The Honda Insight Is Back, And It’s An EV Now

• Honda is bringing back the Insight nameplate after a four-year hiatus.
• The first-generation Insight was a gas-sipping hybrid that beat the Toyota Prius to the punch.
• The latest Insight is a battery-powered crossover with over 300 miles of range and bidirectional charging.

The original Honda Insight was a fantastic commuter car that beat Toyota’s Prius to the punch as the first hybrid to be sold in the United States, back in 1999. Its rear wheels were covered to make it slip through the air with ease, and everything about it was made in the name of efficiency.

Now, there’s a brand-new Honda Insight, and it’s all-electric. Sadly, after the first generation’s demise in 2006, it all went a bit downhill for the fabled nameplate, and this latest, fourth-generation model doesn’t look like it has what it takes to bring back the hype.

Photo by: Honda

That’s because the new Insight is a rebadged, right-hand drive version of the Honda e:NS2, an electric hatchback/crossover developed by China’s Dongfeng Honda joint venture and launched in 2024. In fact, the new Insight will be built in China and then exported exclusively to Japan starting this spring, making it the first Chinese-made EV launched in Japan by a domestic manufacturer. The Japanese-spec Insight’s initial production run is just 3,000 units.

Spec-wise, the fourth-gen Insight is a carbon copy of its Chinese counterpart. There’s a front-mounted electric motor that’s good for 201 horsepower and 229 pound-feet of torque, while the 68.8-kilowatt-hour battery pack enables a WLTC-rated driving range of over 311 miles (500 kilometers). On China’s more lenient CLTC testing procedure, the e:NS2 is rated at 339 miles (545 km) with the same battery, but it’s worth noting that the CLTC is geared more toward city driving, where speeds are lower.

Photos by: Honda

On the design front, the new Honda Insight is identical to the e:NS2–minus the badge on the tailgate. That said, it’s not a bad-looking car, with its edgy face, pointy daytime running lights, and hidden rear door handles. There’s a front and rear horizontal light strip, and the front Honda logo is also illuminated.

Inside, there’s a distinct lack of hardware buttons on the center console, most of which have been integrated into the 12.8-inch touchscreen. On the flip side, there are plenty of buttons on the steering wheel, and three proper physical buttons make up the gear selector. The driver gets a 9.4-inch digital instrument cluster, a heated steering wheel, and a head-up display.

Up front, the seats are heated and ventilated, while the rear seats can be reclined. There’s also a 12-speaker Bose audio system, ambient lighting, and a front-facing dashcam.

To be clear, the Honda Insight has nothing to do with the automaker’s upcoming 0 Series SUV and Saloon, which are scheduled to debut in the U.S. toward the end of this year and at the beginning of next year. Instead, the new Insight is Honda’s way of offloading some of its Chinese production overcapacity in a quick and easy package. The Insight goes on sale in Japan on March 19, while the e:NS2, which has been exclusively sold in China until now, will also be sold in Thailand as the e:N2.

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Source: Honda