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At Honda, we think that being good is better than being green; after all being green is only a part of being good. This was why in 1972 we started developing our lower impact petrol engines. As the world’s largest engine manufacturer we learned that once a technology existed, we needed to know how to get the best results from it. And as Soichiro Honda said, ‘Philosophy without action is worthless.’ That’s why we have developed innovative coaching technology for the Honda Insight. It encourages you to drive in a way that saves you money, creates fewer emissions while still enjoying your driving experience. The Insight is a vital step towards our dream of emission free cars, so if we all strive to be good now, who knows what we’ll achieve next?

Honda’s IMA hybrid system has been in development for over 20 years, having made its debut in the original Insight back in 1999. IMA stands for Integrated Motor Assist, which means that an electric motor sits alongside the petrol engine it supports. The Insight uses a new, improved electric motor to assist the petrol engine, ensuring fuel consumption and emissions are kept to a minimum.

HOW IT WORKS
The system uses the petrol engine as the main source of power to drive the car. The electric motor combines with the engine to provide torque and power during starts or accelerating, when engine fuel consumption is usually high. When the vehicle comes to a halt, the petrol engine stops and the car runs only from the battery. This means no petrol is being consumed and so there are no emissions. Under the right driving conditions and cruising at low speeds of up to 29 miles an hour, the Insight can be powered by the electric motor alone.

The system is combined with a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). It’s a Honda innovation that selects the best drive ratio to keep the engine in its most efficent power range. This delivers the optimum fuel economy and ensures that the most efficient gear is always selected. This promotes better fuel economy, lower emissions and an exceptionally smooth ride.

While the petrol electric IMA system is already very efficient in its use of fuel, there are driving styles and techniques that can be adopted to take the greatest advantage of the hybrid technology.

ECO ASSIST
The Honda Ecological Drive Assist System (Eco Assist) is designed to show you how fuel efficiently you’re driving and provides prominent visual aids to help you maximise your fuel efficiency. The speedometer background has a coloured glow, as an instant indication of whether you are being an economical driver. If you’re driving smoothly and creating fewer emissions, the display glows green, but if you’re driving aggressively and burning more fuel the display glows blue. Simple.

The centre of the Multi Information Display also shows the eco bar. Gradual acceleration and gentle braking will keep the bar to the centre. Heavy acceleration or heavy braking will mean the bar moves away from the centre and into the shaded areas. For more motivation during a journey, a display above the eco bar shows growing trees. The more economically you drive, the more trees will grow, to show your progress. Then at the end of each journey you are given an ECO score which is then added to your lifetime score. The better your score, the less harmful you’ve been to the planet and the more money you’ve saved on fuel.

ECON
To further help you to save petrol and reduce emissions, press the ECON button on the right of the dashboard. When the ECON button is pressed, it enters a ‘super economy’ mode and a green tree symbol appears on the dashboard to indicate that the system is activated. The system limits the petrol engine’s power output, ensuring a smoother CVT shift pattern and smoother acceleration. It also extends idle stop time, increases regenerative charging during deceleration and adjusts the air conditioning to use less power. All this reduces the amount of fuel the car uses on a journey.

It’s more than just the Insight’s environmental credentials that attract attention. Sleek and dynamic, its design has been influenced by the FCX Clarity, our zero emissions fuel cell vehicle. Crafted to deliver the best possible aerodynamics, the Insight’s smooth, flowing design reduces drag and improves the air flow around the car.

The idea is simple. Put all the essential controls and information directly in front of the driver, to make controlling the car easier, safer and more engaging. The dash consists of two zones; on the upper zone you’ll find your speed, while the lower zone contains the IMA and the Multi Information Display where the Eco Assist information is shown. The CD Audio System is MP3 compatible and is available with a USB connection that allows you to play your favourite music. The ES-T grade also comes with voice activated Satellite Navigation and a Bluetooth wireless mobile phone interface.

The Insight has been innovatively designed to hide the battery pack beneath the cargo space, creating the practical space of a family hatchback. The folding rear seats split 60:40 and when the seats are up the boot capacity stands at 408 litres. But with the seats folded down the space opens up to create 584 litres when loaded to the window. There’s even an additional hidden compartment beneath the floor that provides more useful storage space. Practical and spacious, the Insight can seat five adults and has supportive seats with high quality fabrics.

Heated front seats and automatic climate control air conditioning create the perfect temperature and journeys are made more comfortable with front and rear armrests.

Click the Autocar logo below for a comprehensive review of the Honda Insight.