[ronnie]

My wife and I are about ready to embark (leaving June 1) on a 7,500+ trip in our 2019 EX. We do it every year but this year it will all be done in the EX. HERE'S some of the route, but Google maps has a max of 10 destinations so this doesn't not include some side trips. By the time we take some additional side trips, it could very well be more than 8,000 miles which has been the case the last two years, 8,042 last year and 8,444 in 2017 (included New York City and not Houston). Much of the driving is through states with a posted 80 mph speed limit, which means we are often traveling 83-84 mph. We are thinking we will get about 40-42 mpg on average. I'll report on the trip when we return to Spokane (our home) around July 18. Should be fun!

 

[hasarad]

I look forward to the results of your trip. Is there any chance you can report while the trip is in progress (along with videos and photos)? I know there is an Android Gen3Insight app...

 

[andrew28]

What an exciting road trip you have planned! Definitely would love to follow your progress if possible. I wish you both and the Insight a safe trip!:grin:

 

[PHILBERT]

Oh man, I'm envious. LOVE the long road trips, especially with a Escort RedLine EX radar detector and TMG front and rear laser jammers. :grin: I'd probably be doing over a buck on stretches that were unimpeded. :wink:

Have fun, and yes please keep us up to date on your progress if you can. :smile:

Phil

 

[ronnie]

Leaving early tomorrow morning with my wife on a 5,000+ mile trip in our 2019 EX. The EX currently has 29,750 miles on it, and this will bring it to 35,000 miles or maybe more. Note by my Fuelly stats below that our mpg is pretty low. That's because this will be our 4th cross country trip and often we are traveling at 82-83 mph through states with posted speed limits of 80 mph. This trip will take us from Spokane, WA on I-90 through Idaho and Montana and then I-25 through Wyoming (all 80 mph posted speed limits) and then through Kansas (I-70) and stopping for 3 weeks in central Missouri near Boonville. Then we'll head down to College Station, TX for about 7 days and then back to Missouri for 4-5 days before heading back to Spokane. It will be about a 5-week trip. It just so happens that the weather right now is very good. Some places in Montana are in the high 50s. There won't be any snow or ice (except for a few miles on the top of Lookout Pass (border of Idaho and Montana). Otherwise, we'll have smooth sailing.

I'm realizing after having owned the car now for about 18 months (purchased June 30, 2018) that my favorite features are not so much the gas mileage, but the comfort, the safety, the reliability, the style, and the tech. I'm a big user of Apple Car Play and use Google and Apple Maps and Apple Music a lot when driving.) I love the ACC when driving the Interstate. It helps slow me down when a car in front of my is too close.

I think that when I first got the car, the gas mileage factor was important. It's not so much anymore. I actually got better mpg at times on these long road trips with my 2015 Honda Fit. On one trip from Spokane to New York City in 2017, I got 44 mpg in that little car. There's no way the Insight could do that with the speeds we are driving.

However, I'm not disappointed with the Insight. I'm glad I purchased it. I really believe that my actual cost of ownership over a 5-7 year period will be pretty low due to few repairs and the reliability of Honda. I also think that the crash mitigation technology will actually at some point be the main reason I avoid a crash. I read a recent Consumer Reports article saying that 19% of the 400,000 respondents to their bi-annual survey claimed that the safety software in new cars helped them avoid a crash. This is important to us.

 

[andrew28]

I bought the car for the exterior/interior design, tech features, IIHS top safety+ rating, and EV mode. Yes, I know EV mode doesn't allow me to travel far with it but at least I get to experience a little bit of what it feels to drive an EV until I get one. The good fuel economy was always just a bonus for me and didn't impact my buying decision. I wanted a car that I would enjoy first even if the fuel economy didn't reflect EPA estimates.

So I drove my aunt's 14 CRV w/AWD (which used to be mine), and I averaged 22mpg during the whole day, today. I used to get similar numbers in the winter with my 17 Fusion Sport. Puts me back into reality that the current 45mpg I'm getting in the Insight is decent for winter. Also missed the smooth acceleration, brake hold, regen paddles, and less noise of the Insight while driving the CRV.

Wishing you a safe trip and a Merry Christmas @ronnie !

 

[matttelz]

Once you figure out the lkas hack with some weight on the steering wheel you'll never go back... Good luck on your trip!

 

[ronnie]

We are about half-way through our winter trip which will turn out to be more like 7,000 miles rather than the 5,000+ I reported at first. Hit a raccoon two days ago as I was entering the on-ramp of I70 in Columbia, MO. Some damage to the front end, but minimal. I had a body shop professional look at it yesterday and it's okay for the rest of our trip. We'll get it fixed when we return to Spokane, WA around January 22. The attached photos below show the damage. I thought maybe the radar was affected, but it ACC is working fine.

Leaving tomorrow from where we are now (outside of Pilot Grove, MO) to College Station, TX (725 miles) for several days and then back to Missouri for a few days before returning to Spokane. Roads have been exceptionally clear so speeds have been high. For much of Montana and Wyoming, we cruised at 83-84 mph thus our mpg was only about 35. Then in Colorado and Kansas for long stretches we kept it at about 78-79 mph.

 

[andrew28]

Maybe the raccoon's insurance will cover that damage? Did the raccoon survive?

 

[hasarad]

Hit a raccoon two days ago...

Sorry to hear about the damage! If you hear the wind whistling, you may want to try duct-taping the cracks in the front bumper.

Never let anyone tell you an Insight is slow - it's faster than a raccoon!

Safe travels.

 

[whiteinsight]

As the critter magnet of the forum...
Last count was a dove in the middle of the road about a month ago for the latest update ...

You couldn't tell the **** to stay away from the white part of the bumper face? Maybe next next time swerve a bit to center him... the **** I hit was smacked in the middle... only the black part needed to be replaced.. that part is a hundred bucks... The white facia part is a bit more expensive..

good luck

 

[matttelz]

At least it didn't hit your honda sensing radar.... that thing is like a $700-900 part alone...

 

[ronnie]

I'm pretty sure the raccoon was road kill.

 

[ronnie]

My wife and I today are embarking on an 8.000+ mile trip across the USA and back (we live in Spokane, WA) in our 2019 EX Honda Insight. The trip is mostly for visiting family, but a few sites along the way will be enjoyed. We'll return at the end of August. Check out the attached map of our route.

We've taken this trip or variations of it many times over the years, about 3 times in our 2019 Insight, and many other times in our two previous Hondas (2015 Fit Sport and 2010 Fit Sport) and also in many previous cars we've owned the last 35 years. Lots of driving in the western part of the USA is on high-speed interstates with an 80 mph posted speed limit. At those speeds (actually more like 83-84 mph for us and most drivers), we are only getting about 36-38 mpg in the Insight (and about 32-34 mpg in winter with clear roads but cold weather.)

It's not my wife's favorite car though. Many years ago (in the early 2000s) we had a Chrysler Grand Caravan. She enjoyed the ride and comfort of that car most of all. The Insight is probably my favorite car over the years for several reasons. I enjoy the high tech features, the ACC, the walk-away lock features, etc. the Apple Car Play, the smooth ride, the good handling, etc. What I don't like is the frequent road noise at high speeds when the ICE is running full blast.

 

[ebsandiego]

Leaving early tomorrow morning with my wife on a 5,000+ mile trip in our 2019 EX. The EX currently has 29,750 miles on it, and this will bring it to 35,000 miles or maybe more. Note by my Fuelly stats below that our mpg is pretty low. That's because this will be our 4th cross country trip and often we are traveling at 82-83 mph through states with posted speed limits of 80 mph. This trip will take us from Spokane, WA on I-90 through Idaho and Montana and then I-25 through Wyoming (all 80 mph posted speed limits) and then through Kansas (I-70) and stopping for 3 weeks in central Missouri near Boonville. Then we'll head down to College Station, TX for about 7 days and then back to Missouri for 4-5 days before heading back to Spokane. It will be about a 5-week trip. It just so happens that the weather right now is very good. Some places in Montana are in the high 50s. There won't be any snow or ice (except for a few miles on the top of Lookout Pass (border of Idaho and Montana). Otherwise, we'll have smooth sailing.

I'm realizing after having owned the car now for about 18 months (purchased June 30, 2018) that my favorite features are not so much the gas mileage, but the comfort, the safety, the reliability, the style, and the tech. I'm a big user of Apple Car Play and use Google and Apple Maps and Apple Music a lot when driving.) I love the ACC when driving the Interstate. It helps slow me down when a car in front of my is too close.

I think that when I first got the car, the gas mileage factor was important. It's not so much anymore. I actually got better mpg at times on these long road trips with my 2015 Honda Fit. On one trip from Spokane to New York City in 2017, I got 44 mpg in that little car. There's no way the Insight could do that with the speeds we are driving.

However, I'm not disappointed with the Insight. I'm glad I purchased it. I really believe that my actual cost of ownership over a 5-7 year period will be pretty low due to few repairs and the reliability of Honda. I also think that the crash mitigation technology will actually at some point be the main reason I avoid a crash. I read a recent Consumer Reports article saying that 19% of the 400,000 respondents to their bi-annual survey claimed that the safety software in new cars helped them avoid a crash. This is important to us.

Hello, thanks for this! I was searching on the forum about anything I can find helpful in terms of cross country trip prep recommendations and this post was the closest I can post under.


Planning my first cross country trip in June from west to the east (3000miles) with my 2019 insight EX. Currently has 17k miles on it. My questions are listed as follows, I'd appreciate if you or someone in this forum can help to this unexperienced cross country driver (although I've been driving for 13 years, I've never driven a cross country before)

1. Whenever I drive my EX for more than an hour I feel numbness and soreness on my tailbone area, this may be caused by the lack of lumbar support I assume, so I am planning to get one of those lumbar support and even a neck support from amazon, any recommendations for a long road trip like this?

2. What checks/maintenance would you recommend before hitting the road? For ex. even if the oil change is not due by the time I am hitting the road, should I have it replaced still? What about tire rotation? Or any other mechanical maintenance/check recommendations I should be taking care of rather than it's regular maintenance schedule?

3. The car will be loaded with luggages during this trip, possibly with the back seats folded down all the way to increase loading capacity of the car. What are the things I should be considering when loading the car so that I don't have to use Sport mode all the time to gain speed on a freeway?

4. Does anybody recommend underbody coating for east coast? The car will stay in the east during winter and since it's a CA car, I prefer it to be protected when it's in the east coast. To mitigate any damage to the underbody of the car, I wonder if people here apply any coating beforehand.

5. I usually use 87 unleaded, but during the road trip, is it also recommended to use the same, or can we upgrade it to 89 or 91 even to increase performance of the car?

Thanks in advance!

 

[hasarad]

Hello, thanks for this! I was searching on the forum about anything I can find helpful in terms of cross country trip prep recommendations and this post was the closest I can post under.


Planning my first cross country trip in June from west to the east (3000miles) with my 2019 insight EX. Currently has 17k miles on it. My questions are listed as follows, I'd appreciate if you or someone in this forum can help to this unexperienced cross country driver (although I've been driving for 13 years, I've never driven a cross country before)

1. Whenever I drive my EX for more than an hour I feel numbness and soreness on my tailbone area, this may be caused by the lack of lumbar support I assume, so I am planning to get one of those lumbar support and even a neck support from amazon, any recommendations for a long road trip like this?

2. What checks/maintenance would you recommend before hitting the road? For ex. even if the oil change is not due by the time I am hitting the road, should I have it replaced still? What about tire rotation? Or any other mechanical maintenance/check recommendations I should be taking care of rather than it's regular maintenance schedule?

3. The car will be loaded with luggages during this trip, possibly with the back seats folded down all the way to increase loading capacity of the car. What are the things I should be considering when loading the car so that I don't have to use Sport mode all the time to gain speed on a freeway?

4. Does anybody recommend underbody coating for east coast? The car will stay in the east during winter and since it's a CA car, I prefer it to be protected when it's in the east coast. To mitigate any damage to the underbody of the car, I wonder if people here apply any coating beforehand.

5. I usually use 87 unleaded, but during the road trip, is it also recommended to use the same, or can we upgrade it to 89 or 91 even to increase performance of the car?

Thanks in advance!

17K miles is still a baby! You should be able to make it cross-country with >50% oil life. Long distance drivers have repeatedly found oil change intervals to be ~10K miles. Check tire condition as well as the condition of all air filters (cabin and engine). You shouldn't need to do anything major with the mileage you have. You may want to increase the tire pressures a bit for highway driving to better your MPG. Just don't go crazy though. Oh, check your fluids and top up your washer fluid regularly - June is bug season!

As for comfort, I had a neck pillow which I no longer use. Believe it or not, after a good while, you get used to the car. I nice seat cushion and lumbar pillow may help though.

Do not exceed the total gross weight found on the driver's door jamb. Try to keep the weight distributed, if there is a lot of it, to better balance the car. You really shouldn't need sport mode once you're at speed with the exception of large hills/mountains. Don't plan on blasting over the Rockeis at 80+ mph (except on the downhills).

I wouldn't bother with undercoating. It's a double-edged sword. A badly done job can trap contaminants and encourage bad things. I live in NJ and rarely see rusted Hondas!

Anything over 87 octane is a waste of money. Your car will not benefit from it. Stick to regular gas.

 

[ebsandiego]

T

17K miles is still a baby! You should be able to make it cross-country with >50% oil life. Long distance drivers have repeatedly found oil change intervals to be ~10K miles. Check tire condition as well as the condition of all air filters (cabin and engine). You shouldn't need to do anything major with the mileage you have. You may want to increase the tire pressures a bit for highway driving to better your MPG. Just don't go crazy though. Oh, check your fluids and top up your washer fluid regularly - June is bug season!

As for comfort, I had a neck pillow which I no longer use. Believe it or not, after a good while, you get used to the car. I nice seat cushion and lumbar pillow may help though.

Do not exceed the total gross weight found on the driver's door jamb. Try to keep the weight distributed, if there is a lot of it, to better balance the car. You really shouldn't need sport mode once you're at speed with the exception of large hills/mountains. Don't plan on blasting over the Rockeis at 80+ mph (except on the downhills).

I wouldn't bother with undercoating. It's a double-edged sword. A badly done job can trap contaminants and encourage bad things. I live in NJ and rarely see rusted Hondas!

Anything over 87 octane is a waste of money. Your car will not benefit from it. Stick to regular gas.

Thanks so much, this is very helpful! Stay safe!..