Compare the2022 Honda InsightVS 2022 Toyota Avalon Hybrid

Safety
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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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 Avalon Hybrid’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

The Insight’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Avalon Hybrid doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Insight and the Avalon Hybrid 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, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and rear cross-path warning.

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 Avalon Hybrid:

	Insight	Avalon Hybrid
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	17%	35%
Neck Stress	139 lbs.	220 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	147/283 lbs.	499/567 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	197	302
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.8 inches
Neck Stress	111 lbs.	180 lbs.
Neck Compression	63 lbs.	64 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	159/44 lbs.	447/453 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 Avalon Hybrid:

	Insight	Avalon Hybrid
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Abdominal Force	155 lbs.	156 lbs.
Hip Force	316 lbs.	318 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	276 lbs.	686 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	38 G’s	38 G’s
Hip Force	617 lbs.	719 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 1.2% less likely to roll over than the Avalon Hybrid, 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 Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 80 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Avalon Hybrid is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2022.

Reliability

The battery on the Insight is under the floor, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the Insight’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Avalon Hybrid’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Insight’s reliability 20 points higher than the Avalon Hybrid.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Insight gets better mileage than the Avalon Hybrid:

		MPG
Insight
	EX 1.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	55 city/49 hwy
	Touring 1.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	51 city/45 hwy
Avalon Hybrid
	XLE 2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	43 city/44 hwy
	2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	43 city/43 hwy

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 Avalon Hybrid doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For better maneuverability, the Insight’s turning circle is 2 feet tighter than the Avalon Hybrid XLE’s (35.7 feet vs. 37.7 feet). The Insight’s turning circle is 3 feet tighter than the Avalon Hybrid Limited’s (35.7 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

Chassis

The Honda Insight may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 600 pounds less than the Toyota Avalon Hybrid.

The Insight is 1 foot shorter than the Avalon Hybrid, making the Insight easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

To almost totally eliminate engine vibration in the passenger area, the Insight has a liquid-filled front engine mount. The liquid helps further dampen engine harshness. The Avalon Hybrid uses conventional solid rubber engine mounts.

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

Passenger Space

The Insight has 1.9 inches more front headroom and .2 inches more front legroom than the Avalon Hybrid.

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 Avalon Hybrid doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Insight Touring’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Avalon Hybrid’s intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

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

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Insight owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Insight will cost $405 less than the Avalon Hybrid over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Honda Insight will be $10279 to $10399 less than for the Toyota Avalon Hybrid.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Honda Insight and the Toyota Avalon Hybrid, based on reliability, safety and performance.