Article Comments - 2010 Honda Insight vs. 2009 Toyota Prius

73 messages, Last post on Oct 14, 2009 at 1:06 PM

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What is this discussion about? Honda Insight, Toyota Prius, Car Comparisons, Hybrid Cars, Hatchback, Sedan

Comparison Test: 2010 Honda Insight vs. 2009 Toyota Prius - You might remember the original Honda Insight. When introduced in 1999, it was the first hybrid vehicle sold in the U.S.A., an affordable technical tour de force that achieved spectacular fuel economy by adding a battery-assisted electric motor to the powertrain. But as a diminutive two-seater, it certainly wasn't a car for the masses. (more)

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#4 of 73 Re: apples to oranges [wyounger] by Talonts Jan 23, 2009 (12:35 pm)
Replying to: wyounger (Jan 23, 2009 6:17 am) This comparison is more like grapes to watermelons - such a "comparison" is useless. Comparing a well-equipped to a stripped model is useless. Get them as close as possible in equipment, figure out the base cost for any differing equipment (due diligence on research). THEN do your comparison. Of course, the most glaring ERROR in this comparison is comparing a 2010 Insight to a 2009 Prius. The 2010 Insight isn't available, and they're using WAG on the pricing. Come on, Edmunds, do a comparison in late May that is useful to people - compare a 2010 Insight to a 2010 Prius. The 2010 Prius will have higher mpg than the 2009, more power (better 0-60 AND slalom from a better suspension), and completely different option packages. You should be able to option them more closely to each other, and do a PROPER comparison then. Of course even then they won't compare in people and cargo hauling capacity, as the rooflines show. I got to sit in a 2010 Prius a couple of weeks ago, and it has even more room for 6+ footers than the 2009 Prius in the front, and a LOT more headroom in the rear than the 2009, so the passenger room comparison won't even come close. I wouldn't even try to take a trip as a rear passenger in the Insight, unless I wanted permanent neck damage. Replies to this message: kdhspyder (Jan 26, 2009 4:07 pm)
#5 of 73 Wow what a comparison by chinna Jan 23, 2009 (4:05 pm)
Wow! What a comparison? So why don't you compare an Acura to an Camry and tell that it, it never be able to recover cost difference even if the Acura is more fuel efficient. I have been a regular reader of Edmunds for last 6+ years, and off late I am seeing all these bone headed comparisons, like Comparing Fit to Prius and saying Fit is better than Prius(complete different class), now Saying Insight is better than Prius. As other readers has mentioned, you guys seems lost rationality completely. There is no comparison of equipment between two models at all. Even if you want you can not add those things to this Insight. If you want to compare you have to take 2010 Insight EX to 2010 Base Prius, the give us the results. Recently, it seems for some reason you are pissed off with Toyota, and even with slight chance( even without one) criticize Toyota and raise Honda to you heads. I am getting doubts if some of your editors are on Honda Payroll. Another example, Fit vs Yaris... when even you guys bring it up in review, you compare Fit Manual with Yaris Auto. As you are aware 80+ buy auto for both vehicles, so compare those models head to head. If you are aware Honda Fit auto is more than 1 sec slower than Yaris Auto, and with worst fuel economy. You guys better straighten up records, and clean up this mess you are getting yourself in, otherwise you would be left without any credibility(Like some good site I saw, not almost defunct because of this). Replies to this message: toyota4life (Jan 23, 2009 6:05 pm)
#6 of 73 Re: Wow what a comparison [chinna] by toyota4life Jan 23, 2009 (6:05 pm)
Replying to: chinna (Jan 23, 2009 4:05 pm) chinna Did you just invade my thoughts?..i concur word for word,i could'nt have said it better even if i tried. Toyota have been on edmunds shite list for some time now,not sure why but they are. pretty PATHETIC!!
#7 of 73 Comparisons To Be Helpfull by railroadjames Jan 26, 2009 (9:11 am)
I just don't get it. Many of you "critics" seem to be highly critical of any comparison of two cars. I personally appreciate the early info and data for what it's worth. I take from the cars the data to be compared and go with it. Early on I don't expect all the info to be inline with the usual comparisons. People are anxious to get out any info that can be usefull. I like both cars. I'm somewhat flattered that Honda has, in many ways, mirrored the Prius. I'm sure Toyota has to feel good about the similarities of their car to the Insight. I do think that the Prius is getting a bit pricey these days. When I bought my '04 Prius back in Nov. of '03 it was $19,995.00 plus delivery. Out the door w/ taxes it was about $21, 456.00 I'm pretty sure. Honda's new Insight looks good and should be a great seller if the dealers don't ruin it for the buyers. I must admit that Honda dealers seem to have a lackluster reputation compared with Toyota dealers (at least in my N.W. IND area). Replies to this message: Talonts (Jan 26, 2009 11:52 am)
#8 of 73 Re: Comparisons To Be Helpfull [railroadjames] by Talonts Jan 26, 2009 (11:52 am)
Replying to: railroadjames (Jan 26, 2009 9:11 am) I don't mind if they compare two cars, as long as they at least attempt to compare cars that should be compared. Comparing the newest generation Insight, that isn't on the market yet, to the current Prius, instead of the newest generation Prius that is due on the market just a month or 2 after the new Insight, is ridiculous. While it's certainly a good space-filler, it's not really very useful to someone that is looking to buy the latest technology, or looking for the highest mpg. The Insight will certainly have its' uses, especially for those that just want a stripped car to get it as cheap as possible. Or shorter people And it's pretty good looking on the outside (the dash is a mess, it looks like parts were thrown on the clay buck and used wherever they stuck). But they need to do the comparo in May when pricing is known, not guessed, and with 2010s in both cases, optioned as closely as possible, to be useful to anyone that can afford to shop for a new car in today's economy. Beyond that, if the Prius ends up with some option that isn't even available on the Insight, the pricing of that option needs to be factored out of the price difference for a *valid* "payback calc". Because no one in their right mind does payback calcs on options - could you really see someone saying "my leather seats (8 speaker stereo/power windows/whatever) have a 5 year payback over cloth seats"? That's essentially what Edmunds has done here, when comparing cars with dissimilar options. I could do something equally ridiculous, like doing a payback calc on the engine in a Lamborghini, since it's obviously different than the engine in a Prius, but would it be useful to anyone? I doubt it.
#9 of 73 Re: apples to oranges [Talonts] by kdhspyder Jan 26, 2009 (4:07 pm)
Replying to: Talonts (Jan 23, 2009 12:35 pm) I resonded on the original article with the same comment, 'Why compare a 6 y.o. vehicle with one not even on the streets yet?'. Editor Karl responded to the effect that the comparo is valid because there is no other such comparo in existence. Well from an archival point of view I guess it has some value. 'This is how the new Insight compares to the outgoing Prius.' But yes in May a comparo of the two new 2010 vehicles would be a lot more valuable to real potential buyers this year and into the future.
#10 of 73 Insight/Prius comparison by whitey9 Feb 06, 2009 (9:00 am)
After watching/reading the comparison I was mildly amused. As everyone knows the Prius is due to be replaced with a new model next year. This new Insight is a new model. The Prius basically dates from MY'04. There is no mention of the 8yr/80K mi warranty on the hybrid system components. Is my '07 Prius the last of those cars that had this warranty? Does the Insight have this coverage? Why would anyone buy a car today w/o cruise control? I can see a back-up camera being optional, but not cruise control. I see the wheels on the Insight are steel, but the Prius' wheels are alloy. Are any of the Insight's body panels aluminum/plastic like the Prius? I see the seat in the Insight is adjustable. The Prius seat sits too high for me ( 6'2" ), and there is no adjustment provided for height. Why are we so transfixed on the HIGHWAY mileage figure? Do most of us do the MAJORITY of our driving on the highway? I think not. What about the braking systems? Do they stop from 60mph in 120' or less? They should! I drive 65mi a day in suburban/urban traffic with half of these miles on interstate highways. I can get as little as 39mpg when the weather and traffic patterns are bad, but I can also get 54mpg when they are not. The Prius is smooth, quiet, and NOT a slug. I am middle-aged and require a certain amount of "comfort". You would never catch me inflating the tires to 50+ psi. Or parking on a hill, to coast down in the morning to "save gas". I drive the Hybrid like a regular car and do a minimum of "coasting", but do drive the speed limit to most people's chagrin. The Prius Hybrid system operates "seamlessly". I do not feel that I am giving up anything I have had in any of the other 5 cars/van/Suv ( hybrid ) I own. Although the interior and exterior styling is "semi-spartan" I am comfortable with the equipment except it lacks a sunroof, and heated seats. My car is a PKG#6 with all options, including navi system, and leather. What difference does the disctinction of "mild hybrid/full hybrid" make? That is like saying one engine has an advantage over another if it has 2 spark plugs per cylinder versus 1 spark plug. It is just another means to an end. Period. Replies to this message: gfr1 (Feb 06, 2009 7:38 pm)
#11 of 73 Re: Insight/Prius comparison [whitey9] by gfr1 Feb 06, 2009 (7:38 pm)
Replying to: whitey9 (Feb 06, 2009 9:00 am) What difference does the disctinction of "mild hybrid/full hybrid" make? Well, you either don't care, or don't know. "Mild Hybrid" can mean most anything to qualify for the distinction. Some GMs, for instance, have a "Mild Hybrid" that simply shuts down the gas engine, A/C, power steering, etc. at a stop sign and then a motor/generator (driven by the accessorry belt) starts the engine again so it can move! Hooray, "We have the most Hybrid models of any manufacturer"! I consider a "mild Hybrid" a distinction! I guess it is "Just another means to an end", though. -- GR
#12 of 73 Wow, taking this far too much to heart. by crutnacker Feb 07, 2009 (10:04 am)
Yes, Toyota is redesigning the Prius. And maybe the redesign will get 800 MPG. (I doubt it). I'm sure Toyota will address some of the issues that many reviewers have had with it. And in the end, it will still be a bigger car, more suitable as a family sedan. But, it will still have a much higher price tag attached. (I doubt Edmunds is making a WAG here). In the end, this is a comparison of two model lines that are hybrid only. It may be apples and oranges, but Edmunds likes the current one better. While I'm sure Toyota will address some of the shortcomings of the Prius, the real questions are if it is going to drive better (a complaint I've heard about the Prius), if the driver comfort will be better (another complaint), and the value of the car is greater. My guess is that unless the redesign is perfect, it's still going to be a close race.
#13 of 73 Plus, let us not forget.... by crutnacker Feb 07, 2009 (10:05 am)
They compared a redesigned Civic Hybrid to an older Prius and the Prius beat in in a head to head.