Gen 3 Insight Forum banner

2019-2021 Insight Differences

6K views 15 replies 6 participants last post by  insightfully 
#1 ·
After nearly three years with a first-year Gen 3 Insight EX (Simcoe), I am now a day into owning a 2021 EX (Wile E.). Here are my observed differences so far.

BSM: Blind-spot monitoring is a great improvement, but I do miss the camera. I used to use it when traversing the very narrow free bridges over the Delaware River along with parallel parking to see how close I am to the curb.

PWS: I did find an annoyance I didn't have with my 2019 regarding the pedestrian warning system. In my 2019, it cut off when I got to about 15mph. I never heard it again until I got down to the same speed while decelerating. The 2021 seems to have the limit raised to 25mph, and it is very noticeable on deceleration. I wish there were a way to lower the activation speed. I can't find anything in terms of doing that. I don't intend to disable it though.

Black Interior: My 2019 had an ivory cloth interior. My new 2021 is black inside. The black won't show dirt as much, but it sure will show dog/cat hair. After all, it's black! I had no issues keeping the ivory seats clean. I didn't allow eating in the car, and it was primarily a work commute vehicle with only me in it. I used my old Odyssey for the heavy lifting. Although I got black this time, I'm still on the fence about ivory vs. black. We'll see over time how the upkeep is.

Wheels: The 2021's silver/black wheels don't look as nice as the silver/grey 2019's. They're not ugly, and I wouldn't really care if I didn't know what the 2019's looked like. I'm pondering swapping wheels with my son when he's due for new tires.

Infotainment Screen: It seems more responsive on the 2021 vs. the 2019. I've confirmed the firmware is the same. I'm wondering if there are any underlying hardware changes. Also, when I did a factory reset on the 2019 before passing it on to my son, it freaked out and rebooted the first time he used the car. Need to keep an eye on that.

So far, not a single rattle, and the hood doesn't shake at speed. Build date is 01/2021. Thoughts so far are that this one was built on a Tuesday as well.

MaxPider mats, Honda trunk tray, Oxilam 7440 turn signal bulbs, splash guards, key fob covers, Auto-Vox F/R dashcam (and mirror mount) and LED interior light kit are all ordered. Still trying to source a good reverse bulb since the Sylvania 921 ZEVO T-16 bulb is only available on Amazon for a crazy price I'm not willing to pay.

More to come if I find anything else noteworthy!
 
See less See more
#2 ·
One additional thing I noticed about the pedestrian warning system (PWS). In my 2019, the sound would play when the car started to move. In the 2021, it plays IMMEDIATELY upon being put into gear - even with no motion. Please tell me there's a way to make it more like my 2019 Insight!
 
#7 · (Edited)
I thought it was a weird quirk with the CRV Hybrid because my uncle's vehicle does the same thing. I guess Honda changed the PWS on all of their 2020 model year hybrids because they specifically mention this for the 2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, too. The PWS sounds louder from my experience standing near the CRV Hybrid and while sitting inside it compared to my 2019 Insight.

"New to the Accord Hybrid for 2020 is an updated Acoustic Vehicle Alert System (AVAS) that functions whenever the car is operating on electric power only (unless in Park), enhancing awareness for pedestrians, bicyclists and other road users. 2020 Honda Accord Hybrid Achieves EPA-Rated 48 MPG City and Best-in-Class Horsepower; On Sale Tomorrow"

@teddyted2t said he was able to make a switch for it. Stereo Upgrade - [HOW TO] Disable Audible Pedestrian...

Looking at the manuals... YES!!! Buy a Mexican Insight. Your problem will be solved. For a more serious answer, if we are talking about the same thing, it says there is an off switch. More to come, but I have to get going to work right now.

Also, if memory serves. A 912 and 921 are interchangeable.
The Canadian Insight also has a switch to turn off the pedestrian alert.
 
#3 ·
Update on reverse lights. Stupid me didn't even bother checking locally. Advanced Auto Parts had them in stock at my local store.
Sylvania 921 White ZEVO LED Mini Bulb, Pack of 2 921LED.BP2: Advance Auto Parts
The physical dimensions and look are not what's in the photo on their website (more of a two-sided blade than a round light), but they fit just fine and are super bright. I am 10/10 happy with them. Since I had done the upgrade with my 2019, this time it took a whopping 6 minutes to complete.

#foroffroaduseonly #haha
 
#4 ·
Looking at the manuals... YES!!! Buy a Mexican Insight. Your problem will be solved. For a more serious answer, if we are talking about the same thing, it says there is an off switch. More to come, but I have to get going to work right now.

Also, if memory serves. A 912 and 921 are interchangeable.
 
#5 ·
Looking at the manuals... YES!!! Buy a Mexican Insight. Your problem will be solved. For a more serious answer, if we are talking about the same thing, it says there is an off switch. More to come, but I have to get going to work right now.
Help! I need to fix the PWS! It's annoying! I'd even be good with disabling it entirely provided it's a simple procedure and doesn't throw warnings.

Also, if memory serves. A 912 and 921 are interchangeable.
You are correct! 921 and 912 are essentially the same bulb.
 
#6 ·
In case anyone wants to see just how annoying the PWS is when you're not moving (2021 Insight), here you go. If you're wondering, yes, I have the parking brake configured to auto-engage. Wanna know how I was able to open the door without the Insight shifting into park by itself? Just buckle the seatbelt behind yourself! This comes in handy when putting it up on ramps for oil changes.
2021 PWS at full stop. - YouTube
 
#9 ·
I have noticed on the 2019, if you are in Low Speed Follow mode and the car stops - the PWS will continue to go off.. Very thankful it doesn't act like the new Hybrids. Insightfully - wasn't there a thread that talked about how to disable it with a resistor that matched the speaker impedance? As long as it doesn't involve taking the bumper off, I would love to disable mine as well. My car isn't under mfg warranty anymore and I'm not too worried about them making a big deal out of it.
 
#11 ·
#15 ·
@hasarad - Curious as to your observations on fit and finish on the 2021 Insight versus 2019 Insight - e.g. hood vibration at high speeds, trunk/hood spacing gaps, fuel door alignment, interior noises/vibration. Is the 2021 as solid and quiet as your 2019 was?
The panel gaps on my 2019 are perfect. The 2021 isn't as good, but you'd really need to look to find issues. The trunk gaps were the thing I noticed first. Not bad. If I hadn't had the 2019 to compare it to, I wouldn't have thought anything of it. The fuel door is aligned perfectly, and there are no odd sounds in the interior. It was built in January, so I don't think it would be prone to the vent rattle earlier Insights had (new part number for the center vent). It's dead quiet like my 2019 was. I'm not a speed demon, so I can't speak to the hood at high speeds.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top