Compare the2022 Honda InsightVS 2021 Toyota Prius

Safety
Engine
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

© 1999 - 2024Advanta-STAR Automotive Research, all rights reserved. This vehicle comparison and all of the content in it are provided only by license from Advanta-STAR Automotive Research Corporation of America (“Advanta-STAR”). If you are not a legally licensed user of this vehicle comparison, it is against federal law to access it, copy it, forward it, or use it in any manner whatsoever. Any unauthorized use of this vehicle comparison is a violation of U.S. and international law and is punishable criminally and civilly. Removal of this watermark/notification without prior written license and approval received from Advanta-STAR is an agreement, understanding, and/or stipulation by the person(s), entities, agents, attorneys, and any other persons involved in the removal of this watermark/notification (including but not limited to Search Optics, LLC and any and all parent entities, sister entities, and subsidiary entities of Search Optics, LLC and/or any other entity, agent, attorney, and persons related in any manner to Search Optics, LLC) to: 1) an agreed upon amount of liquidated monetary damages of a minimum of $1,250,000.00 US Dollars in favor of Advanta-STAR; 2) the jurisdiction and enforcement of any legal claims associated with this matter asserted by Advanta-STAR in the United States Federal District Court in Portand, Oregon; and 3) service of process of any legal claims asserted by Advanta-STAR associated with this matter may be accomplished by First-Class Postage by the United States Postal Service or comparable service. XPYNN-M34HG 2a06:98c0:3600::103 2024/05/07

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Insight deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Insight’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Prius’ airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

The Insight has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. Only the Prius LE/XLE/Limited offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Insight has a standard cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Prius LE/XLE/Limited has a cross-path warning system.

Compared to metal, the Insight’s plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Toyota Prius has a metal gas tank.

Both the Insight and the Prius have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and driver alert monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Honda Insight is safer than the Toyota Prius:

	Insight	Prius
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	202	244
Neck Injury Risk	17%	30%
Neck Stress	139 lbs.	344 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	147/283 lbs.	290/353 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.4 inches
Neck Injury Risk	26%	53%
Neck Stress	111 lbs.	173 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	159/44 lbs.	203/179 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Honda Insight is safer than the Toyota Prius:

	Insight	Prius
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.9 inches	1 inches
Abdominal Force	155 G’s	183 G’s
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	59 G’s	73 G’s
Hip Force	276 lbs.	484 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	2 Stars
HIC	279	288
Spine Acceleration	38 G’s	48 G’s
Hip Force	617 lbs.	1213 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Insight, with its five-star roll-over rating, is 1.4% less likely to roll over than the Prius, which received a four-star rating.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Insight its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2021, a rating granted to only 62 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Prius last would have qualified as only a standard “Top Pick” for 2019.

Engine

The Insight’s 1.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 30 more horsepower (151 vs. 121) than the Prius’ 1.8 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Car and Driver the Honda Insight is faster than the Toyota Prius:

	Insight	Prius
Zero to 60 MPH	7.7 sec	10.5 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	23.8 sec	31.4 sec
Quarter Mile	16.2 sec	17.8 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	86 MPH	79 MPH

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Insight’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Prius:

	Insight	Prius
Front Rotors	11.1 inches	10 inches

The Insight stops much shorter than the Prius:

	Insight	Prius
60 to 0 MPH	117 feet	131 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	139 feet	149 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Insight has larger tires than the Prius (215/55R16 vs. 195/65R15).

The Insight EX’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Prius L Eco/LE’s standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Insight EX has standard 16-inch wheels. Smaller 15-inch wheels are standard on the Prius L Eco/LE.

Suspension and Handling

The Insight’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Prius doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Insight is 1.1 inches wider in the front and 1.4 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Prius.

The Insight EX handles at .87 G’s, while the Prius L Eco pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Insight Touring executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.9 seconds quicker than the Prius L Eco (27 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28.9 seconds @ .55 average G’s).

Chassis

The Insight uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Prius doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The Insight has 4.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Prius (97.6 vs. 93.1).

The Insight has .3 inches more front hip room, 1.9 inches more front shoulder room, 4 inches more rear legroom and 2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Prius.

Ergonomics

The Insight has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Prius doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Insight’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Prius’ parking brake has to released manually.

Consumer Reports rated the Insight’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Prius’ headlights, which were rated “Good.”

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Insight’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Prius’ headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

The Insight has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The Prius has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the XLE/Limited.

The Insight Touring’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Prius doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Insight owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Insight will cost $470 less than the Prius over a five-year period.

Recommendations

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its July 2019 issue and the Honda Insight Touring won out over the Toyota Prius Limited.