2011 Honda Insight Review
Price Estimate: $2,285 - $3,568





+128
Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Thrifty fuel economy
- cheap-for-a-hybrid price tag.
Cons
- Excessive road noise
- unsophisticated ride
- cramped backseat
- air-conditioning shuts off with auto-off engine at traffic lights.
What’s new
There is a new base model for the 2011 Honda Insight, which drops the base price along with several features. The previous LX base model lives on as a midgrade trim and gains standard cruise control, a center armrest storage console and an iPod/USB audio interface. All Insights now come standard with stability control.
Edmunds says
While fuel-efficient and reliable, the 2011 Honda Insight doesn't measure up to its archrival, the Toyota Prius.
For sale nationwide
26 listings
- $8,000good price$586 below market
- 108,934 miles
- No accidents, 3 owners, personal use only
- 39 City / 41 Hwy MPG
- Classic Hyundai (858 mi away)
- Tire Pressure Warnin...
- USB Inputs
- Auto Climate Control
- Alarm
- Trip Computer
Close
Located in Mentor, OH
**CALL OR TEXT ROB SIDLEY @ 440-487-9996 FOR A PERSONALIZED WALK AROUND VIDEO OF THE 2011 Honda Insight LX OR TO SET UP A TEST DRIVE AND ANSWER ANY QU...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
40 Combined MPG (39 City/41 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: JHMZE2H58BS004405
Stock: K30590A
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 06-03-2025 - $7,491good price$303 below market
- 99,289 miles
- No accidents, 2 owners, corporate fleet vehicle
- 39 City / 41 Hwy MPG
- Ideal Cars (1,156 mi away)
- Tire Pressure Warnin...
- USB Inputs
- Auto Climate Control
- Alarm
- Trip Computer
Close
Located in Mesa, AZ
THIS VEHICLE IS LOCATED AT 8136 E MAIN STREET, MESA AZ 85207 PLEASE CALL 480-354-2510NO CITY SALES TAX!! MEANS YOU SAVE $$$!!STEER TOWARD A BRIGHTER T...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: No
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
40 Combined MPG (39 City/41 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: JHMZE2H77BS004431
Stock: C04431
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 03-31-2025
Vehicle overview
When it debuted last year, the Honda Insight took on the Toyota Prius. It, too, was a hybrid, looked the way Americans think hybrids should look and got better fuel economy than anything else on the road. On top of this, the Insight promised a cheaper price and a driving experience that didn't isolate one to the point of falling asleep. The formula seemed like a winner. But one year of lackluster consumer interest and a 20,000-mile Edmunds long-term test have us thinking of the Insight as an incomplete copycat, not a challenger.
In terms of fuel economy, the 2011 Honda Insight is certainly no laggard, since its EPA-rated 41 mpg on the city cycle is pretty darned thrifty. At the same time, the Insight's hybrid system is a so-called "mild hybrid," which means it can't propel the car on electricity alone. This makes it less complex and expensive, but it also means the Insight's low-speed, urban driving isn't quite as fuel efficient as full hybrids like the 2011 Toyota Prius. This is a big deal to hybrid owners, who love the sensation of all-electric motoring. It also means that the air-conditioner shuts off along with the engine when the car comes to a stop. (Be warned, desert dwellers: You'll be choosing between fuel economy and sweating.)
Next comes the driving experience. It's true that the Insight is more engaging to drive than a Prius, but the downside is a relatively unsophisticated ride. The amount of road noise entering the cabin is substantial, even at the Insight's modest price. By comparison, the Prius feels like a step above in terms of ride comfort and refinement. The Insight's backseat also lacks adult-rated headroom, which compromises its utility as an all-around vehicle.
Certainly, there are some upsides to the 2011 Honda Insight. During our one-year 20,000-mile test, it was absolutely bulletproof in terms of reliability, and the fit and finish was impressive. The Insight is also cheaper than the Prius, with a new base trim level for 2011 that cuts the cost even further. Given this, the Insight could be a good choice if you're mainly looking for a basic set of wheels that gets great fuel economy. But for most shoppers we recommend the Prius, as its higher cost is more than offset by a more refined experience.
Performance & mpg
The 2011 Honda Insight's hybrid system consists of a 1.3-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine and an electric motor paired with a nickel-metal hydride battery pack. The gas engine is good for 88 horsepower and 88 pound-feet of torque, while the electric motor chips in 13 hp and 58 lb-ft. Due to varying power peaks, the maximum combined output is 98 hp and 123 lb-ft of torque.
At our test track, the Insight accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 10.9 seconds -- a few tenths slower than the Prius, but a substantial 2.6 seconds quicker than the glacial Civic Hybrid. EPA-estimated fuel economy is 40 mpg city/43 mpg highway and 41 mpg combined.
Safety
Every 2011 Honda Insight comes standard with stability and traction control, antilock brakes (front disc, rear drum), brake assist, front side airbags, side curtain airbags and active front head restraints. In Edmunds brake testing, the Insight came to a stop from 60 mph in 125 feet -- a good distance for a compact hybrid.
The Insight has not been rated using the government's new, more strenuous 2011 crash-testing procedures. Its 2010 ratings (which aren't comparable to 2011 tests) were a perfect five stars for the driver in head-on collisions and four stars for the front passenger. In side-impact tests, the Insight received five stars for the driver and four stars for rear passengers. In Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests, the Insight received the best possible rating of "Good" in frontal-offset and side crash tests.
Driving
As a hybrid, the 2011 Honda Insight delivers on the promise of miserly fuel economy. There is no transition between electric and gasoline modes since the Insight's engine is assisted by its electric motor rather than working in tandem with it. This makes it seem like a more normal car when driving than the Prius, and some folks might like that.
Thanks to responsive steering and relatively sporty suspension tuning, the Honda Insight is more fun and responsive to drive that a Prius. But the overall experience is still noticeably less engaging than what you'll get out of other fuel-efficient cars like the Ford Fiesta, Honda CR-Z or Mini Cooper. The ride also leaves much to be desired, as you feel even minuscule bumps, and the suspension noticeably registers pavement imperfections. There's a lot of wind noise at highway speeds as well.
Interior
The Insight's cabin has interesting architecture, but it is utilitarian in spirit very much in the characteristic fashion of Honda as a whole. This is particularly noticeable in the base model, which lacks a front armrest and has just two speakers for the stereo. Regardless of trim level, the Insight lacks rear seat headroom; it's tight even for those of average height.
On the positive side, the Insight's controls are quite simple to use and the standard automatic climate control is a nice touch. Also, the Insight has a couple neat visual aids (the changing background color of the speedometer and little cartoon trees in the trip computer that grow or wilt as your long-term fuel economy improves or declines) to help the driver optimize the efficiency of his or her driving style.
2011 Honda Insight models
The 2011 Honda Insight is available in three trim levels: base, LX and EX.
Standard equipment includes 15-inch steel wheels, keyless entry, full power accessories, automatic climate control, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, driver seat height adjustment, a trip computer and a two-speaker sound system with a CD player and an auxiliary audio jack.
The LX adds cruise control, a front center armrest and storage bin, floor mats, four speakers for the sound system and an iPod/USB audio interface. The EX adds 15-inch alloy wheels, heated mirrors, steering wheel shift paddles, steering wheel audio controls, vanity mirrors and six speakers. The EX can also be equipped with a navigation system, which includes a touchscreen interface, voice controls, Bluetooth and a digital audio card reader.

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Compare 2011 Honda Insight trim levels
Helpful trims summary and side-by-side comparison chart
Cost to Drive
Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota
$100/mo for Insight Base
Insight Base
vs
$166/mo
Avg. Compact Car
See Edmunds pricing data
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Reliability Ratings by RepairPal
4.5 out of 5 stars4.5/5Excellent
#5 out of 6 among Alternative Fuel Vehicles
RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.
Cost
$319/yr
vs. $377/yr
for Average Alternative Fuel Vehicle
for Average Alternative Fuel Vehicle
Frequency
0.76x/yr
vs. 0.52x/yr
for Average Alternative Fuel Vehicle
for Average Alternative Fuel Vehicle
Severity
9.1%
vs. 8.3%
for Average Alternative Fuel Vehicle
for Average Alternative Fuel Vehicle
powered by RepairPal
Honda Insight Owner Reviews
Most Helpful Owner Reviews
Trending topics
Honda Insight Base
5 out of 5 starssteve190, 04/29/2011
2011 Honda Insight 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
Fun car for the money, yeah you won't win any races with it but that is not what it was designed for. If you are looking for a car that is reasonably fun to drive and great on gas if you drive it right check out the Insight. You can do better on mileage with the Prius but you will also pay more for it and in my opinion the Honda drives and handles much better. Try them both and decide … for yourself. Excellent value for a hybrid! Loving it so far!
Money saver
4.5 out of 5 starsbarbarossa3, 02/25/2012
2011 Honda Insight LX 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
We've had our insight for 10 months now and have been completely satisfied with the car. We normally achieve 43-46 mpg CITY ! At 75 on an interstate it drops to 40 MPG but I usually get 50-53 on a 55 mph highway. Some routes to work net me 53 mpg city. We replaced a 4.2 litre Ford Freestar which gave 17-19 mpg city and are saving the entire car payment in cost savings. Free Car!! Ride is … a little rough and firm as new cars go(typical for Honda). Interior on LX is a little too plastic. Blind spots are awful in traffic.
Don't sweat the official reviews -it's a great car
5 out of 5 starsNick, 02/25/2021
2011 Honda Insight LX 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric mild hybrid CVT)
I bought my Insight after a bit of trepidation. Everyone's a critic now when it comes to cars. We generally read so much about cars and form opinions of them without ever having driven them. Car mag reviewers seemed to hate the quality of plastics, harsh ride and excessive noise. Things are never enough for them when held up to the massively expensive cars they usually ride in. Jeremy … Clarkson moaned about the CVT transmission. But Honda was early to the game with it on this car. Many cars have a CVT now. Clarkson even called it "biblically terrible" and "really, to get an idea of how awful it is, you’d have to sit a dog on a ham slicer." They also compare it unfavorably to the Prius, the worst cut of all. Well, challenge accepted. Consider this the contrarian's choice. Honda built this thing as the cheapest hybrid you could buy. Bombproof, easy to work on (when it needs work, which is never), enjoyable to drive and cheap. It won't do 0-60 in 7 seconds or carry 5 adults comfortably. What it will do is get you around comfortably enough 97% of the time. If you read the manual just for a few minutes you can adjust the settings to your liking. Want all the doors to stay unlocked when you start moving? You can do that. Want the engine to not turn off when you stop at lights? Turn off the eco button. I was a bit worried about the hybrid battery (aka IMA battery) failing at some point and being massively expensive to fix. 10 years later and it's working fine. You can't even find people talking about it in forums because it doesn't seem to happen much at all. The Insight forum is about the most boring one anywhere because nothing ever happens to these cars. They just work. All people find themselves talking about is responding to newbies asking how concerned they should be about the battery failing, what mileage they're getting, and answering other people who wandered in from the first generation Insight forum by accident. If you enjoy working on cars, get something else. This one will bore you because there's never anything to fix. Routine maintenance like oil changes gets done twice a year and that's all it needs. It does need 8 spark plugs (2 per cylinder) at 105K miles but that can be done easily after removing a couple of panels. CVT needs to have the fluid changed every 30K miles. But really, is that a big deal?
If you do your homework you'll want to know if the IMA system had the software updated. There were some early problems with it when climbing hills that were fixed. The 2012-13 models have a slightly updated engine that had a nasty habit of burning large amounts of oil because of a new kind of piston ring that was supposed to reduce friction. Make sure those had the engine fixed. The 2010, 2011, or 2014 are the ones to get. You'll also want to make sure the regular 12V battery in the engine bay doesn't get more than about 3 years old as a low 12V battery causes issues with the IMA system.
Update: It's been over 3 years and 40K miles that I've had this car and nothing to report. It simply works. I also learned that it was rated by Consumer Reports as the top pick for reliability. It was also the top selling automobile in Japan when released. Still no concerns about the IMA battery. I did replace the 12V battery recently as the last one was good for 3 years, as expected. I have winter tires on it now and it's been fun to drive in the snow.
17K Miles later...
4.38 out of 5 starsnickdapit, 11/13/2011
2011 Honda Insight EX 4dr Hatchback (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
So far I couldn't ask for much more from the car, I bought the car specificlly for my job as I drive large stretches of the country. My latest trip took me from Los Angeles to Denver; then Denver to Seattle; then Seattle back to Los Angeles. I have had no problems with the car and average the EPA estimate for driving. (42 mpg) The only thing that dissappoints me is the rear seat area, a … six foot man cannot fit even with a 5 foot driver in the front seat. Headroom is almost ridiculous to the point where Honda should have just made an inch or two higher for the rear seats even if that cost the vehicle 2 mpg's overall! The leg room is very tight in the rear. Don't buy if family is large.
2011 Insight Highlights
Base
Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee | $18,200 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Mild hybrid |
Combined MPG | 40 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $100/month |
Seating | 5 seats |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 15.9 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Warranty | 3 years / 36,000 miles |
Safety
Key safety features on the Insight include:
- Alarm
- Tire Pressure Warning
- Stability Control
NHTSA Overall Rating
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverallNot RatedDriverNot RatedPassengerNot Rated
- Side Crash RatingOverallNot Rated
- Side Barrier RatingOverallNot RatedDriverNot RatedPassengerNot Rated
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront SeatNot RatedBack SeatNot Rated
- RolloverRollover4 / 5Dynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of Rollover11.3%
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