2019 Honda Insight Touring Review

The 2019 Honda Insight sports a hybrid powertrain and gets an estimated 51 mpg in the city. That’s not as good as a Toyota Prius, but the Insight has impressive styling and it doesn’t look like a fuel-stingy model. Honda isn’t just focusing on fuel mileage; they are instead touting it as being a quiet, comfortable, well-equipped, and affordable sedan.

This weekend, we drove the top-trim, 2019 Honda Insight Touring.

What’s New For 2019

Even though the Insight nameplate is not new, the 2019 Honda Insight is an all-new hybrid vehicle for the Japanese automaker.

Features & Options

The Insight Touring comes well-equipped with leather seats, rearview camera, heated front seats, auto-dimming rearview mirror, eight-way power driver’s seat, heated outside mirrors, and a power moonroof. The Touring also comes with an eight-inch infotainment system that includes Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite and HD radio, and two USB ports. Touring models add navigation, HD digital traffic, voice recognition, and a 450-watt premium audio system with 10 speakers. HondaLink cloud-based services are also available.

Every Insight comes standard with the company’s Honda Sensing suite of advanced driver safety aids, which includes adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning with emergency braking, lane keeping assist, and automatic high beams.

Total MSRP including destination: $28,985.

Interior Highlights

Stepping into the 2019 Honda Insight reveals an upscale cabin with touchscreen infotainment, spacious accommodations front and rear, and a large trunk with plenty of cargo space. The interior reminded us of the current Accord sedan with a warm ambiance. Honda has done a good job with the material quality and overall fit and finish.

The leather-trimmed front seats are comfortable for six footers in the Touring, and the lower cushions adjust for tilt. Touring does come with a moonroof that cuts into a taller person’s headroom, however. The back seat has plenty of legroom, but headroom seems more limited than others in this segment. We thought visibility was good from the rear and sides for a small sedan.

The hybrid battery sits underneath the rear seat but we didn’t notice a sacrifice in room because of it. Insight offers a large trunk with a flat floor and low load height, making it easy for us to load cargo for our weekend trip.

Engine & Fuel Mileage Specs

The new Honda Insight is powered by an Atkinson-cycle 1.5-liter inline-four cylinder engine that makes 107 horsepower and 99 lb-ft. of torque. The engine boasts an exemplary 40.5 percent thermal efficiency. With the electric motor, Insight has a combined output of 151 horsepower and 197 lb-ft. of torque.

The engine can supply power directly to the front wheels through a clutch and fixed gear ratio. There is not a traditional or continuously variable transmission in this new hybrid. The Insight achieves an EPA-estimated 51/45 city/highway and 48 combined mpg.

Driving Dynamics

The new Insight is fun to drive around town and easy to maneuver in heavy traffic. The electric motor carried us without the gas engine and kept us moving forward in stop-and-go traffic in Denver this weekend. Honda says at lower speeds, the Insight will go up to a mile without the gasoline engine firing up. We averaged close to 48 mpg for the weekend, and we even pushed it hard at elevation in the mountains.

The electric motor provides smooth and easy power at low speeds, but when we pushed hard on the pedal heading up I-70 west of Denver, the gas engine noise reaches the cabin. You will hear the engine speed rising and falling in line with the accelerator pedal. The experience is similar to a car equipped with a continuously variable automatic transmission which is a disappointment.

It’s not a sporty sedan, but acceleration is strong because of the torque from the electric motor. Honda’s LaneWatch system (Touring only) puts cameras on the sideview mirrors and displays their view on the entertainment screen when you activate the turn signal. It’s an excellent system for seeing someone in your blind spot.

Conclusion

The 2019 Honda Insight is an affordable sedan that doesn’t look like a traditional hybrid. It comes in an attractive package with a comfortable, upscale interior. Honda priced the Insight right – even the upper Touring trim comes in under $30,000. 

Denis Flierl has invested over 25 years in the automotive industry in a variety of roles. Follow his work on Twitter: @CarReviewGuy

2019 Honda Insight Gallery

2019 Honda Insight Official Site.

Photos: Honda North America.

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The NeverEnding Story: This SR500 took 7 years to build

Building a decent custom motorcycle is a far more intensive process than some might realize. Joseph Savor found this out the hard way: it took him seven years to finish this little firecracker of a Yamaha SR500.

Joseph’s based in Sydney, Australia, and customizes bikes part time as Simple Sycles. This SR isn’t his only custom build, but it was the one he started with—and it’s been in a constant state of evolution since. “I’m equally happy and sad to say it’s version four,” he quips.

It all started when Joseph bought his first bike: a customized Yamaha SR400 from a well-known local shop. He soon developed an itch to build his own bike, figuring it’d be a walk in the park. So he sold the SR400, broke even, and started hunting for a replacement.

Soon after, Joseph spotted a 1978 SR500 at a wrecker about three hours drive away. It seemed like a good deal—until he got it home. He realized it needed a full motor rebuild.

Joseph doesn’t actually have his own workshop—instead, he hoofs it over to his parents’ house in Oatley, and takes over their back yard. “Mum and Dad have put up with a lot of mess and a lot less space in their yard for a long time,” he jokes. “No garage, just tarps to cover up once I’m done, and always praying for no rain so I can keep working.”

He’s also not too big to admit that he can’t do everything, so he’s gradually built up a network of skilled pros that can jump in when needed.

Between Carl Batey from Café Racer in Wattle Flat, and Greg from Greg Ball Engineering, the SR motor was rebuilt and bored out. Capacity was bumped to 535 cc, and the SR was treated to an upgraded cam, rockers and springs, and a 40 mm Dell’Orto carb.

Joseph rode the bike for a while, bolting on a few off-the-shelf bits as he went. But somewhere along the line, he decided to ditch the bolt-ons and go all in. And that meant radical changes to the suspension at both ends.

Greg was called in again, this time to graft on the mono-shock swing arm from a Yamaha RD250 LC, and rebuild the subframe to match. The swing arm was sourced from Ebay, and paired up with a Hagon rear shock.

For the front, Joseph sourced a complete Suzuki GSX-R front end from Cognito Moto, complete with triple clamps and an 18” laced front wheel. Along with a Cognito rear loop with an integrated LED taillight and turn signals, they were shipped straight to Greg to install.

The SR500 was slowly taking shape, but it was also standing parked for extended periods. “Not riding this bike truly became the norm to me,” says Joseph, “with the people around me constantly shaking their heads.”

The remaining mods gradually came together—like the custom seat, which Joseph was pedantic enough to send back to his upholsterer, Streamline Trimming, four times. “My mindset was that this was my bike,” he explains. “I was never going to sell it, so no point in being complacent.”

As the months passed by, the Yamaha was upgraded with a full rewire from DC Electrics. It now boasts a full complement of Motogadget bits, including an m.unit controller, keyless ignition, speedo and LED cockpit lights. The headlight is from JVB Moto, but it’s since been upgraded with more potent LED internals, and integrated turn signals.

The fuel tank is from a Honda CB250, and the fenders are modded SR numbers. Bolt-on bits that still remain include a Rizoma brake reservoir, a mix of POSH and Motogadget switches, a Joker Machine gas cap, vintage-style rubber foot pegs, and CNC levers.

Joseph thought he was all done about a year ago, at which stage the SR had been massaged into a cute café racer. But then he decided ‘scrambler‘ was much more his flavor, and a final round of mods ensued.

The bike was torn down, and built up again with a few new parts. Those included a set of scrambler bars borrowed from another bike, a new oil cooler from Omega Racer, and a Brembo front brake upgrade.

Joseph ditched the custom exhaust that he’d already installed. In its place is a custom titanium header from DNA Customs, hooked up to a titanium muffler from AM Performance. DNA also whipped up an air intake pipe to match.

Colourfuel gave the tank, fenders, frame and calipers all a fresh lick of paint. All while Joseph nipped and tucked a hundred small things in pursuit of perfection.

“I’d like to say this was always the plan and image I had in my head,” he sighs, “but this bike has morphed and changed as my style and skill set has evolved. Mistakes have led to lessons, which have created opportunities for me to create my ultimate bike.”

Joseph’s bought, customized and sold a bunch of bikes since staring on the SR535 (some of which funded this build). He’s finally calling it though—the SR535 is officially done, and up for sale.

Somebody please buy it soon, before it gets dragged back into the yard for another round.

Simple Sycles Instagram | Images by Jim Robinson

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Custom Bikes Of The Week: 26 August, 2018

A super-fresh Benelli from Malaysia, a Harley cafe racer from Japan, and a Sportster street tracker from Sweden. Plus a wild Indian Scout from a NASA engineer. Enjoy.

Harley Sportster by Tetsu Mitsuhashi After working for years under the scrutinizing eye of Aki Sakamoto of Hog Killers, Tetsu Mitsuhashi has learned the art of an exacting touch. So it’s no surprise that his first build looks as tightly knit as this Sportster cafe racer.

Working from a 2001 XL1200, Tetsu handcrafted everything on this build, save for the engine and the core of the cradle frame. A Dunstall style fairing delivers a slender and stylish bit of aero that to give this Sportster a slimming appearance. That vibe continues with Tetsu’s treatment of the fuel cell, which appears pinched instead of fully scalloped.

The modified subframe sits nice and flat and, thanks to creative relocating of the oil tank to the rear tail hump, delivers excellent use of negative space. A pair of Progressive shocks have been fitted in the rear to help accentuate that cafe stance.

While I’d personally spec a different set of shoes for this bike, I’m a big fan of the overall aesthetic of blacked-out uppers and shiny lowers. Obviously the lacquer goes a long way with that: The paint and powder coating were tackled by Andrew Babish, owner of Orange County’s Paint by Bondo. [More]

Benelli TNT 300 by Beautiful Machines When it comes to custom styling trends, SE Asian builders seem to march to the beat of their own drum. We’re constantly amazed by the new concepts and directions they’re exploring—and Arthur Loh and Malaysia’s Beautiful Machines are doing it even better than most.

This latest BM build is this funky take on the cafe racer theme that, and it’s been fabricated as a bolt-on kit: All you need is some basic spanner-spinning know-how, and a spare Benelli TNT 300 in your garage.

Of course, creating the bits and pieces that make this transition easy was no walk in the park. The machining and sheet metal work is top notch. The tank is an all-new aluminum unit with its mounting points matched to those of the stock cell.

Aluminum again was bent, hammered and molded to create the neo-retro front fairing, and it’s secured to the tank via custom brackets. In the rear, aluminum was again the alloy of choice for the humped cowl, and the new taillights look absolutely stunning. [More]

Indian Scout Bobber by Alfredo Juarez The results are in from the Indian Scout Bobber Build-Off, and even though the cafe’d version we showed you a few weeks ago didn’t win, we’re not disappointed with the final result. NASA engineer Alfredo Juarez is the man behind the winning machine, with this elegant bit of old-skool chopper work.

Alfredo describes himself as having an engineer’s brain but an artist’s heart—so form and function are in complete symbiosis with this build. He wanted to showcase that magnificent V-Twin, so he let his grey matter calculate how to make it a stressed member.

Working from scaled drawings, Alfredo grafted a new frame from 1-inch 4130 Chromoly tube and then used drawn-over-mandrel tubing to create that exquisite front end. The Scout’s tank was modified so it would sit just right on the new spine, and a set of scripted badges was fixed in place of the block lettering from the factory.

With the business of making things work sorted, Alfredo let his heart loose on the ornate detailing. The copper fairing and body panels are all his work—as is that beautiful seat pan, which would be a crime to cover. And is probably as compliant as the stock unit, anyway. Congratulations Alfredo! [More]

Honda XL600R by the Lloyd Brothers If you frequent this space, the Lloyd Brothers are no strangers to your lexicon. Their fabrication skills have been helping Ducatis carve grooves in the dirt oval for almost a decade now, and they toyed with street legality last year.

This traffic-dodging tracker is based on a Honda XL600R. It was a father-and-son project when the eldest Lloyd brother, Bill, donated it to younger brother David and his son James. With only 2,700 miles on the clock, the engine was practically new—so most of the attention was turned elsewhere.

The wheels, brakes and Pro-Link swing arm have been swapped for units from an ex-racer Aprilia SXV 550. There’s a new subframe from Desmo Pro race team member Rich Lambrects, now topped with a Woods Rotax-inspired tail. Race Tech internals inside GSX-R forks and an R6 shock keep the Honda planted in corners.

The XL600 looks like it was fun to build, and we hope James finds it fun to ride too. We’d love to see the Lloyd Brothers crank out a few more of these trackers for the public, but rumor has it that the next project is a 1968 CB350 for David’s daughter. [More]

Harley Sportster street tracker by Injustice Customs You may have noticed that The Motor Company pulled the wraps off another new bike earlier this week. And while the FXDR 114 has a healthy dose of badassery going on, we’d rather see something like this street tracker in their lineup.

It’s a once-stolen Sportster Roadster and Anton Knutsson, the man behind Stockholm’s Injustice Customs, had never wrenched on a Harley before tackling this project. Which is a surprise because he’s absolutely nailed things here. The tweaking of the subframe and snubbing of the fender suit this bike to a T, and do a fantastic job of showcasing the seat.

A set of tracker bars sits atop the stock H-D triples but the forks have been reworked with a set of stiffer springs. Out back, Anton went with Öhlins to keep the 19-inch Maxxis DTR-1 hoops planted.

On the aesthetic side of things there are a handful of little gems too. The blued, rainbow finish on the titanium fork stanchions and burnt brass coloring on the calipers are subtle standouts but it’s Anton’s work on the exhaust that seals the deal. Fifty-six joints have been welded together to deliver a beautiful piece of craftsmanship that we’re sure sounds just bonkers. [More]

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