Toyota Prius Or Honda Insight

[maxi 2]

Hi guys.....

I need a big help from all of you.. i am planning to buy a used hybrid car and my budget is around 3.4 million.

i am looking for Toyota prius(2008) and Honda Insight(2009). i want to know the performance and economical car among these two..

according to my view Honda Insight is sexiest than prius.. but i heard prius is more powerful than insight is that true??

Appreciate if you guys can give your views and recommendations.

Thanks...

[tiv]

You have an awesome avatar for a guy who's seeking a hybrid! Anyways hope someone helps you out..

[Magnum]

Hi guys.....

I need a big help from all of you.. i am planning to buy a used hybrid car and my budget is around 3.4 million.

i am looking for Toyota prius(2008) and Honda Insight(2009). i want to know the performance and economical car among these two..

according to my view Honda Insight is sexiest than prius.. but i heardpriusis morepowerfulthan insight is that true??

Appreciate if you guys can give your views and recommendations.

Thanks...

Take a look at the Civic hybrid

[jdnet]

The insight is sexy? Well if you watch down's syndrome porn then I guess it'd be alright. If you want a hybrid, you probably care about the fuel consumption so the best bet would be the prius. It does better on fuel but a little pricier.

Edited June 4, 2012 by jdnet

[JadeyBlitzen]

First of all I doubt you can find an insight for that kind of money in this climate. a used fit hybrid might be more affordable. But since you are new to hybrids starting off with a mild hybrid like the insight or the fit is best. I got an insight and I get 20km/l wherever I go If I don't get caught in long jams. But in heavy traffic it burns fuel like an ordinary 1.3 unless auto stop is activated. Performance wise its quicker than most of the cars you meet on the road especially off the line. pretty easy to get the wheels spinning. But at high speeds the car runs on engine power alone so it becomes an ordinary 1.3 with a lot of bulk. The best part is handling. the steerings sharp and communicative and it grips pretty well around corners. Finally if something goes wrong with the hybrid system you can still drive the car with its engine as long as you like, which you can't do with any other hybrid.

Btw who told you the prius is quicker? Maybe a 3rd gen model on a good day. people say its more powerful because the engines bigger. but they are atkinson cycle engines and you really don't get much power out of the engine. its the electric motor that compensates. and they are a lot heavier so they aren't fun to drive.

[colombodriver]

+1 Honda Insight Handling..

[Clark's son]

No need to compare, the insight is miles ahead

If you remove the toyota badge the prius is worthless.

[Californikan]

I have driven both cars extensively. My impressions are:

Prius: More comfortable, quieter, a little quicker, a little roomier inside,and a little better fuel economy than the Insight.

Insight: More fun to drive, and a more appealing design than the 2G Prius.

The Prius is a little quicker (by about half a sec to 100km/h) than the Insight because it's more powerful. The Prius can also run on 100% electric power (which the Insight can't) at low speeds, which is useful when driving in heavy traffic jams. No petrol is being used and it has zero-emissions when it's running on electric power. Ultimately you should thoroughly test drive both cars and see which one you like better. You won't go wrong with either one.

BTW, here is a head to head comparo......

Edited June 13, 2012 by Californikan

[zayan X]

I heard if the Battery of a Prius fail.. That is it... You can't use the vehicle untill you replace it with a new one...? It is not so with Insight ...

[JadeyBlitzen]

Prius: More comfortable, quieter, a little quicker, a little roomier inside,and a little better fuel economy than the Insight.

Insight: More fun to drive, and a more appealing design than the 2G Prius.

The Prius is a little quicker (by about half a sec to 100km/h) than the Insight because it's more powerful. The Prius can also run on 100% electric power (which the Insight can't) at low speeds, which is useful when driving in heavy traffic jams. No petrol is being used and it has zero-emissions when it's running on electric power. Ultimately you should thoroughly test drive both cars and see which one you like better. You won't go wrong with either one.

Oh! the prius performed better on the edmunds report and you took it literary? tell us more about other things you learnt just by reading and watching videos on the internet.

[AbeysinghE]

Hi guys.....

I need a big help from all of you.. i am planning to buy a used hybrid car and my budget is around 3.4 million.

i am looking for Toyota prius(2008) and Honda Insight(2009). i want to know the performance and economical car among these two..

according to my view Honda Insight is sexiest than prius.. but i heard prius is more powerful than insight is that true??

Appreciate if you guys can give your views and recommendations.

Thanks...

Mate, I don't think the Prius performs better than Insight as I have used both the cars for more than one year..If you consider the power to weight ratio..both cars are having a very slight difference.so It's unwise to argue that the prius does better on performance than Insight..yes Prius has a more powerful engine but at the same time it's more heavier than Insight..yes I accept the fact that Prius is more economical on fuel and it's bit comfortable and roomier than Insight. and don't forget my friend, It's having the famous Toyota badge that you can sell any shit in Sri Lanka with that badge.. .

Edited June 5, 2012 by AbeysinghE

[Californikan]

Oh! the prius performed better on the edmunds report and you took it literary? tell us more about other things you learnt just by reading and watching videos on the internet.

I've driven both cars extensively and what I wrote was based on my personal experience driving both cars, not the Edmunds video.

The video is just supplemental and brings up some other points.

ps. I thought about putting the Edmunds video in a separate post just in case some dumbass would write what you wrote. But then I decided not to 'cause I thought no one could be that stupid. But obviously, you are.

[Magnum]

Prius: More comfortable, quieter, a little quicker, a little roomier inside,and a little better fuel economy than the Insight.

Insight: More fun to drive, and a more appealing design than the 2G Prius.

The Prius is a little quicker (by about half a sec to 100km/h) than the Insight because it's more powerful. The Prius can also run on 100% electric power (which the Insight can't) at low speeds, which is useful when driving in heavy traffic jams. No petrol is being used and it has zero-emissions when it's running on electric power. Ultimately you should thoroughly test drive both cars and see which one you like better. You won't go wrong with either one.

Or just buy a bicycle, it doesnt need petrol at all, it has zero emission and its way CHEAPER!

Edited June 5, 2012 by Magnum

[JadeyBlitzen]

I've driven both cars extensively and what I wrote was based on my personal experience driving both cars, not the Edmunds video.

The video is just supplemental and brings up some other points.

ps. I thought about putting the Edmunds video in a separate post just in case some dumbass would write what you wrote. But then I decided not to 'cause I thought no one could be that stupid. But obviously, you are.

Sure sure! I bet you did 0-100 runs too. otherwise how would you know the prius is exactly half a second quicker?

[rangerover]

The Brand New insight looks pretty neat. I guess the rear portion of the car needs a bit of getting used to, but its a decent car. Even the JDM with a nice set of alloys would definitely be more aesthetically appealing!

[razordj]

I got an insight and I get 20km/l wherever I go If I don't get caught in long jams. But in heavy traffic it burns fuel like an ordinary 1.3 unless auto stop is activated. Performance wise its quicker than most of the cars you meet on the road especially off the line. pretty easy to get the wheels spinning. But at high speeds the car runs on engine power alone so it becomes an ordinary 1.3 with a lot of bulk. The best part is handling. the steerings sharp and communicative and it grips pretty well around corners. Finally if something goes wrong with the hybrid system you can still drive the car with its engine as long as you like, which you can't do with any other hybrid.

Mate, whats the maximum fuel efficiency you achieved so far? I saw in couple of review they said it does 25kmpl on highway around 100kmph, but would like to know for sure.

Also, can you get 20kmpl on a situation like office traffic where we won't have to stay longer without moving but which include lot of braking and accelerating?

[Phill]

I got close to 27kmpl in highway while driving close to 110kmph. And in office traffic time it does around 16kmpl or sometimes even less than that. Probably because of the way I drive in traffic.

[JadeyBlitzen]

Mate, whats the maximum fuel efficiency you achieved so far? I saw in couple of review they said it does 25kmpl on highway around 100kmph, but would like to know for sure.

Also, can you get 20kmpl on a situation like office traffic where we won't have to stay longer without moving but which include lot of braking and accelerating?

I've noticed high 20s several times especially on open country roads. With a bit of effort I'm certain it will hit 30 km/l. Went on the highway coupla days ago with 4 other people on board. on the first run I had econ off and got 19 km/l. on my way back I switched on econ and it gave a better reading on the instantaneous fuel consumption display than before. but I was driving a bit aggressively so again I got 19km/l. Also I got wider 205 section tyres. so on stock tyres with coupla passengers and econ mode on you should be able to hit 25 if you drive decently. Today I left colombo around 730. there was some moving traffic and I was thrashing it a bit when the road opened up ahead. I still got 19 km/l. in rush hour traffic expect something between 10-12 if auto stop is deactivated. the worst was during wesak traffic. 2 hours stuck in traffic and the average dropped to 9km/l without auto stop.

Edited June 6, 2012 by JadeyBlitzen

[dpbatagoda]

I have used both cars. Below are my experience.

Toyota Prius :

Pros:

more head room for back people, more luggage space, better fuel economy in Traffic

Cons:

Dash board design not user friendly, very little information display in dash board, not appealing looking as HOnda insight, Battery failure you can't move the car

Honda Insight:

Pros:

Very informative dash board

Better looking

Better fuel economy in long run, I was able to get 28Km/L from Beruwela to Colombo at night drive,

In case of battery failure you can drive it as a normal car.

Very fun to drive for long distance. (not in traffic)

Cons:

Lesser head room for back people

lesser luggage room

Bad fuel economy in traffic driving. (best I got 17Km/L in Colombo). But for prius it's doing 20Km/L in traffic

you can feel the engine on off in traffic. But prius this is quite.

Engine switch over make vehicle pulling difference. Not observed in Prius

Conclusion:

I will go for prius since I am heaving using it in Colombo driving in traffic.

But Honda insight has better demand than prius these days.

[dpbatagoda]

Just to give you an more plus points in Honda Insight:

1. It can be used as non-hybrid car as well. (by turning the eco mode off)

2. It has S gear which put to car to "Sport" mode which is real fun to drive. With the S mode, the car is having high rev, awesome pickup and pulling power which I haven't experience with any of the car I drove. and can compete any vehicle on the road. I just try S mode in trip to Kandy in hill roads and it was awesome to drive, very pickup, very easy to climb hills with load and AC. The fuel consumption is not bad at all with S mode. (around 15Km/L )

I would see this "S" gear is real benefit of having HOnda Insight over a Prius if you are considering about performance in some situations.

[The Don]

If I'm not mistaken the Prius can run on engine power alone if the battery fails but not if the entire hybrid system fails (as in the motors fail). But this is also the system that allows the Prius to run in 100% electric mode which ultimately should make it more economical. Honda uses an electric assist system so isn't considered a full hybrid.

[razordj]

I got close to 27kmpl in highway while driving close to 110kmph. And in office traffic time it does around 16kmpl or sometimes even less than that. Probably because of the way I drive in traffic.

I've noticed high 20s several times especially on open country roads. With a bit of effort I'm certain it will hit 30 km/l. Went on the highway coupla days ago with 4 other people on board. on the first run I had econ off and got 19 km/l. on my way back I switched on econ and it gave a better reading on the instantaneous fuel consumption display than before. but I was driving a bit aggressively so again I got 19km/l. Also I got wider 205 section tyres. so on stock tyres with coupla passengers and econ mode on you should be able to hit 25 if you drive decently. Today I left colombo around 730. there was some moving traffic and I was thrashing it a bit when the road opened up ahead. I still got 19 km/l. in rush hour traffic expect something between 10-12 if auto stop is deactivated. the worst was during wesak traffic. 2 hours stuck in traffic and the average dropped to 9km/l without auto stop.

Pretty much useful information. Many thanks!!!

The other thing is in my mind is the comfortability. My current ES8 is very comfortable and gives me the maximum pleasure while driving, but I need something better on fuel due to the mileage I travel per month:(

I think Insight got all of that (Handling, cornering, performance) because its a Honda, but is it a comfortable car?

Have never driven a one, but once I got into one at a sale, the first thing that came to my mind is that seats are not much comfy compared to my current ride. (Even my wife thought it too)

Any thoughts?

Going on the post, I think Insight is much better. It has better curves and I don't like the body and the interior of Gen 2 prius at all. Also I've read some reviews that its not that fun for performance driving and it sucks in corners. (somebody else can confirm) For me, the only thing Prius has better that Insight is it's less fuel consumption in traffic.

[Supra_Natural]

Just for the record... People on this thread claiming the Insight is "Truly Honda fun to drive" with "amazing performance that can keep up with any car on the road" are talking completely out of their asses.

The insight is just as boring to drive as the Pri-Ass is. End of Story.

It may be light but the suspension is tuned to get the maximum possible ride comfort and rolling efficiency from it's size, so it sure as hell isn't anything approaching fun when you push it. The stock tires dont have much grip (because naturally they are low rolling resistance), the steering (EPS) is pretty lifeless and the engine is continually telling you "SLOW DOWN FOR GOD'S SAKE!!" when you put your foot down.

All the above is not from sitting in it at a car sale or reading about it online, but from an actual road test I did of the Insight.

It's a perfectly competent hybrid car, but it's certainly not a traditional fun to drive small honda AT ALL!. Something like a Fit hatch has it beaten six ways to sunday in the fun to drive stakes.

If you want traditional Honda fun in something that will give you economy, buy the aforementioned Fit. Or better still, go hunt up a 1.6l FD4 Civic with a Manual gearbox.... I did, and I love the thing!

Edited June 13, 2012 by Supra_Natural

[razordj]

Well, I saw your Insight review done with Rathika (and it was darn good)

To be exact, the question is what can we gain other than economy from Insight or Prius. I think there is no point arguing about the non hybrids and hybrids since their purpose is different. (Except for hybrids developed to gain more performance like Fisker Karma)

Or better still, go hunt up a 1.6l FD4 Civic with a Manual gearbox.... I did, and I love the thing!

I'm already enjoying Hydraulic PS and a Manual gearbox and I know the horror of not having them, but what efficient would an FD4 give?

The max consumption I achieved so far is 14.28kmpl in my ES8.

Edited June 13, 2012 by razordj

[Californikan]

Just to give you an more plus points in Honda Insight:

1. It can be used as non-hybrid car as well. (by turning the eco mode off)

The ECO mode attempts to increase fuel efficiency by making changes to the way the AC ,throttle, and CVT gear ratios operate. It doesn't turn the hybrid system 'off'. The Insight and Prius always operate as hybrids.