gsrauto98

they're even cooler with a k-swap lol
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...K-SightWM3.jpg

FijiBlueFG2

I think that is their goal.

To rid the term, "hybrid" of that, "family sedan" image.

FijiBlueFG2

lol...what a waste of money...

Coulda just bought an RSX-S/Si, and had a lighter, k-powered car to begin with.

92TypeR

The first gen Insight (which I am pretty sure that is what the picture is), weighs 1,800lbs. That inlcudes the 250lb battery pack, extra ~90lbs for the electric IMA motor. It also has a .25 CD, so it would pull ***** on the highway!

It is a very rigid car too. It is an all-aluminum frame, like the NSX, with a rear and front "boxed in" subframe.

FijiBlueFG2

A little off-topic, but I just read your sig. Do you really feel that you are saving the planet by driving a hybrid? No hostility, but rather, curiosity.

90Rexx

i disagree.... im pretty sure its neither hondas intention, or responsibility, to do such a thing. there just trying to make money like anyone else lol. i doubt their goal is to pave the way for other automobile companies to make sports-hybrids.

92TypeR

Absolutely not, it is a pun to the general hybrid owner mindset.

If I cared about the environment to the "tree hugger" extent, I wouldn't drive two other cars that have all emission devices removed, and one of them runs on leaded gasoline half the time.

FijiBlueFG2

Their goal may not be to "pave the way", for other companies, however, their goal is in fact to "pave their own way", and develop a market based on a specific vehicle they sell. By giving hybrids a "sporty" image, it in turn makes all hybrids a little more appealing. Since Honda is so deeply vested in the hybrid market to begin with, this can be seen as nothing but a smart business decision.

EM2Civic

Should just come out with the FCX already, much better option. Who cares what it feels like with 5 ppl in it? You put 5 ppl in an Si you're going barely 15mpgs.

FijiBlueFG2

True.

But I'm not concerned with fuel economy as much as I am with wheel power, and abilty to accelerate/brake.

I get about 21mpg with empty car.

clean3two3

lol this is funny, which reminds me of when i was running straight pipe i felt funny being around people who drive prius's because everytime i would stop by them at a light all you can smell is gas lol

EM2Civic

I stopped next to a insight 2 nights ago with my friends chevelle that literally makes 4-5mpgs (runs low 10s on street tires) I was driving and asked if they wanted to go from a roll they we're like wtf are you talking about lolll priceless. If you drive a 4cyl import that gets crap mileage because of turbo kit/extreme na etc everyone hates you but if you drive a 60-70s muscle that has a huge cam and guzzles gas it's ok for some reason lol

FijiBlueFG2

Its all in the image.

A high-powered civic that gets low fuel economy is frowned upon, because it is supposed to have good fuel economy.

A 60s/70s muscle car is supposed to have bad fuel economy.


I'm afraid that in a couple decades we're going to have a generation of people who don't even know what gasoline smells like.

clean3two3

true lol i was thinking of that.funny how cops dont hassle the old cars because of no cat and all the noise they make. i was getting **** mpg in my type s when my c.e.l is on like v8 style mpg.wasnt cool i had half a tank driving conservatively and only went 30 miles and had a quarter tank left. :/

sweetdill

i don't see how an all aluminum frame can be magnetic?
are the chick magnets in the Battery?
prolly in the IMA electric motor, huh?

Dogginator

If you induce eddy currents, even aluminum produces a magnetic field. The Maglev trains use an aluminum carrier.

1badascivic

X2

imzjustplayin

What the **** are you smoking? 2.5 stars out of 5? First of all, there are no "half stars" and second of all the '92-'95 Civic got THREE STARS while the '96-'00 civic got 4 stars for the driver, 5 stars for the passenger. Don't spread lies and FUD by making people think these cars are less safe than they really are..

http://www.safercar.gov/portal/site/...resh=1&ID=6168

Also your calculation for fuel economy is totally skewed. Improving aero is NOT going to improve city mileage which makes up a good portion of the "combined" MPG, the only way to do that is to reduce weight and change the transmission!

92TypeR

No need to get all worked up. I'm just going off of what my back issue of MotorTrend has for the "New Cars Guide for 1996". That link you posted is broken, so I do not know what is there. If what I posted is not accurate, then MotorTrend did not have the right rating. No FUD spreading here, just using the tools I have in front of me and reporting what I see. The point is still made though, that the Insight is safer than an equivalent weight Civic.

Coefficient of drag has an impact at all vehicle speeds, there is no minimum vehicle speed at which Cd becomes a contributing factor, so stating that there is no difference is false. However, since Cd increases with the square of vehicle speed, the higher the vehicle speed, the larger the effect Cd has on fuel consumption. So yes, there are much larger contributors to low speed fuel consumption like weight and gearing as you mentioned, although the gearing is negated when discussing the Insight, since it uses a CVT.

Regardless, I still stand behind the claim I made. I am averaging 45-47mpg per tank, with a 25% city / 75% highway mix. I never made the claim that my driving represented the "EPA Combined" rating, however they calculate it. With Mugen's claimed 3-5% decrease in fuel consumption from their aero kit, my combined fuel consumption should land around 50mpg if I were to pay the $3500. Not worth it, as I am not the type to compete for uber-mpg's.

92sc61

Not a huge fan of the new Insight's but I love the older ones, if I could get my hands on one for cheap I'd throw a nice all motor build in it. I'm envious of all of them though my DD Audi S4 gets half that mpg, need to trade it in soon :-(

imzjustplayin

If you go to www.safercar.gov, select passenger car->Select 1996->Select Honda->Select Civic->Select 4Dr, you'll get the crash test results and its star rating.

2008fijibluesi

I know this thread is hella old but it makes me LOL at the fact that the OP didn't realize she was mocking his ***.

Smarg

Yeah. She's kind of retarded to keep coming after him, though.

Dogginator

NHTSA!=IIHS

imzjustplayin

You're right, even more proof that his review was seriously flawed and incorrect. IIHS gives the car an "Acceptable" rating which is basically a 4 out of 5 star rating... IIHS doesn't have any "star" ratings, just ratings like "Poor", "Marginal", "Average", "Acceptable" and "Good".