Honda Drops Insight, Will Add Civic Hybrid

Very last thirty day period Honda discovered that the European edition of the 11th-generation Civic will only be out there with a hybrid powertrain. We have very long anticipated that the Civic would sooner or later go hybrid, and its impending start afterwards this calendar year will truly round out the complete electrification of Honda’s lineup in Europe.

At the time, Honda stated the Civic e:HEV would not be coming stateside, but it did make us marvel about the Civic-based mostly Perception hybrid that we have listed here. It hasn’t specifically set product sales data, and it is really primarily based on the previous 2016-2021 Civic. Our suspicions were verified this week, when Honda announced that it will soon discontinue the Perception amid ideas to roll out hybrids for its main products.

Here is what we know.

Goodbye, Insight

The 2022 Honda Insight is an unassuming hybrid that skips the wedge-formed style and design of its predecessors. The Perception appears to be like a frequent compact sedan but carries an amazing 52 mpg merged gasoline economic system ranking for non-Touring versions. We come across that the Insight is quick, roomy and effective — all admirable characteristics for a hybrid. But when the Perception is constructed on the very same system as the effectively-regarded, earlier-generation Civic, the powertrain sounds severe and unrefined underneath major acceleration.

Most likely most intriguingly, Honda teased that the hole in the lineup left by the Insight’s demise will be loaded by the Civic Hybrid. The name modify assists the two Honda and shoppers: The former will find benefit in a new automobile that has an association with a very recognizable nameplate, when the latter rewards from instantly being familiar with what the auto is. Right after all, the Perception is basically an electrified Civic anyway, but it hasn’t enjoyed the level of good results you may possibly anticipate. If you want a existing-technology Insight (and you need to — it can be presently our prime-rated hybrid), you have just a handful of months just before Honda ends manufacturing in June.

Electrifying the lineup

Honda at the moment provides the Perception in its Indiana producing plant, which will cease making the compact hybrid in June and as an alternative focus on its present CR-V, CR-V Hybrid and Civic hatchback line. The plant’s output will unquestionably change as the automaker introduces a next-technology CR-V Hybrid afterwards this 12 months. A new Accord Hybrid is also in the cards someday in the in the vicinity of foreseeable future.

Honda expects to see the CR-V Hybrid and Accord Hybrid to make up 50% of income for each and every of their respective lines, and the Civic Hybrid will definitely prove common as nicely. The 3 will aid set Honda on a path to its goal of marketing a lineup completely consisting of battery electric and gasoline mobile cars by 2040. We presently know the completely electric lineup will contain the 2024 Prologue — Honda’s 1st motor vehicle developed to be an EV from the floor up — centered on GM’s Ultium battery system. That will be followed in 2026 by a series of EVs designed exclusively by Honda.