Archives

Hi All:

___Not worth news given it is more an entertainment piece than a review but something everyone should read...

Honda Insight 1.3_IMA SE Hybrid (timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/jeremy_clarkson/article6294116.ece)

Much has been written about the Insight, Honda’s new low-priced hybrid. We’ve been told how much carbon dioxide it produces, how its dashboard encourages frugal driving by glowing green when you’re easy on the throttle and how it is the dawn of all things. The beginning of days.

So far, though, you have not been told what it’s like as a car; as a tool for moving you, your friends and your things from place to place.

So here goes. It’s terrible. Biblically terrible. Possibly the worst new car money can buy. It’s the first car I’ve ever considered crashing into a tree, on purpose, so I didn’t have to drive it any more.

The biggest problem, and it’s taken me a while to work this out, because all the other problems are so vast and so cancerous, is the gearbox. For reasons known only to itself, Honda has fitted the Insight with something called constantly variable transmission (CVT).

It doesn’t work. Put your foot down in a normal car and the revs climb in tandem with the speed. In a CVT car, the revs spool up quickly and then the speed rises to match them. It feels like the clutch is slipping. It feels horrid.

And the sound is worse. The Honda’s petrol engine is a much-shaved, built-for-economy, low-friction 1.3 that, at full chat, makes a noise worse than someone else’s crying baby on an airliner. It’s worse than the sound of your parachute failing to open. Really, to get an idea of how awful it is, you’d have to sit a dog on a ham slicer.

So you’re sitting there with the engine screaming its head off, and your ears bleeding, and you’re doing only 23mph because that’s about the top speed, and you’re thinking things can’t get any worse, and then they do because you run over a small piece of grit.

Because the Honda has two motors, one that runs on petrol and one that runs on batteries, it is more expensive to make than a car that has one. But since the whole point of this car is that it could be sold for less than Toyota’s Smugmobile, the engineers have plainly peeled the suspension components to the bone. The result is a ride that beggars belief.

There’s more. Normally, Hondas feel as though they have been screwed together by eye surgeons. This one, however, feels as if it’s been made from steel so thin, you could read through it. And the seats, finished in pleblon, are designed specifically, it seems, to ruin your skeleton. This is hairy-shirted eco-ism at its very worst.

However, as a result of all this, prices start at £15,490 — that’s £3,000 or so less than the cost of the Prius. But at least with the Toyota there is no indication that you’re driving a car with two motors. In the Insight you are constantly reminded, not only by the idiotic dashboard, which shows leaves growing on a tree when you ease off the throttle (pass the sick bucket), but by the noise and the ride and the seats. And also by the hybrid system Honda has fitted.

In a Prius the electric motor can, though almost never does, power the car on its own. In the Honda the electric motor is designed to “assist” the petrol engine, providing more get-up-and-go when the need arises. The net result is this: in a Prius the transformation from electricity to petrol is subtle. In the Honda there are all sorts of jerks and clunks.

And for what? For sure, you could get 60 or more mpg if you were careful. And that’s not bad for a spacious five-door hatchback. But for the same money...http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/jeremy_clarkson/article6294116.ece

___Although I will never like the CVT, the Insight-II does do the 0 - 60 dance in 12.3 or so which is about the going rate for the small diesels in Europe. Not sure what he was speaking about with the 23 mph stuff? The seats... In my 53 mile drive I did not think they were that bad? The HCH-II's are more comfortable however.

___He picked up on the inexpensive build quality that Manuel has pointed out over the past few months.

___He also dislikes the Prius' with a passion but did give the vehicle kudo's for its EV capable drivetrain.

___Either way, a blow to the all-new 2010 Honda Insight-II in Europe from a highly read but controversial entertainer/reviewer.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

___Either way, a blow to the all-new 2010 Honda Insight-II in Europe from a highly read but controversial entertainer/reviewer.
Hardly I would say. Clarkson is indeed controversial as car reviewer, but most people don't see him as that. Most people see him only as entertaining. Also Most people here know of his dislike to anything that doesn't have a proper gearbox goes 0-60 in less than 8, and his critisism on all things not powered by petrol. He is highly critical on all new technologies (hybrid/biofuel/electrical).
But most people see him as an entertainer, so I don't think Honda is going to sell any less cars by this...

Mr Clarkson is hair chested baffoon that need to compensate for some unknown shortcoming by associating himself with "virile" automobiles.

Unbelievable that this was actually written in an article. Clearly there is something about the insight and some obligation of his that co-incide in a not-so-good manner.

I don't understand why some people take Clarkson seriously. He is for entertainment only and I for one almost always enjoy his presentations.

Sure he exaggerates, but he's entertaining, not educating. If you're relying on people like Clarkson to learn, then his always bias and humorous reviews are the least of your worries.

We have already reached a point in society where too much is taken literally and too much is kept unsaid, because it might offend someone.

For a smile I'll turn to people like Clarkson and for education I'll keep paying attention to people like Wayne.

I think you underestimate the # of people that rely on this guy and others like Colbert and Steward to form opinions. They may be entertainers, but they sway millions. Because of that I have no qualms ridiculing them.

This sounds like Rush Limbaugh....an mix of analysis and entertainment. :eyebrow:

I'm just glad he never reviewed the original Insight! :eek:

I found the article hilarious.:biglol::biglol::biglol::biglol::biglol:

I wonder if he slapped it in "S" and never upshifted...thus the 23 MPH?

I'm just glad he never reviewed the original Insight! :eek:

The Insight is truly set apart, in the Biblical sense (Read: Holy) :)

I thought he hit the nail on the head.... LMAO

I thought he hit the nail on the head.... LMAOYes, the Insight I is a Holy Roller. :D

He's probably got two left feet and very old school too boot!!! Hal

All I can say is that once again, I lost a few more IQ points after reading some of his "new" stuff. :(



Cheers;

MSantos

You just have to know that, as usual, he's playing scorn for laughs.

Translating Jeremy accordingly, I think his main criticisms about the Insight II were (in order of apparent importance):

1. The CVT seems awkward for someone who is unaccustomed to it;

2. The build quality is cheap;

3. The car is relatively underpowered.


All common criticisms of this car that have been made less amusingly by other reviewers. I think he had the article mostly written before he drove the car;).

He did really seem to hate the transmission. It would've been interesting to see his opinion of the same car with a manual.

I'm thinking Jeremy might have a really bad nightmare like this

http://www.youtube.com/v/QiuWM4ILO8c&hl=en&fs=1

Explaination: Of course this would not happen to him....it would be:

Gearhead Hell

He would be in that Prius I while Bubba is at target practice (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOvp69lnZbA).

Help me - what else? :p

He did really seem to hate the transmission. It would've been interesting to see his opinion of the same car with a manual.

Having driven a Nissan Versa with a CVT, I can honestly say I thought the banded tranny ws installed in lieu of 3 or 4 cylinders. Never again. Although the HCH-II CVT was at least servicable.

He has a huge following in England. This article will probably be a major blow to Insight sales across the pond. A local talk show host here in Pittsburgh who is syndicated and on XM just read the article. Laughing at Jeremy's reflection on the Insight. I've looked at both the Insight and the HCHII and the Civic is a better deal and a better built car.

He has a huge following in England.
As entertainer yes. As car reviewer , maybe. As someone who's listened to when buying a car. A whole lot less.

As entertainer yes. As car reviewer , maybe. As someone who's listened to when buying a car. A whole lot less.

Have you noticed where most of the under thirty somethings get their news and information. People like Clarkson do have influence on peoples buying habits.

Do you realize how many people get their news off the Daily show on Comedy central?

A whole lot more than you or even I thought.

Even if 10% of possible Insight owners are turned off of the car because of Clarkson's comments, that could be thousands of possible Honda sales gone.

Honda has laid off hundreds in it's British assembly plants due to the down turn in car sales.

This seems like the Chicken or the Egg syndrome...is someone seriously listening to Clarkston already a leadfoot predisposed against fuel efficient cars like the 2010 Insight, or does he have some influence? It's hard to say.

It's part of a trend that concerns me: listeners treating highly opinionated hosts as if they are dispassionate experts. Experts - maybe, but I'd hardly expect them to pass jury selection. If you listen to Michel Moore or Ann Colter you are going to get a distinct point of view. ;)

Yikes!!

He makes the Insight sound like a piece of junk- very unhonda like. This will certainly hurt sales in the UK-and anywhere else folks read this guy( I've never heard of him) It sounds like an old Chevy or Hyundai review.

How does it compare-build quality, acceleration, ride, noise- to a Fit? Same, better, worse?

Thanks,
Charlie

Remember when Jeremy trashed the Prius I and had it shot to pieces?

I don't think the sales suffered.

Another question that should be asked is if Clarkston's credibility will suffer?

Clarksons only credibility is that of an entertainer. Sure he peppers truths here and there, but I do not watch Top Gear to learn about which car to buy etc.

People taking individuals like Clarkson seriously is the problem.

The solution is not to censor opinionated people, because they are influencing people. The solution is for people to take responsibility in whose opinions they respect and whose opinions are bias, colourful entertainment meant to be enjoyable reads or presentations.

Getting upset at Clarkson, because he influences people with his drivel is one more example of us putting the blame on others for our actions rather than accepting responsibility for them ourself and ourself alone.