HOLY HONDA!
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2nd Gear
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 62
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From: Orlando/Ft. Lauderdale
HOLY HONDA!
As per Autoblog.com:
Unlike the Prius which is efficient but has never been particularly appealing to drive, the Insight makes good use of its Fit based chassis for fun steering and handling and still manages to get outstanding fuel efficiency. ABG managed to achieve an average 63.4 mpg on an efficiency drive and 44 mpg on a mountain road pleasure drive. Read all about the new Insight at AutoblogGreen
We’re also waiting for the official EPA fuel-economy ratings. Meantime, Honda projects 40 mpg city and 43 highway—no match for the Prius at 48 and 45, respectively. Your mileage may vary, of course, but our 128-mile test trip over suburban and rural blacktops netted an encouraging 46 mpg
The 2009 Insight, at first glance, fits almost perfectly into the Prius mold. The body has the same high-tail fastback silhouette, surely dictated by aero drag considerations. At 172.3 inches, the Insight is nearly three inches shorter than the Prius, 2.5 inches lower, and about an inch narrower
For the record, the Insight drives like a Honda, with tight suspension motions, a firm ride, well-connected steering, and a no-fat musculature. Interior sound levels are mild and well controlled, especially at freeway speeds.
After a half-dozen acceleration sprints, a couple of skidpad runs, and two full-throttle laps around a five-mile oval, it’s telling that the Insight’s fuel gauge was still pegged at full, not budging even a millimeter. The Honda is more invigorating to drive than the Prius—that’s perhaps the feeblest of praise.
It seems as if a moderately heavy right foot will yield mpg's in the 40's. I wouldnt mind playing with 60mpg when I so please. :D
The 2011 CR-Z is going to ROMP.
6th Gear
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,664
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From: Orlando, FL
I'll keep our original Insight thank you. There's a lot of disgruntlement on the Insight forums that they are actually calling it that. Yeah, it'll probably get better mileage than the Prius and it sure as heck better handle better. At least they put in paddle shifters. Not quite as good as a true stick but better than a slushbox. I'll be looking forward to seeing what the new CR-Z as well. That might have more on common with the original Insight than this one does.
6th Gear
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,298
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). And it does look a lot like the Prius, though I like the looks better. 
6th Gear
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,298
Likes: 1
I'm not trying to dispute that claim, but does Toyota build the chasis for the Pontiac Vibe or is it vice versa (seriously, I don't know)?
Last edited by MoxieMini; Jan 12, 2009 at 08:23 AM. Reason: grammar
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4th Gear
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 443
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From: Southern California
The reason it looks like a Prius is that is the most efficient shape possible. The Insight looked like that too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kammback
While the realities of fluid dynamics dictate that a teardrop shape is the ideal aerodynamic form, Kamm found that by cutting off / flattening the streamlined end of the tear at an intermediate point, and bringing that edge down towards the ground, he could gain most of the benefit of the teardrop shape without incurring such a large material, structural, and size problem. The airflow, once given the suggestion of the beginning of a turbulence-eliminating streamlined teardrop tail, tended to flow in an approximation of that manner regardless of the fact that the entire tail wasn't there. This is called the Kamm effect.
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