All-New 2019 Honda Insight Makes Canadian Debut at Vancouver International Auto Show
- Sleek and sophisticated new Insight hybrid sedan boasts robust acceleration and exceptional driving refinement with competitive fuel efficiency
- Outstanding 5-passenger comfort with premium feature content, including standard Honda Sensing® and Apple CarPlay(TM) and Android Auto(TM) integration
Markham, March 26, 2018 - The all-new, production version of the 2019 Insight will make its Canadian debut on March 28 at the 2018 Vancouver International Auto Show (VIAS), providing a first look at the latest entry in Honda's expanding lineup of electrified vehicles. The new Insight, launching at Honda dealerships nationally this summer, joins the newly launched Clarity and will be joined by the 2018 Accord Hybrid as the third new Honda electrified vehicle introduced this year.
As a premium compact sedan, Insight is positioned and priced between Civic and Accord in Honda's passenger car lineup. The Insight is unique in providing universally appealing styling, with the packaging and refinement of a premium compact sedan and fuel efficiency competitive with leading hybrid models. Powered by the third generation of Honda's innovative and efficient two-motor hybrid system, Insight's 151 net system horsepower combines with a lightweight structure to deliver the best power-to-weight ratio in its class.
"The Honda Insight shows consumers that the efficiency of a hybrid car doesn't mean sacrificing style, refinement or performance," said Jean Marc Leclerc, Senior Vice President of Honda Canada Inc. "The Insight is another symbol of a new era in the evolution of Honda electrified vehicles, where customers can have everything they want with no compromises."
Design and Packaging
The 2019 Honda Insight boasts a sleek sedan design with a low and wide stance highlighted by Honda's signature "flying wing" grille and bold front fascia, low-profile LED headlights and taillights, sharp and dynamic character lines and sweeping coupe-like roofline. Inside, the new Insight features premium cabin appointments including a soft-touch instrument panel with real stitching, ergonomically sculpted seats, a 7-inch TFT color digital driver's meter, standard heated front seats and available leather-trimmed seating and an 8-inch Display Audio touchscreen with Apple CarPlay(TM) and Android Auto(TM) integration.
The new Insight's comparatively generous wheelbase (2700mm) and exceptional packaging efficiency yields best-in-class rear legroom of 949 mm, along with a spacious 427 litres of trunk space that rivals gasoline versions of midsize cars. The placement of the lithium-ion hybrid battery pack beneath the rear seats allows for a fold-down rear seat (60/40-split) to maximize cargo- and people-hauling flexibility.
Trims and Features
The 2019 Honda Insight will be available in two trims - the well-equipped Hybrid and the line-topping Touring. Standard features include full LED headlights, LED daytime running lights and taillights, 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels, heated front seats, a 7-inch TFT digital driver's meter, push-button start, a 8-speaker audio system, LED fog lights, dual-zone climate control, Bluetooth and a 60/40 folding rear seat.
The line-topping Insight Touring adds, rain-sensing wipers, a power moonroof, perforated leather seating, heated rear seats and 8-way power adjustment for the driver, embedded Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System(TM), 4G LTE Wi-Fi with mobile hotspot capability and Wi-Fi-enabled over-the-air system updates, next-generation HondaLink® subscription services, a 10-speaker premium audio system, and HomeLink® Remote System.
Body and Chassis
The Insight shares its basic platform architecture with the highly-praised 10th-generation Civic. In keeping with its premium compact sedan character, the Insight gets numerous engineering enhancements to further improve ride quality, cabin quietness and efficiency. The body features Honda's Advance Compatibility Engineering(TM) (ACE(TM)) body structure. An aluminum hood, unique to Insight, reduces weight, while additional sound insulation in the engine bay, front fenders, front firewall, and front and rear floor further aids cabin quietness.
The Insight's new chassis is designed to provide a highly refined, confident and composed driving experience. It utilizes a fully-independent suspension system - Macpherson strut front and multi-link rear - with liquid-sealing compliance bushings at both ends (Touring only). Like Civic, the Insight also features variable-ratio dual-pinion electric power steering. Confident and linear braking performance is provided by an electro-servo brake system, which seamlessly combines efficient regenerative braking and mechanical (friction) braking for ultimate stopping performance.
Advanced New Powertrain
The all-new Insight is powered by the third generation of Honda's two-motor hybrid system, featuring a highly efficient 1.5-liter Atkinson cycle engine, a powerful electric propulsion motor, and lithium-ion battery pack. Total system output is 151 horsepower and 197 lb.-ft. of electric motor torque. Under most conditions, the Insight operates as a series hybrid, in which the gasoline engine, connected to the generator motor, produces electricity that is supplied to either the electric propulsion motor and/or the 60-cell lithium-ion battery pack.
The Insight features three selectable driving modes - NORMAL, ECON, and SPORT - allowing drivers to customize their experience by maximizing efficiency or driving performance. Additionally, all Insights have steering wheel-mounted deceleration selectors to choose among three levels of regenerative braking performance, depending on driving conditions. In normal mode, the Insight is capable of all-electric driving for short distances. Unlike competing systems, Honda's two-motor hybrid technology works without the need for a conventional automatic transmission, with the electric propulsion motor directly powering the drive axles. During higher speed operation a lock-up clutch connects the engine to the drive axles to provide the most efficient operation during highway and freeway driving.
Advanced Safety Technology
The 2019 Honda Insight will include the Honda Sensing® suite of advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies as standard equipment, which includes Forward Collison Warning (FCW), Collision Mitigation Braking System(TM) (CMBS(TM)), Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keeping Assistance System, Road Departure Mitigation, Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow and Traffic Sign Recognition. The Insight targets top collision safety ratings, including an NCAP 5-star Overall Vehicle Score and IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK with a "Good" rating in all crash test modes and a "Superior" rating for front crash protection.
Manufacturing
The Insight will be manufactured alongside the Civic and CR-V at Honda's plant in Greensburg, Indiana. The hybrid battery unit will be assembled at the company's Marysville Auto Plant in Ohio, with the 1.5-liter Atkinson cycle engine manufactured by Honda's Anna, Ohio engine plant, which also produces the engine for the Ohio-made 2018 Accord Hybrid.
