[Angie]

Hi,
I went to my local dealership to have a routine oil change for my 2013 Pilot EX-L, and came home with a sweet Insight instead. No intention of buying yesterday, but I have been thinking of getting a new ride with better fuel mileage for a few months. I LOVED my Pilot, but I was riding solo the majority of the time and it was a bit thirsty every Friday after my weekly commute. I hope the Insight proves to be a good value and is as reliable as my Pilot was (6 years of ownership and only routine maintenance right on time kept it running great other than the awesome rotors my husband changed out for me).

I’ll add a car pic later this week.

 

[andrew28]

Welcome to the forum and congrats on your new Insight @Angie!
I ride solo majority of the time and this pretty much applies to majority of drivers I see stuck in traffic with me. The Insight goes to EV mode when I idle so that saves me so much gas along with no noise! I just rest on my neck pillow, listen to the radio, and ask siri/google assistant random stuff.:grin:

 

[Angie]

Welcome to the forum and congrats on your new Insight @Angie!

Thank you!


I ride solo majority of the time and this pretty much applies to majority of drivers I see stuck in traffic with me. The Insight goes to EV mode when I idle so that saves me so much gas along with no noise! I just rest on my neck pillow, listen to the radio, and ask siri/google assistant random stuff.:grin:

Ahhh, the coveted neck pillow! Smart. EV mode= $ for other fun stuff!

Do you have any tips for using the paddles?

 

[insightfully]

Do you have any tips for using the paddles?

Here are some top-of-mind thoughts/tips. I'm sure others will have more to share!

• 'Easy' places to use the left regen paddle are when approaching stops and/or going downhill. You'll gain battery charge while slowing the car down (stop) or maintaining speed (downhill).
• At the bottom of a hill, if you don't need to stop you can use the right paddle to return to Eco or Normal mode, OR you can just press the gas pedal to accelerate.
• In Sport mode, you can set and keep the regen level. In Eco or Normal mode, the regen level is temporary and resets after you stop or after you accelerate. In Sport mode, regen only occurs when your foot is off the gas pedal.
• The regen paddles don't trigger the physical (friction) brakes, so be aware that your rear brake lights don't come on as you apply the paddles. The friction brakes (brake pads) are only used when the brake pedal is depressed while the car is slowing to <5 mph.
• Honda warns through the manual that "rapidly increasing the deceleration rate by quickly shifting the paddle can cause the tires to skid." especially in rain or snow conditions. To offset this risk, I pause a bit before the first and second clicks when using regen.
• Initial travel of the brake pedal is regenerative, so using both the brake pedal and regen paddle gives more total regen (i.e. "brake + paddle" regen > "brake" regen > "paddle" regen)
• I find the regen paddles helpful for temporary slowing the car (minor deceleration) in moving traffic, more for convenience rather than needing to tap the brakes.

Initial travel of the brake pedal is regenerative, so personally, I mostly use the brake pedal more than I do the regen paddles. I tend to use the paddles for extra help stopping the car quickly over short distances. This prior thread/video convinced me that "dragging the brakes" is an effective "one pedal" technique for maximizing regen/mpg, without undue wear on the actual brake pads. I like being able to drive and brake the Insight like a 'traditional' car, and still get great mpg without extra effort.

https://www.gen3insight.com/forum/137-2019-honda-insight-reviews/750-2019-honda-insight-touring-hybrid-mpg-drive-0-60-mph-review.html#post5378

 

[andrew28]

@insightfully pretty much covered everything that has to do with the paddles. I drove around an empty parking lot to familiarize myself with the paddles.

 

[Angie]

Here are some top-of-mind thoughts/tips. I'm sure others will have more to share!

• 'Easy' places to use the left regen paddle are when approaching stops and/or going downhill. You'll gain battery charge while slowing the car down (stop) or maintaining speed (downhill).
• At the bottom of a hill, if you don't need to stop you can use the right paddle to return to Eco or Normal mode, OR you can just press the gas pedal to accelerate.
• In Sport mode, you can set and keep the regen level. In Eco or Normal mode, the regen level is temporary and resets after you stop or after you accelerate. In Sport mode, regen only occurs when your foot is off the gas pedal.
• The regen paddles don't trigger the physical (friction) brakes, so be aware that your rear brake lights don't come on as you apply the paddles. The friction brakes (brake pads) are only used when the brake pedal is depressed while the car is slowing to <5 mph.
• Honda warns through the manual that "rapidly increasing the deceleration rate by quickly shifting the paddle can cause the tires to skid." especially in rain or snow conditions. To offset this risk, I pause a bit before the first and second clicks when using regen.
• Initial travel of the brake pedal is regenerative, so using both the brake pedal and regen paddle gives more total regen (i.e. "brake + paddle" regen > "brake" regen > "paddle" regen)
• I find the regen paddles helpful for temporary slowing the car (minor deceleration) in moving traffic, more for convenience rather than needing to tap the brakes.

Initial travel of the brake pedal is regenerative, so personally, I mostly use the brake pedal more than I do the regen paddles. I tend to use the paddles for extra help stopping the car quickly over short distances. This prior thread/video convinced me that "dragging the brakes" is an effective "one pedal" technique for maximizing regen/mpg, without undue wear on the actual brake pads. I like being able to drive and brake the Insight like a 'traditional' car, and still get great mpg without extra effort.

https://www.gen3insight.com/forum/137-2019-honda-insight-reviews/750-2019-honda-insight-touring-hybrid-mpg-drive-0-60-mph-review.html#post5378

Really very helpful. Thank you so much. I’m going to print this out. These paddles are nothing like the paddles in our Subaru, which act as a manual transmission, so I am going to have to pay attention. Thank you again.

 

[Angie]

@insightfully pretty much covered everything that has to do with the paddles. I drove around an empty parking lot to familiarize myself with the paddles.

Good idea to drive around an empty parking lot. I thought those paddles were gear shifters.

 

[Susan]

@insightfully - Thanks for the great explanation of the paddles. I've been trying to understand them.
@Angie - check out this Honda video about the paddles, too -

I've had my Insight for about two months now, and I love it! I mostly drive in econ mode and am obsessed with keeping the EV indicator on, and getting better and better gas mileage.

 

[insightfully]

I've had my Insight for about two months now, and I love it! I mostly drive in econ mode and am obsessed with keeping the EV indicator on, and getting better and better gas mileage.

Nice! Warm weather helps battery charge and brings more instances of EV. Online car articles quote +25% mpg help in warm weather versus cold weather, which is an always welcome gain!

 

[PHILBERT]

I'm a big paddle user, which Insightfully did a great breakdown of use. Usually I hit the left paddle two times at any sign of a traffic slowdown coming up ahead, but also use it to slow around curves and down hills. I'm now starting to also use the right paddle to adjust downhill coasting speed to maintain the speed limit as well. Good hybrid driving is all about recovering as much energy as you can.

Congrats on your new Insight, Angie. We know you are going to love it. Such a smooth and comfortable riding car. I find Normal Mode driving to get better MPG than Econ Mode (proved it many times on my test course under controlled conditions). But also give "Sport Mode" a try now and again. The power and control are amazing in that mode. Does better in the hills too.

Phil

 

[Angie]

@insightfully - Thanks for the great explanation of the paddles. I've been trying to understand them.

@Angie - check out this Honda video about the paddles, too - https://youtu.be/AadwMpFfHAw

I've had my Insight for about two months now, and I love it! I mostly drive in econ mode and am obsessed with keeping the EV indicator on, and getting better and better gas mileage.

Thanks so much Susan!

 

[Angie]

I'm a big paddle user, which Insightfully did a great breakdown of use. Usually I hit the left paddle two times at any sign of a traffic slowdown coming up ahead, but also use it to slow around curves and down hills. I'm now starting to also use the right paddle to adjust downhill coasting speed to maintain the speed limit as well. Good hybrid driving is all about recovering as much energy as you can.

Congrats on your new Insight, Angie. We know you are going to love it. Such a smooth and comfortable riding car. I find Normal Mode driving to get better MPG than Econ Mode (proved it many times on my test course under controlled conditions). But also give "Sport Mode" a try now and again. The power and control are amazing in that mode. Does better in the hills too.

Phil

Thank you so much Phil!
I drove home on the interstate in Sport mode and the car did really well considering I-24 has some hilly terrain and moves crazy fast with average travelers going about 85+ most of the time. I kept about 70 and stayed in the right lane except to pass. (I am a former high speed driver myself and my Pilot handled it well, but I didn’t buy this car for that so I am really watching it.)