2012 Honda Insight Hybrid

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$18,500 - $23,690
Starting Price 
Nathan Dyer's image
Nathan Dyer 

Senior Editor,

Updated on November 3, 2023

ProsConsWhat's New

Handles sharply due to the size of the vehicle

Rear legroom is pretty crampy, especially for taller people

Upgrades made to the exterior of the hatchback which include front and rear bumper, new grille design, etc.

Great fuel economy

Subpar cabin built and ride quality

Interior upgrades like reconfigured rear seat, reshaped cupholders, and more.

A newly updated optional navigation system

Specs & Features

$18,500

price

98 hp @ 5800 rpm

horsepower

123 lb.-ft. @ 1000 rpm

torque

TBD

transmission

1.3L 4cyl CVT

engine

-

basic warranty

Overview

Cars like the 2012 Honda Insight Hatchback might not be able to give you the direct benefits one might expect from its hybrid powertrain. However, its use must not be overlooked. The Insight Hatchback uses its 1.3L inline 4 engine and a 0-58 kWh battery to produce 98 horsepower and 123 lb-ft of torque. This gives the Insight a 0-60 of 10.9 seconds. The hybrid engine here is to support the gasoline engine to boost performance and offer slightly better fuel economy than what a single gasoline engine would be capable of. That said, the 2012 Insight achieves a combined fuel economy of 42 MPG. As part of the compact hatchback, the Insight competes with the likes of the Toyota Prius Hybrid. Indirect rivals include the Kia Optima hybrid and the Ford Fusion hybrid from the midsize sedan class. It offers 3 trims, starting off at MSRP $18,500. 

"Autobytel" reviews newly launched cars and keeps consumers updated with the latest news to make an informed decision on buying a car. As for the 2012 Honda Insight Hatchback "Autobytel" believes that "it gets such great fuel economy figures thanks to the efficient engine, body design which has a low drag coefficient, start-stop system, and integrated motor assist to name a few.".

Buying Advice

The Honda Insight makes the most sense in the EX hatchback trim which has a good balance of standard features with respect to its price tag. Some of the standard features include 15-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, heated mirrors with integrated turn signals, steering wheel shift paddles, Bluetooth, a six-speaker sound system, etc.

Trims

    Base
    $18,500 onwards
    • 15-inch steel Wheels
    • A-Spec Sport Seats
    • AM/FM stereo
    • Cloth Seat trim
    • Front automatic air conditioning
    • Remote keyless entry
    • Seek-Scan Radio
    LX
    $20,275 onwards
    • Auxiliary audio jack
    • Keyless entry
    • Tilt & telescoping steering wheel
    • Trip Computer
    EX
    $21,965 onwards
    • 15-inch silver aluminum Wheels
    • Cloth/Leatherette Seat trim
    • Heated mirrors

Compare to similar cars

Price

$18,500- $23,690

Engine

hybrid

Rating

7.08

Horsepower

98 hp @ 5800 rpm

Torque

88 lb.-ft. @ 4500 rpm

Capacity

5

Read Review

$35,200- $37,250

electric

7.79

107 hp

207 lb.-ft.

5

Read Review

$23,015- $39,525

hybrid

8.23

98 hp @ 5200 rpm

105 lb.-ft. @ 4000 rpm

5

Read Review

2012 Honda Insight Hybrid vs competitor's 0-60

    Car Name
    0-60 MPH
    Quarter Mile
    Top Speed
    SourceCompare
    11.8 sec18.5 sec112 mph
    9.7 sec18.1 sec105 mph
    10 sec17.3 sec-

    2012 Honda Insight Hybrid vs competitor's MPG

      Car Name
      MPG City
      MPG Highway
      MPG Combined
      Fuel Tank Capacity
      Range (C/H)
      SourceCompare
      41 mpg44 mpg42 mpg10.6 gal.434.6/466.4 mi.
      106 mpg92 mpg99 mpg--
      51 mpg48 mpg50 mpg11.9 gal.606.9/571.2 mi.

      2012 Honda Insight Hybrid vs competitor's dimensions

        Car Name
        Length
        Width
        Height
        Ground Clearance
        Wheelbase
        SourceCompare
        172.3 in.66.7 in.56.2 in.6 in.100.4 in.
        175.6 in.68.7 in.58.7 in.5.5 in.106.3 in.
        175 in.69.7 in.61 in.6.3 in.106.3 in.

        2012 Toyota Prius C Hybrid

        Ranked #4

        157.3 in.66.7 in.56.9 in.5.5 in.100.4 in.

        2012 Honda Insight Hybrid vs competitor's trunk space

          Car Name
          Trunk Capacity
          Passenger Volume
          Max Trunk Volume
          SourceCompare
          15.9 cu.ft.85 cu.ft.31.5 cu.ft.
          21.6 cu.ft.93.7 cu.ft.67.3 cu.ft.
          14.5 cu.ft.98.3 cu.ft.24 cu.ft.

          2012 Honda Insight Hybrid vs competitor's cargo space

            Car Name
            Cargo Volume
            Cargo Volume w/ Seat Area
            Max Cargo Volume
            SourceCompare
            31.5 cu.ft.15.9 cu.ft.31.5 cu.ft.
            24 cu.ft.14.5 cu.ft.24 cu.ft.
            67.3 cu.ft.21.6 cu.ft.67.3 cu.ft.

            2012 Honda Insight Hybrid vs competitor's towing capacity

              Car Name
              Payload Capacity
              Weight
              SourceCompare
              -2747 lbs.
              825 lbs.3042 lbs.
              956 lbs.3385 lbs.

              Top Honda Cars

              2012 Honda Insight Hybrid

              Horsepower : 98 hp @ 5800 rpm

              MPG Combined : 42 mpg

              0-60 : 11.8 sec

              #1

              2012 Honda Ridgeline

              Horsepower : 250 hp @ 5700 rpm

              MPG Combined : 17 mpg

              0-60 : 8 sec

              #2

              2012 Honda Pilot

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              MPG Combined : 21 mpg

              0-60 : 8 sec

              #3

              2012 Honda Odyssey

              Horsepower : 248 hp @ 5700 rpm

              MPG Combined : 21 mpg

              0-60 : 8.3 sec

              #4

              2012 Honda Civic Si

              Horsepower : 201 hp @ 7000 rpm

              MPG Combined : 25 mpg

              0-60 : 6.5 sec

              #5

              2012 Honda Crosstour

              Horsepower : 192 hp @ 7000 rpm

              MPG Combined : 24 mpg

              0-60 : 9.9 sec

              #6

              2012 Honda CR-V

              Horsepower : 185 hp @ 7000 rpm

              MPG Combined : 26 mpg

              0-60 : 9 sec

              #7

              2012 Honda Accord

              Horsepower : 177 hp @ 6500 rpm

              MPG Combined : 27 mpg

              0-60 : 8.5 sec

              #8

              2012 Honda Civic

              Horsepower : 140 hp @ 6500 rpm

              MPG Combined : 31 mpg

              0-60 : 9.2 sec

              #9

              2012 Honda CR-Z Hybrid

              Horsepower : 122 hp @ 6000 rpm

              MPG Combined : 34 mpg

              0-60 : 8.5 sec

              #10