Production of the Honda Insight hybrid sedan will cease in June to make room for a new Civic Hybrid and other hybrid models, Honda announced Thursday in a press release.
The Insight is based on a previous-generation Civic body shell, but positioned as a dedicated, more upscale hybrid model with unique styling. Honda said it is now changing strategy to focus on hybrid versions of its core models, which it expects to make up 50% of the sales mix for each model.
In addition to the Civic Hybrid, the automaker said it plans to roll out a new version of the CR-V Hybrid this year, followed by an updated Accord Hybrid. The automaker didn't discuss launch timing for the Civic Hybrid, however.
2022 Honda Insight
In the meantime, the Indiana factory currently building the Insight will focus on CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, and Civic hatchback production, Honda said.
Offering a maximum 52 mpg combined EPA fuel-economy rating, the Insight has essentially carried over in recent model years and it previewed the more mature, refined look and feel offered in the current Civic.
Because of that styling connection, along with the fact that Honda previously offered a Civic Hybrid (the last version was canceled in 2015), we predicted that Honda would eventually replace the Insight with a hybrid based on the current-generation Civic.
2022 Honda Civic
Honda said it sold more than 70,000 current-generation Insights since the hybrid sedan was introduced in 2018. Recently, gas-price spikes have spurred demand for high-mpg vehicles—especially hybrids.
Honda also discontinued the Clarity Plug-In Hybrid after the 2021 model year. It had previously cancelled the Clarity Electric, leaving only the low-volume Clarity Fuel Cell to linger into the 2022 model year.
