Honda Insight is "Biblically terrible. Possibly the worst new car money can buy."

[Antsrcool]

Honda Insight is "Biblically terrible. Possibly the worst new car money can buy."

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/jeremy_clarkson/article6294116.ece?token=null&offset=0&page=1


I love Clarkson

 

[eyeguy]

"Really, to get an idea of how awful it is, you’d have to sit a dog on a ham slicer."
Wow, that's pretty darn bad!

 

[Antsrcool]

yea its the only car he ever wanted to crash into a tree just so he could stop driving it lol

 

[mavapa]

"Oh dear! I don't like the noise that car makes! It's icky! And the transmission? It's positively horrid! And all that global warming nonsense? It's a load of c**p."

Or maybe it's Clarkson's writing that's a load of c**p.

 

[GoFaster]

The Top Gear crew are entertaining, but I prefer to make up my own mind on such matters.

 

[nicklockard]

He is entertaining for sure, but he doesn't know his technical subject matter from a pile of poo. Talk about ravings of a mad man. Methinks he can upgrade the rants into something meaningful AND entertaining.

 

[hutchman]

I saw the TopGear the other day where they drive the Prius as fast as they can around their track and Jeremy follows in a BMW M3 just fast enough top keeps up with it.

The prius got 17MPG ... the M3 got 19MPG! It was pretty funny.

 

[NarfBLAST]

Did you guys click on pages 2 and 3? I enjoyed that, thanks Antsrcool.

 

[UFO]

Wow. Got hyperbole? Not sure he understands the purpose of a CVT. It's to keep the engine at the torques peak to optimize the acceleration, and consequently you won't hear a rise in RPM. Change is difficult for many.

 

[Ol'Rattler]

I think that most people make buying decisions on an emotional level, not by having any real understanding of the technology they drive. All GC is doing is providing top notch entertainment, for the most part.

I think, based on the article, I would be inclined to test drive the insight so that I could form my own opinions. GC does give you some things to take a second look at....................

 

[Thorne]

Clarkson certainly has a lot of fun reviewing cars!

 

[phazersonstun]

He makes an excellent point though; why did honda make a half-baked Prius, when they could have devoted more of their resources to their hydrogen car?

And he has many valid points about the actual energy used to make the Insight as well. That mine in Canada where most of the Nickel used in batteries comes from, is a wasteland. Humans are the only life found there for miles. No flora, no fauna. And then they use how much energy to ship it to Japan, then from there to ship the product to England? How "Earth-Friendly" is it?

 

[cvalentine]

And he has many valid points about the actual energy used to make the Insight as well. That mine in Canada where most of the Nickel used in batteries comes from, is a wasteland. Humans are the only life found there for miles. No flora, no fauna. And then they use how much energy to ship it to Japan, then from there to ship the product to England? How "Earth-Friendly" is it?

Which mine is that exactly?

 

[Kiwi_ME]

Clarkson's writing is nothing more than humor for the masses who, like himself, know just enough about the subject to be dangerous. I find him, his writing, and his presentations tiresome.

Honda's hybrid implementation is interesting in that it appears to approximate the operation of the Toyota HSD system (e.g. Prius,) presumably without stepping on their patents.

 

[TurbinePower]

One of the things I liked about the Insight the first time around was the fact that you could buy one with a manual transmission. I suppose that's out, this time around?

 

[mavapa]

His views on the actual cost of manufacturing the Insight are ridiculous. Honda has to pay for everything they make, including for the costs of transportation. Why would a manufacturer sell a product for less than it costs to make? The only time manufacturers do that type of thing is as a loss leader, a way to generate sales. For that reason, it's possible that Honda is selling the Insight for less than it costs to make. But I don't see any reason to complain about that.

And, I might add, that type of argument is often used by people who simply don't like the idea of fuel efficiency. You can see that in his attitude towards Prius owners. And that attitude is itself not very original. He probably caught it by watching an episode of South Park.

 

[blimo]

New Insight <> Diesel Accord

I looked over a new Insight, checked out it's cheap looking interior, and noticed the $5K upcharge + $5K of added dealer's do-dads while I was at the dealer looking for an update on a diesel Accord. Too bad Honda spent time and energy putting a first gen Civic hybrid drive train in the Insight, rather than perfect their diesel technology. I want to like the new Hondas, but I don't. I'm now driving a 2009 JSW; the torque is addictive. I hope I don't regret my purchase. Time will tell.

 

[Sip'n Diesel]

Honda Insight is "Biblically terrible. Possibly the worst new car money can buy."

tell me something I don't know

 

[aja8888]

Cvt?

Wow. Got hyperbole? Not sure he understands the purpose of a CVT. It's to keep the engine at the torques peak to optimize the acceleration, and consequently you won't hear a rise in RPM. Change is difficult for many.

GM put that CVT in a Saturn Vue a few years back (2000 - 2003?). It was so bad that owners actually took the cars out in the field and shot them. Not really, but the transmission was only in it a couple of years; just long enough for Honda to clean out their inventory. Damn things were worse than 01M's.

 

[TornadoRed]

Which mine is that exactly?

Sudbury?

 

[UFO]

GM put that CVT in a Saturn Vue a few years back (2000 - 2003?). It was so bad that owners actually took the cars out in the field and shot them. Not really, but the transmission was only in it a couple of years; just long enough for Honda to clean out their inventory. Damn things were worse than 01M's.

Yep, it's a nice idea, but they are tricky to make and make last. Subaru pioneered a CVT on the Justy with equal results.

 

[Route 66]

Honda, send us your diesels.

 

[GoFaster]

He makes an excellent point though; why did honda make a half-baked Prius, when they could have devoted more of their resources to their hydrogen car?

Because Honda already produced a few examples of the fuel-cell Clarity. And because the politicians and bureaucrats have finally clued in that using hydrogen as a motor fuel is a really dumb and wasteful idea (they just cut a lot of the R&D grants). The only reason there has ever been ANY research done on it, is because it makes tailpipe and CO2 emissions "somebody else's problem" (note: it does NOT eliminate them, just moves them!) and because there were huge tax and R&D incentives to develop them! The "hydrogen economy" will never happen. It is thermodynamically suicidal.

And he has many valid points about the actual energy used to make the Insight as well. That mine in Canada where most of the Nickel used in batteries comes from, is a wasteland. Humans are the only life found there for miles. No flora, no fauna.

BUNK. And I've been there (Sudbury). Have you?

Perhaps in the 1970's there was some element of truth to this, but it has been cleaned up.

And then they use how much energy to ship it to Japan, then from there to ship the product to England? How "Earth-Friendly" is it?

No different than shipping any of the *other* raw materials around the world to make *anything*. Not saying it's right, not saying it's optimum, but it's no worse than for anything else made in Asia using raw materials from North America and then shipped back.

By the way, your VW TDI contains subassemblies made in Canada, shipped to Poland, assembled into the engine, shipped to Mexico, assembled into the car, and shipped to USA.

 

[MrMopar]

So, a British automotive journalist, who is know for his penchant for expensive sports cars outside the budgets of 99.9% of the population, is giving a savage review of a car designed for the Japanese and American markets. Yeah, that's relevant to the interests of North American consumers.

 

[TornadoRed]

So, a British automotive journalist, who is know for his penchant for expensive sports cars outside the budgets of 99.9% of the population, is giving a savage review of a car designed for the Japanese and American markets. Yeah, that's relevant to the interests of North American consumers.

That is a British automotive journalist who loves the Volkswagen Golf TDI and considers it the gold standard against which all other small cars must be compared.

And against which, in his opinion, the Prius and other hybrids come up short. He is not comparing the Honda Insight against an M3 or AMG or Bugatti Veyron, only the reasonably fast and comfortable and safe and well-handling Golf TDI.

 

[mrchaotica]

One of the things I liked about the Insight the first time around was the fact that you could buy one with a manual transmission.

I liked pretty much everything about the old Insight except the styling (and the price, of course), but I especially liked that it had a manual transmission. The design is inherently inferior to the Prius-style planetary gearset, but the extra fun makes it worth it.

I couldn't care less about this Prius-wannabe. I just hope Honda finally decides to build a real successor to the Insight soon, and makes it available with a genuine manual transmission!

 

[hutchman]

That is a British automotive journalist who loves the Volkswagen Golf TDI and considers it the gold standard against which all other small cars must be compared.

And against which, in his opinion, the Prius and other hybrids come up short. He is not comparing the Honda Insight against an M3 or AMG or Bugatti Veyron, only the reasonably fast and comfortable and safe and well-handling Golf TDI.

They did a show on hybirds and even had Jay Leno's Honda Clarity and that Tesla thing. Bottom line is plug-in's (the topic of the show) don't fit your lifestyle at all. You can't go on long trips due to the recharge time etc. and the Clarity fits your lifestyle because you fill it up just like you do now. Not getting into how hydrogen gets to the pump ... just commenting on the show and how the vehicle fits the utility of people's lives which is what matters. If it doesn't fit, people won't want it.

Jeremy also liked the TDI van they did the "White Van" episode on.

I'm in the diesel camp for the mileage now (not 2016), the torque, and the promise of alternative fuels (bio-diesel ... switchgrass, algae, etc.). I just think diesel has more promise without giving up the joy of driving.

 

[robbinsresort]

Alot of you are taking this article wayyyyy too seriously.

 

[MrMopar]

I liked pretty much everything about the old Insight except the styling (and the price, of course), but I especially liked that it had a manual transmission. The design is inherently inferior to the Prius-style planetary gearset, but the extra fun makes it worth it.

I couldn't care less about this Prius-wannabe. I just hope Honda finally decides to build a real successor to the Insight soon, and makes it available with a genuine manual transmission!

Your link is correct - I just came here to say that Honda is planning a 2-door Insight that is going to be badged as the CR-X, complete with manual transmission.

 

[UFO]

Alot of you are taking this article wayyyyy too seriously.

That's true, but it's fun poking at the guys ignorance.