Below is a response that I wrote the other day, but decided not to post it without thinking whether it might be an appropriate comment. Based on the reply by 'spinner,' here is what I had written, which underscore his comments:

I share your optimistic about the Insight's mileage, and hope you are correct.

I have noticed Honda employees in other forums making claims of unsubstantiated high FE expectations. While those claims may eventually prove true, I believe that some bias-prone topics are best left to customers, in order to balance new car sales enthusiasm with real-world experience. That way, no Honda employee could be misconstrued as having self-serving motives.

 

I picked up my '10 HIH 10 days ago and just finished my third tank, my first 500+ mile tank, with a total of 1326.7 miles on the car so far.





This was by far my best tank so far with the new Insight. The weather over the course of this tank was almost perfect with temps in the mid-fifties, sunny and gentle winds. It has however been a little chilly in the mornings still, around 35-40 degrees F.

I do most of my driving along the E/W I-90 corridor that runs along the Mohawk Valley in upstate NY and into the foothills of both the Adirondack and Catskill Mountains north and south of the valley. The geography is mostly rolling hills with a decent number of fairly steep climbs of 500-1000ft. Not the Rockies, but not the Plains either!

The speeds for this tank were roughly 10% Interstate (65MPH), 20% city/village (30-45MPH) and the remainder two lane state roads (55MPH).

I filled the tank before I reset trip A. That is to say I topped the tank right off until I could see the gas coming up the filler neck. I usually don't top off that drastically but I wanted the tank completely filled for my computations. And I mention it because when I refilled at the end of this tank I refilled it the same way.

I really pushed it to get this 500 miles, going about 40 miles after the estimated range on the MID went to zero. Now I have a good idea of how far I can push it. When I refilled it took 10.3 gals to top the tank completely off. That's the most gas I've managed to squeeze in so far. I guess that means I only had 3/10ths of a gallon left!

So anyways, the math says .
That's 2.5 MPG under the estimate of 51.3 MPG on the MID, so it looks like Honda's algorithm is still outputting a high number after all. (just like on my old '03 HCH)

Next tank is the same geography/speeds and hopefully the weather cooperates too, but with the ECON button OFF.

After that ECON ON/OFF again but with the tires cranked up to 50 PSI (I'm running 45 now).

My MPG's are still headed up and I'm looking forward to reaching the 57.3 MPG's I averaged with my personal record tank on the old '03 HCH.

 

For starters, what I said to steven had nothing to do with you...it was a comment in jest to what he had said....

Secondly...The fact that I sell Honda vehicles does not mean I wont have an opinion.... and my opinion matters just as much as the next persons.

Which is why I said:
It will definitely take some time...however I think that if someone is properly trained to drive the insight as designed...and follows the instructions and Econ system on getting the best MPG's...then those averages will raise by even wider margins.

I only say that based on my personal experiences so far in driving the demo I have....and I don't drive it too much differently than I do my 08 Accord.


I also have a LOT more access to EVERY type of vehicle, wether hybrid or not, much more so than most anyone on this site....and although I am on most occasions totally un-biased in my responses - when it comes to this particular vehicle I have a much higher opinion of it that what many reviews have warranted...

Feel free to visit the MANY websites I contribute to or am a part of and that will speak for itself.

As is said before....I have nothing to hide...but I WILL POST my opinion of this or any other vehicle, and that of the customers who have purchased one from me.... and apologize in advance if that seems to offend you.

C.Bond

 

I just filled up my Insight, the MID said 48 and I figured it to be 45.5 manually. Given that is a 5% difference or roughly 1/3 gallon it's hard to say which is right at this point. Either way it beats the EPA estimates.

I drive about 15% city and 85% highway. I really don't try to do any hypermiling, just drive reasonably and try to keep the display from turning blue too often.

 

I got 54 mpg on a very short 3 mile drive early morning city when I first got the Insight, no hills nor traffic/traffic lights using the Econ Mode.

Most of my trips are now 2 minutes in length and one very long stop light and now showing 34/36 mpg average using the onboard computer, no Econ Mode being used. Ambient temps around 70 in Florida.

Have a Civic 2009 Automatic as well and got 24/25 mpg on a normal city 5 to 6 mile drive then went to a 2 minute drive as I am now doing with the Insight and was getting 17 mpg. This is normal for me when I only drive 1/2 mile up and 1/2 mile back without the car's being warmed up. Nothing wrong with either car, its just you all have to remember how one drives and what weather and if the car has time to warm up.

Also want to mention that the tires were under inflated reading about 29 lbs and or 30 lbs. Now pumped them up to 35 lbs each

 

On a recent round trip to work and back (42 miles each way - 10% city/90% highway) I averaged 51.0 according to the MID. As I break more of my bad driving habits (this car is great at pointing them out), I am sure that figure will increase.

Even if you figure the computer is reading 2.5 over that's still 48.5 a full 20% over the EPA estimates.

 

I got my Insight II last week Friday and I couldn't be happier. The first few trips I averaged in the low 40s, but as I am getting more comfortable with the car (I come from a Dodge truck), I get higher MPG's every day. On my way home last night I had my best result yet, 63.3 MPG!!! (44 miles, 90% freeway with some stop-and-go, 10% city). Of course I completely changed my driving style - from 80 in the left lane to 55 in the right lane. This does take some getting used to.
This morning I drove somewhat "normal" and got 49.5 MPG. <-- ptretty great in my book.

 

It is funny how a car can change the way we behave and drive isn't it!!! Hal

 

63.3 Wow. My personal goal is to hit 55, just to prove Sammy wrong

 

I'm at 50 MPG on the MID. Only 300 miles on the car as of today. This weekend I will fill it up and see what the real MPG's are. The MID say's I only did an average of 30 MPH. I was doing Highway and some city. It started out below 10 MPH average. Honda dealer must have ran the engine for a long time. Only had 3 miles on it when I picked it up. The individual trip log on the MID was up to 60 MPG or just below for some trips.