How come the Honda Insight did not sell well?

Question

Even though it was a hybrid and got 60-70 mpg on the highway? With gas prices so high, you'd think demand would be higher, and it wouldn't have been discontinued.

Answer 1

The Insight was a slow and small car and people probably wanted something bigger. But the small hybrid is coming back as the CR-Z which seats 4 people and is fuel efficient.  

Answer 2

They made the car from 2001-2006.

At that time, the gas prices were not that high.

And they were small 2 seater cars.

America is known for having bigger cars.

If they sell that car now, they would be outselling the Prius easily.

Honda is making a couple of new Hybrids anyway. A Hybrid Honda Fit, a Hybrid Toyota prius competitor, and a Hybrid Sportscar Hatchback called the CRZ.

Answer 3

Well there's a few reasons as to why the Insight might not have sold so well.

1) Gas was cheap back then. That car came out in about 2000, when gas was under $2. In fact i believe i remember gas still being about $1.50 back then. The Insight was about $20,000. Considering that gas was very cheap (i could fill up my car for $15) there was no real market for a car like that. It got good gas mileage, yes, but it wasn't really necessary at that time. Nobody knew gas was going to be so much after that next year.

2) It only fit 2 people. There's another reason, the market for 2 seater cars was there, but not for small cars like the Insight. In 2000, the Insight was way too small of a car. There wasn't really many other cars being built as small as that. Also, it's kinda ugly. Not many people wanted to pay $20k for an ugly 2 seater car.

3) The Civic was doing well. The 2000 Civic got nearly 40mpg, which was more than enough for people back in 2000. Gas was cheap, gas mileage was not an issue. SUV's were being sold right and left, and the Civic was selling fast too. Mostly buyers were looking at looks, features, and price, not gas mileage.

Just an interesting note though, the people who actually bought those Insight's back in 2000 and the like, are selling them for close to, or more than what they bought them for. I saw one on eBay not long ago that was selling for more than the guy bought it for, and the auction hadn't even ended yet, it had a couple days left. I never got to check back, but i'm sure he sold it for quite a bit more than he paid for it. You can't find an Insight anymore, all the ones that people are selling are getting snatched up in no time, people are buying them left and right, some people are selling them the same day they are put up for sale!  

Answer 4

when it was built gas prices were still under $2 and hybrids were a new thing.

with this $5 c**p id buy one if i could find it.

Answer 5

It seated only two people, it was slow, it was expensive.  That, and they now have other more suitable models available.

Answer 6

U.S. drivers found the appearance polarizing, and Europe has an infrastructure supporting fuel-stingy diesels. Honda wound up selling only 18,000 before halting production in September of 2006.

A replacement is being developed.