The 2010 Honda Insight has a lot to offer: one of the best mileage compacts, stylish design, hybrid technology, yet an inexpensive car. So is it a good car? Our review will reveal all.
The 2010 Honda Insight goes head to head with the 2010 Toyota Prius. One major factor in Honda's favour is the Insight is several thousand dollars cheaper than the Prius. Drawcards for the Prius are cabin and luggage space (the Prius is a midsized car whereas the Insight is a compact), a more powerful engine and more features.
Lets talk fuel economy.The Honda Insight is one of the best mileage compact cars with a city fuel economy of 40 miles per gallon (U.S.), a highway mileage of 43 and a combined mpg of 41. The Insight is not quite as economical as a Prius, but there's not much in it. CO2 emissions are also a bit higher at 101 g/km, compared to the Prius at 89 g/km.
The Honda Insight has very high fuel mileage for several reasons. The main one of course being its hybrid powertrain. A small 1.3 liter 4 cylinder gasoline engine is teamed with a 10 kilowatt electric motor powered by a 580 Watt Hour nickel metal hydride battery hidden under the rear seats. The battery is charged with spare engine power and through regenerative braking. The Insight can drive solely on electric power at speeds up to around 30mph.
Continuously variable transmission provides the hybrid compact with infinite ratios allowing the engine to run in an efficient rev range. Honda's ECON mode maximises fuel economy further by remapping the computer to accelerate more slowly and keep revs lower.
Other features helping to make the Honda Insight a best mileage compact include a stop start system, variable cylinder management, low resistance rubber and a new aerodynamic shape.
The car's dedication to fuel economy is further underlined during driving.Honda's multi information display gives you feedback on your current and average fuel mileage, and your braking and accelerating patterns in order to help you drive more efficiently. The speedometer also changes color providing instant feedback on your driving style. When its green you're getting good fuel mileage, when its blue you're not driving economically. In addition to all this, there's also recognition of your long term driving style. The car rewards you with a number of leaves depending on your mileage and driving patterns. A total of five leaves are displayed to the most light footed drivers. Since it takes quite a while to build up to five leaves its a game that should keep you entertained for some time.
Standard equipment across the Insight range is pretty good. The pricier EX model has alloy wheels, cruise control, a better audio system with iPod connectivity, paddle shifters on the steering wheel giving the feel of a seven speed manual, stability assist and a navigation system with voice commands.
Hybrid car customers tend to also prioritise safety and Honda hasn't disappointed with their 2010 hybrid compact - front, side and curtain airbags, anti lock brakes and a pedestrian friendly front nose are all standard.
Interior passenger space is good for people in the front of the car but can get tight in the rear depending on the size of your passengers (and how much room they like!). Children and young teenagers will definitely have plenty of space but larger adults will find the head and leg room a bit cramped. The 2010 Prius definitely has greater space for rear passengers. There's 350 liters of storage space (without folding any seats down) and another 50 liters in underfloor storage compartments.
This best mileage compact is a nicer car to drive than Toyota's Prius. It feels responsive and agile considering its a hybrid with a small engine. While the engine and electric motor perform really well in the city you will notice a slight lack of power on the highway when you overtake at speed. The ride is good on all but the bumpiest roads where you'll feel the bumps somewhat.
Honda's 2010 Insight is a very good compact. Its one of the least expensive hybrids you can buy yet has a high build quality, performs well, is safe and practical. Its only limitation if you're looking for a family car is size, in which case you may be better off considering the mid sized Prius. The 2010 Toyota Prius is larger and more powerful and has more features but it does cost several thousand more.
High Mileage Cars - VW Polo BlueMotion
One of the best high mileage cars is the diesel VW Polo BlueMotion. Volkswagen have a BlueMotion version of each of their models. These are the cars that have had some special treatment to give great fuel mileage and to make them environmentally friendly. The diesel Polo BlueMotion is in its second incarnation and it boasts incredible figures - combined fuel mileage is 83 miles per UK gallon (BlueMotion vehicles are not available in the U.S.) and 90 g/km of CO2 emissions. This Polo is one of the most efficient cars you can buy.
The first generation Polo BlueMotion was also a very high mileage diesel car returning 72 miles per gallon but reviewers criticised its noisy engine and poor steering. It was a car in need of refinement.
The high fuel economy was a result of designers adding a new grille, smaller wing mirrors and a clever rear wing to improve the aerodynamics of the Polo. Low rolling resistance tyres were also included. The Polo's 1.4 litre 3 cylinder diesel engine was tweaked by adding a new variable turbocharger, a new exhaust and a new catalytic converter. The ratios of the five speed manual gearbox were lengthened to squeeze more speed for fewer engine revolutions and generally the 195 Nm diesel coped ok with the demands.
Volkswagen took a big risk with the changes to the BlueMotion's list of features and for some it was a step too far in the name of economy. In order to keep the weight of the Polo to a bare minimum and decrease fuel consumption they removed a lot of fairly basic equipment that you expect all cars to have these days - air conditioning, power mirrors, central locking.
Volkswagen's second and latest version of the Polo BlueMotion is a definite improvement on the initial incarnation. Their new baby diesel returns better fuel economy, is more refined and boasts intelligent new features. The high mileage small car has a brand new engine - a smooth 1.2 litre diesel powerplant replaces the old 1.4 litre noisy engine. While only 74 bhp is available its a very refined engine and is a big improvement over the outgoing one. Top speed is only 107mph and 0-60 takes a leisurely 14 seconds but the car now returns a massive 83 mpg and emits just 90 g/km of carbon dioxide.
New technology includes a gear change indicator to tell the driver when the most efficient time to change gears is. The car also now has regenerative braking powering a stop start system. The new features all work well. The gear change light encourages you to change up very early and the stop start system is seamless. The high mileage Polo is a more enjoyable car to drive now.
Awards for the Polo BlueMotion have come thick and fast including the winner of the European Car of the Year. Its only fault now is price which certainly negates part of its money saving fuel mileage. This car costs about £14,500 in the U.K. which is very expensive for a supermini. Another high mileage supermini is the Vauxhall Corsa Ecoflex which can be yours for around £11,500. I'm not convinced you're getting £3,000 of extra value with the VW. Having said that the Polo BlueMotion is still one of the best high mileage cars in current production.
The first generation Polo BlueMotion was also a very high mileage diesel car returning 72 miles per gallon but reviewers criticised its noisy engine and poor steering. It was a car in need of refinement.
The high fuel economy was a result of designers adding a new grille, smaller wing mirrors and a clever rear wing to improve the aerodynamics of the Polo. Low rolling resistance tyres were also included. The Polo's 1.4 litre 3 cylinder diesel engine was tweaked by adding a new variable turbocharger, a new exhaust and a new catalytic converter. The ratios of the five speed manual gearbox were lengthened to squeeze more speed for fewer engine revolutions and generally the 195 Nm diesel coped ok with the demands.
Volkswagen took a big risk with the changes to the BlueMotion's list of features and for some it was a step too far in the name of economy. In order to keep the weight of the Polo to a bare minimum and decrease fuel consumption they removed a lot of fairly basic equipment that you expect all cars to have these days - air conditioning, power mirrors, central locking.
Volkswagen's second and latest version of the Polo BlueMotion is a definite improvement on the initial incarnation. Their new baby diesel returns better fuel economy, is more refined and boasts intelligent new features. The high mileage small car has a brand new engine - a smooth 1.2 litre diesel powerplant replaces the old 1.4 litre noisy engine. While only 74 bhp is available its a very refined engine and is a big improvement over the outgoing one. Top speed is only 107mph and 0-60 takes a leisurely 14 seconds but the car now returns a massive 83 mpg and emits just 90 g/km of carbon dioxide.
New technology includes a gear change indicator to tell the driver when the most efficient time to change gears is. The car also now has regenerative braking powering a stop start system. The new features all work well. The gear change light encourages you to change up very early and the stop start system is seamless. The high mileage Polo is a more enjoyable car to drive now.
Awards for the Polo BlueMotion have come thick and fast including the winner of the European Car of the Year. Its only fault now is price which certainly negates part of its money saving fuel mileage. This car costs about £14,500 in the U.K. which is very expensive for a supermini. Another high mileage supermini is the Vauxhall Corsa Ecoflex which can be yours for around £11,500. I'm not convinced you're getting £3,000 of extra value with the VW. Having said that the Polo BlueMotion is still one of the best high mileage cars in current production.
Labels:
Mini efficient cars
New convertible Mini high mileage car
BMW reinvented the high mileage Mini several years ago now and it continues to be a success. No other classic car thats been given a new lease of life has been so successful, including VW's Beetle. BMW respond to public demand for the little car by continuing to release more iterations and special editions of the Mini. The Works Mini is a high performance version. A successful soft top was released, and the Clubman is a slightly larger station wagon take on the Mini. A soft roader Mini and an electric Mini are also on the drawing board. Feeding off the success of the first soft top, BMW have unveiled a new convertible Mini, which they're hoping will be another popular retro high mileage car.
The new convertible Mini is available in the familiar Cooper and Cooper S versions. Both cars have a 1.6 litre engine coupled to either manual or auto boxes. The Cooper is normally aspirated and delivers 120 bhp while the 'S' is turbocharged and considerably more powerful, outputing 175 horsepower. The non turbo engine squeezes out all the power it can through the use of variable valve timing, but it's not a particularly powerful engine and performance is mediocre and noticeably slower than the hard top Mini. The reason for this is all the extra weight of the equipment for the auto opening roof. The turbo engine is a completely different animal and easily copes with the extra weight. Its definitely the engine you want with the soft top Mini. The extra power gives the car its usual nimble performance that we've come to expect from Mini's. It can't be over emphasised what a great engine the 1.6 turbo is. It pulls well across almost the whole rev range which is outstanding for such a small engine.
The non turbo Cooper has a good fuel economy of 49 miles per gallon for the manual and 42 for the automatic. The Cooper S is not such a high mileage car but still very respectable with a fuel consumption of 42 mpg for the manual and 39 mpg for the auto. For a fun go-kart like feel the six speed manual gearbox is the better option. Its changes are quick and smooth and it really adds to the driving experience. The automatic is a bit slow to change gears although there is a Sport button which sharpens them up.
The Mini's soft top is well thought out, easy to use and quick to open and close. The first press of a button opens the soft top up as a sunroof. A further press of the button opens it up all the way. When you're driving around with the top down its not excessively windy and with the top up its not too noisy. BMW have fitted an 'Openometer' gauge to their new convertible Mini's. Really its just a timer telling you how long you've had the roof down and is just mean't to be a bit of fun although BMW do say it is useful to let you know how much UV radiation you've had. There are a couple of ways the soft top could be improved but they're only minor - there is no cover for it, and rear visibility is not ideal.
BMW's new convertible Mini is a high mileage car with lots of cool options but they don't come cheap. Without any extras the car is not cheap but when you start adding the numerous features available the price quickly heads towards what you'd pay for a luxury car. Some of the options include mp3 player, phone support, a 10 speaker premium stereo system, sportier suspension, traction control, heated leather seats, multi function steering wheel, mood lighting and climate control.
Many convertibles do not have as good road handling as their equivalent coupe's. The reason for this is the metal roof provides stiffness to the car allowing for quick changes of direction. When you take away that metal roof it often leads to sloppy handling due to the twisting of the car's body. I'm pleased to report the Mini belongs to a select group of convertibles whose handling remains excellent despite the lack of a metal roof. There's only very minimal loss of stiffness and the convertible is still outrageously nimble. There's an optional sports suspension package which further tightens things up but the resulting ride will be too harsh for many people.
The Mini's cabin is very sylish. They've color coded it to the exterior paint and the design of the interior is unique to Mini's. There's even a mood lighting option which allows you to change the colour of the dash lights. Space is fine for the driver and front passenger, very tight for rear passengers and cargo space is tiny, but then you don't buy this car for interior space.
Safety is good for a small soft top car. It has a five star safety rating and four airbags (front and side airbags). Stability control is optional. Unique to the soft top, a sensor detects when the car rolls and fires a pop up rollbar to protect the occupants.
The latest soft top Mini is a great car. Its well constructed, agile and will put an enormous smile on your face. Its fast too if you buy the turbo and yet it still manages to be a high mileage car. The Mini convertible is a bit overpriced though, even in standard form. Once you start adding a few options the price is way over the top leaving you feeling a little ripped off. Its still a good high mileage convertible though.
The new convertible Mini is available in the familiar Cooper and Cooper S versions. Both cars have a 1.6 litre engine coupled to either manual or auto boxes. The Cooper is normally aspirated and delivers 120 bhp while the 'S' is turbocharged and considerably more powerful, outputing 175 horsepower. The non turbo engine squeezes out all the power it can through the use of variable valve timing, but it's not a particularly powerful engine and performance is mediocre and noticeably slower than the hard top Mini. The reason for this is all the extra weight of the equipment for the auto opening roof. The turbo engine is a completely different animal and easily copes with the extra weight. Its definitely the engine you want with the soft top Mini. The extra power gives the car its usual nimble performance that we've come to expect from Mini's. It can't be over emphasised what a great engine the 1.6 turbo is. It pulls well across almost the whole rev range which is outstanding for such a small engine.
The non turbo Cooper has a good fuel economy of 49 miles per gallon for the manual and 42 for the automatic. The Cooper S is not such a high mileage car but still very respectable with a fuel consumption of 42 mpg for the manual and 39 mpg for the auto. For a fun go-kart like feel the six speed manual gearbox is the better option. Its changes are quick and smooth and it really adds to the driving experience. The automatic is a bit slow to change gears although there is a Sport button which sharpens them up.
The Mini's soft top is well thought out, easy to use and quick to open and close. The first press of a button opens the soft top up as a sunroof. A further press of the button opens it up all the way. When you're driving around with the top down its not excessively windy and with the top up its not too noisy. BMW have fitted an 'Openometer' gauge to their new convertible Mini's. Really its just a timer telling you how long you've had the roof down and is just mean't to be a bit of fun although BMW do say it is useful to let you know how much UV radiation you've had. There are a couple of ways the soft top could be improved but they're only minor - there is no cover for it, and rear visibility is not ideal.
BMW's new convertible Mini is a high mileage car with lots of cool options but they don't come cheap. Without any extras the car is not cheap but when you start adding the numerous features available the price quickly heads towards what you'd pay for a luxury car. Some of the options include mp3 player, phone support, a 10 speaker premium stereo system, sportier suspension, traction control, heated leather seats, multi function steering wheel, mood lighting and climate control.
Many convertibles do not have as good road handling as their equivalent coupe's. The reason for this is the metal roof provides stiffness to the car allowing for quick changes of direction. When you take away that metal roof it often leads to sloppy handling due to the twisting of the car's body. I'm pleased to report the Mini belongs to a select group of convertibles whose handling remains excellent despite the lack of a metal roof. There's only very minimal loss of stiffness and the convertible is still outrageously nimble. There's an optional sports suspension package which further tightens things up but the resulting ride will be too harsh for many people.
The Mini's cabin is very sylish. They've color coded it to the exterior paint and the design of the interior is unique to Mini's. There's even a mood lighting option which allows you to change the colour of the dash lights. Space is fine for the driver and front passenger, very tight for rear passengers and cargo space is tiny, but then you don't buy this car for interior space.
Safety is good for a small soft top car. It has a five star safety rating and four airbags (front and side airbags). Stability control is optional. Unique to the soft top, a sensor detects when the car rolls and fires a pop up rollbar to protect the occupants.
The latest soft top Mini is a great car. Its well constructed, agile and will put an enormous smile on your face. Its fast too if you buy the turbo and yet it still manages to be a high mileage car. The Mini convertible is a bit overpriced though, even in standard form. Once you start adding a few options the price is way over the top leaving you feeling a little ripped off. Its still a good high mileage convertible though.
Labels:
Mini efficient cars
Toyota's High Mileage Cars First To Meet EU Guidelines
Oct 09: Tough new emissions standards will have to be met in the EU from 2013 and the Toyota high mileage car fleet is the first to meet them.
Its a big pat on the back for Toyota who are desperate to get the message out that its not just the Prius thats green, but the company as a whole. Toyota have worked hard with their engines to make their cars economical and low carbon emitters but there's another good reason why they got there first. Toyota have eliminated all sports cars from their range. Years ago they used to have quite a pedigree in performance cars with the likes of the Supra and Celica but these were slowly removed from their range. Today they do not sell a single high performance car. The reason is probably partly because they have bad fuel mileage and high emissions and they didn't fit with Toyota's new green image.
The new European Union law in force from 2013 will be 130 grams of CO2 per kilometre for each car maker. Its ok to be over this for some of your cars but your fleet average as a whole needs to meet this level. Toyota currently have a fleet average of 129.15 g/km of CO2. Six of their models emit less than 130 g/km.
Toyota are starting to make a habit of being the first manufacturer to green milestones and other car makers need to work harder to catch up or risk being left further behind the economical car maker.
Its a big pat on the back for Toyota who are desperate to get the message out that its not just the Prius thats green, but the company as a whole. Toyota have worked hard with their engines to make their cars economical and low carbon emitters but there's another good reason why they got there first. Toyota have eliminated all sports cars from their range. Years ago they used to have quite a pedigree in performance cars with the likes of the Supra and Celica but these were slowly removed from their range. Today they do not sell a single high performance car. The reason is probably partly because they have bad fuel mileage and high emissions and they didn't fit with Toyota's new green image.
The new European Union law in force from 2013 will be 130 grams of CO2 per kilometre for each car maker. Its ok to be over this for some of your cars but your fleet average as a whole needs to meet this level. Toyota currently have a fleet average of 129.15 g/km of CO2. Six of their models emit less than 130 g/km.
Toyota are starting to make a habit of being the first manufacturer to green milestones and other car makers need to work harder to catch up or risk being left further behind the economical car maker.
Labels:
News
Best Gas Mileage Cars Can Now Sound Like V8's
Here's the problem: You wanted one of the best gas mileage cars on the market so you bought yourself a mega efficient small car. Your new 3 cylinder engine doesn't sound like much though, and you're 5 short of the gurgling V8 you've always desired but could never justify, both financially and ethically. There is now a solution to your problem. Its called SoundRacer.
SoundRacer makes any car sound like a V8. So now even the best gas mileage cars can sound like a 6 liter sports car. The product plugs into the 12 volt outlet in your car and transmits a signal which you pick up with your car radio. According to the company, 'the SoundRacer senses your car engine RPM's and matches it with just the right V8 sound effects. Whether you're accelerating, decelerating, shifting gear, cruising the highway or idling, you'll think you're driving a genuine V8'. Hmmm, somehow I think not. I would think, 'whats that annoying tinny engine noise coming from my speakers'.
The SoundRacer is manufactured in Sweden. I must say I can't really see it taking off. Maybe a few teenagers will buy this gimmick for their first car for a bit of entertainment but I think the novelty will wear off in about 2 days. I think it would be quite embarrassing to drive around in a Mazda 2 that emits sounds from the window like a V8. And what about the fact that your car doesn't GO like a V8. If anyone wants to make their best gas mileage cars sound like a V8, the solution is out there for you.
SoundRacer makes any car sound like a V8. So now even the best gas mileage cars can sound like a 6 liter sports car. The product plugs into the 12 volt outlet in your car and transmits a signal which you pick up with your car radio. According to the company, 'the SoundRacer senses your car engine RPM's and matches it with just the right V8 sound effects. Whether you're accelerating, decelerating, shifting gear, cruising the highway or idling, you'll think you're driving a genuine V8'. Hmmm, somehow I think not. I would think, 'whats that annoying tinny engine noise coming from my speakers'.
The SoundRacer is manufactured in Sweden. I must say I can't really see it taking off. Maybe a few teenagers will buy this gimmick for their first car for a bit of entertainment but I think the novelty will wear off in about 2 days. I think it would be quite embarrassing to drive around in a Mazda 2 that emits sounds from the window like a V8. And what about the fact that your car doesn't GO like a V8. If anyone wants to make their best gas mileage cars sound like a V8, the solution is out there for you.
Labels:
News
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
