2010 Honda Insight Hybrid makes world debut at Detroit!

Posted by Harvinder

January 13, 2009

The latest generation Honda Insight Hybrid was launched the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The five-seater, five door hybrid powered vehicle is set to carry a more affordable price tag, even cheaper than its Civic sibling, making it one of the most competitive production hybrids out there. This car has loads of technologies, so lets go over them.

The new Insight is primarily powered by a small displacement 1.3 liter SOHC aluminium alloy combustion engine which features Honda’s i-VTEC system. This front wheel drive 1339 cc engine also features a multi-point injection system as well as drive by wire throttle technology. The 8 valve 4 cylinder engine is mated to a Continuously Variable automatic transmission, CVT for short with gearing rations between 3.172 – 0.529 with 4.511 – 1.693 for reverse. Final drive of the transmission is set at 4.20.

Continue reading for the rest of the report and to view a photo gallery.

The drive system is coupled with Honda’s IMA Hybrid system which produces 13HP, increasing total output to 98HP. The combustion engine’s torque measures at 123 lb ft and 68 lb ft for the electric motor. The 10 kilowatt electric motor is based on a DC Brushless Motor design with permanent magnet AC synchronous.

The IMA Hybrid system also features a compact Intelligent Power Unit (IPU) which recaptures and stores kinetic energy from vehicle braking and acceleration which then translates into additional power source. Power is stored in a Nickel Metal Hydride battery pack which is placed in the vehicle’s rear floor. Even with the battery pack, the rear seats can be folded down via a 60/40 split.

Basically during acceleration, stored electric power is used, while cylinders in the engine are deactivated. This also happens during certain low to mid speed driving conditions, after which the conventional petrol powered engine kicks in. It also comes equipped with a engine start/stop function which shuts off the combustion engine when the car is stalled.

With just 10.6 gallons of fuel, the Insight Hybrid can deliver up to 400 miles in terms of driving range which is a lot! A number of cool driver focused fuel economy enhancement technologies is offered part of the Ecological Drive Assist System, also known as the ECO Assist which basically help drivers drive their hybrids efficiently.

This system is made of a few functions including; a driver activated ECON mode which optimizes transmission and engine settings for economical driving, a driver feedback function with a speedometer which displays different background colors to provide real-time guidance on efficient driving and a fuel economy plant-leaf scoring function which provides feedback to the driver regarding his / her efficient driving techniques.

The Insight Hybrid measures at 172.3 inches in length, 66.7 inches in width and 56.2 inches in height. Wheelbase is set at 100.4 inches long. The interior on the other hand measures at 85 cu. ft. for passenger volume, 15.9 cu. ft. for cargo volume (31.5 when rear seats are folded down) with seating capacity of five adults.

Safety features of the Insight includes dual stage front air bags, front side air bags with passenger side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS), side curtain airbag system, ABS, advanced compatibility engineering by Honda called ACE which provides crash compatibility for vehicles of different sizes, Vehicle Stability Control with Traction Control, Tire Pressure Monitoring system and immobilizer, among others.

Other features include Bluetooth connectivity, tilt and telescoping steering, satellite navigation system (for the EX model) and so on. It also features a 160 watt audio system with RDS, speed sensitive volume control and an auxiliary jack. It also has various instrumentation and display systems such as charge and system power flow indicators.

The Honda Insight Hybrid will go on sale in the United States in April with two variants; the Insight LX and the Insight EX with a slightly longer equipment list. Both feature similar drive systems and interior space.