Honda Insight Driving Impressions

This car is really slick. OK. So it looks like a petite Prius. But still. I like the petiteness. (No comments from the peanut gallery here, please.)

But the problem with being so small is that I felt like I got pushed around a lot. (Ahem. Really. No comments, please). On the highway, it was like the slightest wind would blow me over. And that combined with the fact that the steering was very loose had me weaving if I didn't pay close attention.

In terms of looks alone, the Insight has a lot going for it. The interior design, for one, was really well done. The center stack and IMA gauges were really thoughtful in their simplicity and attractiveness. Everything was easy to reach, and I felt very close to everything I needed.

But I could see how this would be a problem for a bigger driver. And, I have to admit, there were times that even I felt too big or tall for the space. (Zip it.)

My absolutely favorite feature on this car was the gauge lighting on the speedometer. It turned a bright happy green when I was driving efficiently, and it turned an angry ice blue when I was being a speed demon. It was right in the line of my sight, and it was a constant reminder that I should pay more attention to my driving habits.

Another big bonus for the Insight is its accessible price point. At $19,800, it truly is the "hybrid for everyone." And when you tack on fuel economy at 40/43 mpg. Wow! Even better, I typically averaged around 48 mpg in my combined city highway driving. It would seem that the Insight would be the clear winner of the hybrid race that's brewing.

Not so much.

First off, the Insight is a mild hybrid. Which means that the engine will turn off when at a complete stop. But you can't drive in electric-only mode. And this is huge in a metropolitan area like Chicago. There's a lot of stop and go traffic that can keep you coasting at 15 to 20 mph for several miles at a time. And if you're in a full hybrid, and the battery is charged that's a lot of electric-only driving.

But it's when you get into the ride and handling and the overall execution of the hybrid that the real dirt starts to surface.

I already mentioned that I felt like I got pushed around on the highway and that the steering was loose. But the Insight also had a stiffer suspension than I would have expected, and every nick and groove in the road was clearly evident.

Then there were a couple things I didn't like about the hybrid part itself.

The on and off of the engine was a major downer. It was very evident and, honestly, downright clunky. I expected a smoother transition, but every off and on was a stutter and a shutter. After being in hybrids from Toyota, Ford and GM, this was an obvious oversight from Honda, and I was more than a little bit disappointed.

And I can't really call this a problem, but it is definitely worth noting: If you're in Eco Mode and you have the air conditioning on, it switches to fan only when you're at a stop and the engine shuts off. I didn't mind this too much because I'm always cold, but there were a couple of HOT days during the test period, and my dad was visiting. I thought he was going to melt. I get the whole conservation purpose of this (it is Eco Mode after all), but it's kind of unpleasant.

The verdict? I liked it but didn't love it. I think it opens up the world of hybrids to a whole new buyer at a whole new price point, which is great. But I think the execution could have been a wee bit better.

Love it: cool blue gauges, comfortable and attractive cloth seats, simple yet attractive interior design, easy to open and close rear hatch.

Hate it: the clunky on/off of the engine when the hybrid system kicks in, the feeling of being pushed around on the highway.

Can't live without it: green-and-blue lighting on the speedometer that clues you in to when you're driving well.