Back in 2018, when Detroit’s auto show floors were still packed with new trucks and SUVs, Honda quietly rolled out something different: a prototype that would mark its return to hybrid simplicity. Amid all the heavy metal from Ford, Ram, and Jeep, the reborn Honda Insight previewed a new chapter for the brand’s electrification strategy and hinted at the hybrids we see from Honda today.
The Rebirth of the Honda Insight
Honda hadn’t built an Insight since the second-generation model ended production in 2014. When the third-gen prototype appeared in 2018, it traded the quirky, aero-driven design of its predecessors for a cleaner, more conventional shape; one that finally put Honda’s hybrid effort on equal footing with Toyota’s Prius. The reborn Insight was positioned just above the Civic in the lineup, aimed at buyers who wanted high efficiency without the futuristic styling cues.
Under the hood sat a 1.5-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder paired with a two-motor hybrid system and a lithium-ion battery mounted beneath the rear seats. The setup promised more than 50 mpg combined, impressive at the time and still competitive with today’s compact hybrids. Here’s our complete review of the 2019 Honda Insight Touring.
The Insight also represented an early step in Honda’s broader electrification plan — a roadmap that would eventually lead to today’s Civic Hybrid and CR-V Hybrid. Back then, Honda said two-thirds of its global sales would be electrified by 2030. The 2019 Insight, alongside models like the Clarity and Accord Hybrid, showed that vision taking shape.
Related – 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid Review
Today, that same two-motor hybrid system powers the Civic Hybrid, CR-V Hybrid, and the upcoming Accord Hybrid Sport, proving that Honda’s understated approach to electrification worked better than many expected. The 2019 Insight might not have made headlines for long, but it reintroduced the brand’s hybrid DNA at just the right moment, and it’s the reason Honda’s newest hybrids feel so refined today.
