Kyle with his family Toyota Prius and the new 2010 Honda Insight he drives
It's one of the most hotly debated matchups in the auto world these days: How does the Toyota Prius compare to the new 2010 Honda Insight? Lots of car sites have compared the Insight to the 2010 Toyota Prius, including us.
We've also turned to an expert for help. Our latest correspondent, Kyle, is a 16-year-old high school student in Silicon Valley who's never driven anything other than hybrids.
His first car was the family's red Prius, and this spring, he shifted over to the one of the very first 2010 Honda Insight models to come off the transporter at the nearest Honda dealer.
Most new-car shoppers can't yet directly compare the Insight--which went on sale in March--to the new 2010 Toyota Prius, which is just now rolling into dealerships. And there are still plenty of older, less expensive 2009 Prius models on many dealer lots.
Kyle is uniquely placed to compare the new Insight to the outgoing Prius, and he's responded to a series of five questions and comparisons that we'll roll out over the course of this week.
Overall, which car would you prefer to use daily, the Prius or the new 2010 Insight--and why?
I prefer driving the Insight now, after having driven the Prius for six months and the Insight for about two. The Insight has iPod integration and the interior is much more modern and cool looking.
The Insight also drives better. Although they're both really slow, I feel like the Insight has a little bit more acceleration.
I mostly enjoy driving the Honda more because of the interior. It's pretty cool on the inside, with features the Prius doesn't have.
ADVANTAGE: 2010 Honda Insight
The data show that an outgoing 2009 Toyota Prius goes from 0 to 60 mph in 10.3 to 10.5 seconds, while the 2010 Honda Insight does the same test in 10.6 seconds. Effectively, that's a tie. But driver impressions often outweigh actual statistics.
Clearly in the case of the interior--where any driver spends the most time--features count for a lot. Kyle treasures his music, and expects any car to accommodate it. Here, the Honda delivers (and, for the record, so does the new 2010 Toyota Prius).
COMPARE: 2009 Toyota Prius vs 2010 Honda Insight
We'll have more details tomorrow on Kyle's impression of the differences in handling and maneuverability between the two cars.
2009 Toyota Prius
