Honda Battle: Fit vs. Insight

Head to Head Comparison: Hybrid Insight vs. Honda Fit

Let’s get ready to rumble! Today, we’re pitting the 2010 Honda Insight (a new hybrid model) against the 2009 Honda Fit (a small, standard fuel vehicle) in a battle of brains and bronze to determine an ultimate winner. We all know that dollars need to stretch further this year than they ever have before, so if you’re in the market for a vehicle with better fuel economy – these two will be a tough choice.

Round One: Fuel Economy / MPG
The 2010 Honda Insight is said to get about 41 miles per gallon thanks to its hybrid powertrain, according to Edmunds.com. The 2009 Honda Fit (in the manual version) gets about 29 miles per gallon. Round one goes to the Honda Insight.

Round Two: Your Economy
Sticker price is a big consideration these days, so we can’t neglect the price of each vehicle. The Insight weighs in at about $20,000, mostly because of the hybrid technology needed to achieve the results it did in round one. The Fit is the little guy in this area, coming in at just under $15,000. With that price difference and a generous assumption of $2.00 per gallon gas, you’d spend about $585 each year to fuel up your Insight (driving 12,000 miles each year) and $827 to fill up the Fit for your travels. That means that it would take you about 20 years to recoup the premium you paid for the Insight. Round two goes to the Honda Fit.

Of course, if gas prices jump back to where they were in the summer of 2008, this round could definitely go the over way. It’s a close one!

Round Three: Comfort
The 2009 Honda Fit was fully redesigned from previous model years. It’s longer than earlier models by about 4.2 inches and while body weight stayed the same, the safety improved. The hatchback is roomy and folding down the back seats gives plenty of room for cargo. A telescoping steering wheel and more room than most other hatchbacks in the back seat make this an especially comfy hybrid car.

The Insight has a tail end similar to a Totota Prius, with the vertical glass pane as opposed to a regular hatchback or standard trunk. Driving it is fun, as there is a built in “coach” to help you drive more efficiently. While the front seat is roomy, anyone forced to the back may not be so lucky. Legroom is said to be lacking and taller passengers may not find enough head room. Round three is a draw. If you don’t have many passengers, the Insight is a great choice. If you’re constantly giving someone a ride or hauling lots of things, the Fit may be better for you.