Under the Insight’s hood is a 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine putting out 98 horsepower and 123 lb-ft of torque—obviously tiny for what Honda claims is a five-passenger subcompact. It’s mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT), which provides infinite ratios to keep the engine operating within its most efficient range. On the upscale EX model, Honda offers paddle shifters mounted behind the steering wheel that give the driver the experience of a seven-speed gearbox. A CVT doesn’t actually have gears, so the system uses electronics to direct the transmission to up- or downshift in specific ways when a driver hits the paddle.

The hybrid heart of the system is the fifth generation of Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) system. The lightweight, ultra-thin electric motor between the engine and transmission puts out 10 kilowatts (13 horsepower). It is powered by a flat nickel metal hydride battery pack that sits under the rear deck, just behind the gas tank under the rear seat. The battery holds 0.58 kilowatt hours of energy—just slightly less than half the 1.3 kilowatt-hours of the current Toyota Prius pack. The Insight battery is recharged with both spare engine power and regenerative braking, and its accelerator connects to an electronic sensor rather than a cable, also known as “drive-by-wire."

Energy for the motor is stored in the usual nickel metal hydride battery pack. Just as Ford has done with the new Fusion hybrid, Honda has updated the Insight's battery, making it smaller and lighter. It contains 7 modules with a dozen D-size cells each. The power output of the modules is 30 percent greater than the Civic and the pack has a total capacity of 580 Wh. That's somewhat less than the 869 Wh of the Civic but it's in keeping with the cost-reduced nature of the Insight. The power electronics, motor ECU and an air cooling system are all integrated with the battery pack. The entire assembly sits below the cargo floor between the rear wheels.2010 Honda Insight - Key Features

The 60/40 split rear fold-down seat back lets you create the right balance of people and cargo.

In addition to displaying exterior temperature, average fuel consumption, and current MPG, the Multi-Information Display also provides feedback on your braking and acceleration to help you drive more efficiently.

With eight gigabytes of memory and voice recognition, the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System with Voice Recognition provides directions using a series of 24 global positioning satellites. Bluetooth-enabled cell phones can do hands-free dialing with up to 50 contacts per phone stored within the system.

The EX model’s USB Audio Interface can read flash drives loaded with MP3 or WMA files. You can also plug in your (Apple) compatible iPod to this port, which not only charges the device but also allows it to be controlled using the interface dial on the head unit or steering wheel. (cool)

Standard safety features on all Insights include dual-stage, dual-threshold front airbags; front-side airbags with a passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS); side curtain airbag system; anti-lock brakes with electronic brake distribution (EBD); driver- and front-passenger active head restraints and a front body designed to mitigate pedestrian injuries.

Accessories for the 2010 Insight include: Fog Lights; Body Side Molding; Door Visors; Splash Guards; Front and Rear Underbody Spoiler; Wheel Locks; Auto Day/Night Mirror; Cargo Cover; Cargo Tray; Floor Mats; Leather Steering-Wheel Cover.Looks like Honda did a real nice job of integrating number of different technologies in the Insight Hybrid. A fun car with low impact on the environment.       

I agree honda did a very good job on this(smart,safety,environment caring).I dont mind to pay more to get thing like this .good for our environment good for city life

time to make smaller and cheaper cars