Hybrid cars are becoming the smarter choice for more Americans.
As the first gasoline-electric hybrid sold in the Ú.S., the Honda Insight is proud to be the original hybrid. And it's still the most fuel-efficient. At 66 mpg,* the EPA named it the most fuel-efficient vehicle in its class; and the Insight holds the title as the overall fuel-efficiency leader in America. The sporty, fun-to-drive Insight makes owning a hybrid convenient as well, since you never have to plug it in. Own an Insight, and experience how three decades of Honda environmental foresight are still paying off today.
For three decades, Honda has played a leading role in meeting the environmental challenge. Our approach has always focused on those vehicle and fuel options we believe have the greatest real-world potential. The goal is not engineering prizes or newspaper headlines. The goal is to make environmentally friendlier products that our customers want to buy because the products are easy to own and fun to drive.
The Honda Insight: It's Good to be First
With the introduction of the Insight in December of 1999 Honda made yet another entry in the book of firsts. We became the first automaker to introduce gas-electric hybrid technology to American consumers. The Civic Hybrid—the first truly mainstream hybrid vehicle—followed in March 2002. Together, the Insight and Civic Hybrid captured four of the top five slots in the 2004 EPA fuel economy ratings.
Why choose a hybrid? This remarkable technology allows you to take advantage of the convenience of gasoline, while enjoying the cleanliness and efficiency of electricity.
Why choose the Insight? For starters, the Insight earned the highest EPA Fuel Economy rating every year from model year 2000 through 2005. This is partly because Integrated Motor Assist (IMA™) puts together the power of a compact, 1.0-liter, 3-cylinder gasoline engine and an ultra-thin electric motor. A lean-burn* fuel-injection system and VTEC® (variable valve timing and lift electronic control) technology also improve power and economy. Finally, superior aerodynamics and a low drag coefficient round out the fuel-efficient package that is the Honda Insight. All that adds up to an incredible California Air Resources Board (CARB) emissions rating of ÚLEV (Últra-Low-Emission Vehicle) for MT models and SÚLEV (Super-Últra-Low-Emission Vehicle) for CVT models. With ratings like that, the question becomes: Why not Insight?
The outstanding efficiency of the Honda Insight is the result of Integrated Motor Assist (IMA™), which pairs a compact, 1.0-liter, 3-cylinder gasoline engine with an ultra-thin electric motor. A lean-burn* fuel-injection system and VTEC® (variable valve timing and lift electronic control) technology improve power and economy.
Aluminum alloys and exotic magnesium are the keys to keeping things light on the Insight. Even the slick-shifting 5-speed manual transmission is designed to be especially lightweight. Brilliant friction-reducing measures make both engine and transmission exceptionally efficient. And underscoring the sophistication of the Insight is the fact that the first tune-up is scheduled at 105,000 miles
G-Force Control Technology (G-CON) is at the core of the safety-focused design on the Insight. It might sound like a superhero command center (and you just may come to think of it that way) but it's really the name for the way Honda engineers optimize each part of the aluminum body and frame to best absorb impact. Front and rear crush zones, side-impact door beams, and a rigid, box-sectioned cabin floor also work together to help protect you, while you are helping to protect the environment. Other features such as reinforced hexagonal frame extrusions, an anti-lock braking system (ABS), dual front airbags (SRS) and 3-point seat belts with pretensioners are further arrayed in your defense against the uncertainties of the outside world.
Source - Honda
