p.s. Adding a center armrest really helps with comfort.

Regards,

Don;
Thanks for the info. on the insight and thankfully in my case I am friends with all the sells mgrs. at the Darrell Waltrip Honda dealership in Franklin, TN. and have purchased to say the least alot of Hondas from them over the yrs. One of the mgrs. that I know real well got the Honda Factory rep. to place a sold order so they could get the insight for me to test drive and see if I really wanted one or not. I will have to really see some positives about the insight after owning the civic that I have now and the fact that I now know the civic will get in the high 45-50 MPG range if I drive like I have some sense and not like the world is on fire if I'm not in there fighting for position on the interstate. I have found that if I slow up 5MPH and simply let the fast cats go on that you can really get some serious MPG and still get to your destination in plenty of time and a whole lot better mood. So, if the civic can do what I have seen it do I have no reason to think that the insight would not be way ahead of the numbers that the civic has done and BTW the civic only had on it 2300 miles when I made the trip to KY. and it got the 48.6MPG at 65MPH on cruise without any passing and running the A/C full time, only cycling it on and off to keep the interior cool enough to be tolerable or should I say not burn one up. I had XM Satellite radio installed in the civic and it has a really terrific factory sound system and it sounds like the insight "SUCKS". I really do not want to trade my 2005 for another 2005 so even if I am impressed with the insight I am going to have to or should I say going to wait and get the 2006 insight because either way one is going to take a hit trading so you may as well move up a yr.
BTW I appreciate your comments and hope to talk again with you and other forum members.
Got to tell you I was a little afraid that the insight oweners would rise up and take the offensive when I was asking the real world facts on the insights mileage and shall we say, not so other endearing qualities. Noise etc. etc.

Terry

Edit, MPG change from 48.3 to 48.6 correct