Description
For sale is my 2002 '51 plate Honda Insight, which has been a pleasure to own and drive since 2021.
The first generation of Honda Insight (ZE1) was introduced in 1999 as the inaugural model to showcase the company’s Integrated Motor Assist hybrid system. It subsequently became the first hybrid car to be offered in the North American market, beating the Toyota Prius to the accolade by seven months. The Insight was an innovative testbed for Honda’s fledgling eco strategy and so no yen was spared in its development.
The car’s party trick was to combine ultra-light weight with extreme aerodynamic efficacy to maximise efficiency and optimise performance. With a kerb weight of around 850 kgs and a drag coefficient of just 0. 25 (0. 30 being considered a stretching benchmark at the time), Honda well and truly nailed the brief. The ZE1 was relatively niche, with just 17, 000 ultimately built. The arrival of the Prius moved the market towards four doors, five seat saloons leaving the teardrop shaped, 2 seater Insight somewhat of an outlier. It is thought that only around 250 Insight ZE1s ever made it to the UK.
This is a UK-spec car in Honda Red with the desirable manual gearbox, which increases efficiency by 10-15%. This Insight qualifies for £0 road tax. The car has covered 235, 000 miles and has had one combustion engine replacement (some 60k miles ago) and a new battery pack from famed Insight specialist Peter Perkins. At the same time as the battery replacement, a new undersealed rear axle and subframe was installed. In use, everything works as it should - no warning lights and the battery pulls smoothly, holding strong charge even when under load or parked up.
The car has been well maintained and sympathetically updated for modern driving with useful upgrades; a matched leather steering wheel from a Honda S2000, a double DIN Sony head unit with integrated Apple CarPlay, LED headlights and side lights, a hard-wired Garmin dashcam and Koni adjustable rear dampers. Of course, original items such as the single-DIN radio and cubby box and the 'lightweight' plastic steering wheel are included in the sale, along with a large file of paperwork and maintenance records. The car comes fitted with extras including OEM Insight floor mats and an Insight-specific tailored cargo net.
The car achieves 85mpg+ on my regular return journey from London to Bristol, even with winter tyres and AC/ heating. In the summer I can hit 93-95mpg - remarkable! Recent maintenance includes remanufactured hard brake lines, a new gearbox mount flown in from Japan and a full service with specialist Honda Green oil. The car is sold with a selection of scarce spares, including a new alloy radiator, brake disks, spare bodywork, discontinued Honda clips and sundries and a spare set of OEM summer wheels (which need new tyres). Also supplied with the car is a Peter Perkins grid charger - this custom-made device will totally empty and recharge the traction battery, helping to keep the cells balanced for long life.
Clearly this is an Insight which loves to be driven - the bodywork is complete and the car 'scrubs up well' - as expected with age and mileage there are a couple of age-related marks; stone chips to bonnet, a couple of minor scratches to front valence and some minor bubbling to paint on the corners of the doors. There is nothing of concern here - this is an aluminium and plastic-bodied car so there is no rust. Inside the cabin is in excellent condition, with no appreciable wear to seats or trim. Of note, the head lining over the driver door has begun to separate from the edging - a reputable trimmer quoted £400 for complete renewal. If I was keeping the car this would be a job I would consider, alongside refurbishment of the OEM wheels, which show signs of corrosion. I would also consider paint restoration to 3 or 4 spots on the car and a cosmetic refresh of the engine bay to address minor corrosion to fasteners.
On the road, the car tracks straight with no untoward squeaks or rattles - my father describes it as a 'fingertip drive' because all controls are precise and sensitive, with excellent feedback from the road. The "Gen 1" Honda Insight rewards engaged driving and the machine is great fun, as well as being practical and incredibly cost-effective transport. You can 'trim' the car in the same way as a small aeroplane, maintaining smooth throttle response to unlock the magical "lean burn" and the possibility of 100mpg. All documents are in order and the V5C is present and correct in my name. All spares, paperwork and a file of history will be provided with the car. I will also provide all extras, as specified above. Please go ahead and ask questions.
