2011 Car Comparison: Toyota Prius vs Honda Insight

The Competitors
In this hybrid car comparison we compare the 2011 Toyota Prius and 2011 Honda Insight. Both offer benefits of reduced fuel consumption and reduced vehicle emissions. This 2011 Toyota Prius vs. 2011 Honda Insight comparison picks a winner based on price, features, and performance.

The 2011 Prius is the world’s best-selling hybrid and offers models that start at $23,560. The Insight is the second-best-selling hybrid in the U.S. and least-expensive, with models starting at $18,950. (Base prices in this comparison review include the manufacturer’s delivery fee; note that Toyotas sold in some Southeastern and Gulf states are delivered by independent distributors and may carry different destination fees).

Prius was fully redesigned for the model-year 2010 and there are no changes for model-year 2011. The 2011 Prius comes as a four-door hatchback built on an exclusive platform not shared with other vehicles. Due for model-year 2012 is a larger wagon body style called the Prius v, as well as a plug-in version of the hatchback. The 2011 Honda Insight reestablishes the name of Honda’s first hybrid, a two-seat hatchback sold from 1999 to 2006. The current version was all-new for the 2010 model year and the 2011 editions gain standard antiskid stability control while the LX trim adds standard cruise control, a USB iPod interface, and a security system. Honda’s sporty CR-Z two-seat hybrid uses a modified Insight platform and powertrain.

The Similarities

• The 2011 Toyota Prius and 2011 Honda Insight are front-wheel drive cars that couple a traditional four-cylinder gasoline engine with an electric motor generator and a self-charging nickel-metal-hydride battery pack. Both use regenerative braking that captures kinetic energy during deceleration and stopping, and routes it to the batteries. The two cars are equipped with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) rather than a normal geared automatic transmission. A CVT provides infinite ratios that keep an engine operating within its most efficient range. The combined output of the Prius engine and electric motor is 134 horsepower; the Insight engine-motor combination is 98 horsepower.

• From a short distance away, the 2011 Prius and 2011 Insight might be mistaken for identical twins. Their exterior dimensions place both in the compact-car class and their similar shape, echoed by the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid and Honda’s FCX Clarity fuel-cell electric car, has come to define what hybrids and electric cars look like: a four-door hatchback with a smooth front end and a high, abrupt tail. The truncated rear, called a Kammback, is a design shape that reduces the air resistance of the vehicle and helps reduce improve fuel consumption.

• The hatchback body style of the 2011 Toyota Prius and 2011 Honda Insight offers more than just improved fuel economy. It’s a versatile design that maximizes cargo space and provides a large loading/unloading opening through the rear. Both cars have cargo space that can be expanded by folding the 60/40 split rear seatbacks. Four passengers fit in both cars, though an adult of any size will be tightly squeezed in the rear-middle seating position. For families with infants or toddlers, the LATCH connectors on the outboard rear seating positions of both cars are hidden in the upholstery, making car seats somewhat difficult to secure.

• The base model in both the Prius and Insight lineups comes with lots of standard driver-friendly features, starting with a tilt/telescoping steering column — an often overlooked necessity in smaller cars. A manual height-adjustable driver seat helps people of various sizes find the correct driving position. Base models in both lineups also come with air conditioning and keyless entry, plus power door locks, windows, and outside mirrors. An AM/FM/CD stereo is included; the Prius has six speakers, the Insight two. While both have projector beam halogen headlamps to light up dark roads, only the Prius has cruise control as standard. The Prius also has steering-wheel controls for the stereo and climate system; the Insight does not.

• Hybrids are about fuel economy and both the 2011 Prius and 2011 Insight have driving modes and dashboard displays that help drivers squeeze the most mileage from each drop of fuel. Called “Eco” mode on the Prius and “Econ” on the Insight, these selections maximize fuel economy by modifying throttle control and changing operation of the air conditioning. The Prius’s Multi-Information Display features fuel-consumption history, energy flow, and a hybrid-system indicator, but the layout is busy and difficult to sort out while driving. The Insight’s EcoGuide gathers data on driving patterns, so drivers can analyze their recent driving history to improve fuel-saving strategies. Its display screen even shows up to five green leaves to reward drivers who achieve the best economical behavior over time.

• The 2011 Prius and Insight have all the biggies when it comes to standard safety features. Active safety equipment includes electronic traction and stability control systems along with four-wheel anti-lock brakes. The Prius has disc brakes front and rear while the Insight shaves costs by using drum brakes in the rear. Passive safety gear is comprised of dual front airbags, driver and front passenger torso-protecting side air bags, and curtain side airbags for both seating rows that provide head protection in a side collision or a rollover accident. The Prius adds a driver’s knee bag, which not only protects the knees but helps keep the driver’s body in the requisite position, enabling the seatbelt and steering wheel airbag to provide the best protection.

The Differences

• The 2011 Prius is more expensive than the 2011 Insight, but you get more with the Prius, including performance, refinement, roominess, and fuel economy. The base-model 2011 Toyota Prius II starts at $23,560, several thousand dollars more than the Insight’s entry model. The better-equipped, top-selling Prius III and Prius IV models are priced from $24, 560, and the top-end Prius V lists for $28,830. To be more competitive, Honda added a new entry-level version of its hybrid for 2011. Named simply the 2011 Honda Insight, the $18,950 list price makes it the lowest priced hybrid in the U.S., and gives it a $4,610 price advantage over the Prius II. This is followed by the Insight LX priced at 20,650, the EX at $22,240, and the EX with Navigation at $24,015. The Insight does not offer options; each trim level in the lineup has a set suite of features. With the exception of the base Prius II, there is an extensive list of available options for the 2011 Prius, many offered only in packages.

• The 2011 Prius is a showcase for high-tech gear that is unrivalled in this class. Comfort, convenience, and safety options include radar cruise control that maintains a driver-selected distance behind the vehicle in front, a pre-collision system with automated braking, and lane-departure mitigation that actually nudges the steering wheel to bring the car back to the lane if the driver fails to heed the audible warning. Have difficulty parallel parking? Check the Prius’s self-parallel-parking system option box. The pièce de résistance is a sunroof with a solar panel that generates electricity for running fans inside the car to keep the interior cooler while the Prius is parked in the sun. While both Prius and Insight offer navigation systems and Bluetooth connectivity, connecting an iPod in the Prius requires an expensive option available only on the top Prius V model. The Insight has iPod connectivity as standard on LX and EX models.

• The Prius is just 3.3 inches longer overall than the Insight but it has a 5.9-inch longer wheelbase. That significant extra distance between the front and rear axles is key to the Toyota’s greater interior space. Indeed, Insight is classified as a compact car while the Prius has enough interior volume to place it in the EPA’s midsize category. This difference is reflected throughout the cabin. Front-seat headroom and legroom are nearly equal in both cars, but the narrower Insight feels crowded with an accompanying front-seat passenger. The Prius’s backseat has a clear edge over the Insight’s, with generous headroom and legroom and more shoulder room. Folding the Prius’s rear seatbacks creates 39.6 cubic feet of cargo volume. Fold the Insight’s and you get 31.5 cubic feet. With the rear seatbacks up, Prius has 21.6 cubic feet of luggage space, Insight 15.9.

• Both cars have hybrid systems that shut off the gas engine when the vehicle comes to a stop and restarts it when the brake pedal is released. From there on, however, the two systems take different directions. The Prius is referred to as a “full hybrid,” meaning the car can be propelled by electric power alone at lower speeds for short distances, by the gasoline engine alone, or by a combination of the two. The Insight is a “mild hybrid,” meaning its electric motor’s principal duty is to assist the gasoline engine during acceleration. In certain instances, the Insight engine cuts off fuel and the car operates briefly on electric power only, but the engine’s parts still move.

• Fuel economy is the hybrid measuring stick and by conventional EPA calculations, the 2011 Toyota Prius and 2011 Honda Insight rank Nos. 1 and 2 as the most fuel efficient vehicles in the U.S. (The EPA uses an electric-gasoline conversion formula to calculate higher “miles-per-gallon” estimates for the full-electric Nissan Leaf and the extended-range electric Volt.) Benefitting from its more complex hybrid technology, the 2011 Prius rates 51/48 mpg city/highway. Note that it delivers its top mileage during city driving, where lower speeds enable it to move along under electric power alone. The 2011 Insight rates 40/43 mpg. Without the ability to move at city speeds on electricity alone, Insight’s simpler hybrid system achieves its best mileage on the highway. When it comes to fuel economy, choosing between the Prius and Insight boils down to how much you’re willing to pay to save gas. The Insight’s 40/43 mpg is good, even for a small car, but the more expensive Prius’s 51/48 is great, and it’s a larger car.

• The driving experience between the Prius and Insight is noticeably different. The Insight’s persona leans toward the sporty side and it is more agile than the Prius. Steering feel is good, the turning circle tight. Insight’s ride firm and reasonably well damped, but the suspension makes a thudding sound when potholes are encountered. The Prius has the sturdy feel of a well-made midsize car, and while it doesn’t invite frisky driving, it carves corners quite well at reasonable speeds. The chassis serves up a stable and smooth ride that reacts to all but the harshest road imperfections with little or no disturbance. Neither vehicle is sports-car quick, but with 134 horsepower in combined gas/electric output the Prius delivers more vigorous acceleration than the Insight and its net 98 horsepower. Additionally, engine and road noise is very intrusive in the Insight, whereas the Prius cabin is very quiet.

The Winner

The 2011Toyota Prius. Prius beats Insight in this comparison for more than just unequalled fuel economy. Prius has a smoother ride, a quieter cabin, and quicker acceleration. It also has a larger interior that provides more comfort for both front- and rear-seat occupants. The Toyota’s larger size also takes advantage of the hatchback design and provides more cargo space when the rear seatbacks are up or down. The Prius’s higher price will dissuade some hybrid-car buyers, however. Those who choose the Insight will get an interesting-to-drive Honda with very good fuel economy.