Posted this here as well as in Car Talk. I know some of you guys only read up on Mid A S2KI, and I value your opinions.

Looking for a fuel efficient Honda to take over my 50 mile round trip commuting duty. I've narrowed it down to the Insight and Civic Hybrid, but the Fit is also a possibility.

What I'm looking for

Biggest priority- QUIET at highway speeds. As you can guess I'm a classical music fan, and as much as the 9000 RPM symphony helps to cheer me up after a stressful workday, relaxing classical music would be helpful too.

Second biggest priority- Fuel efficient. I expect gas prices to keep on climbing, and now that I'm about to be a homeowner for the first time, I want to free up more money for that (and of course, for doing more work on the S now that it doesn't have to get me to work, heh heh). About 16 miles of my round trip commute involves stop and go traffic, so I think a Hybrid is worthwhile for this reason.

Lesser priorities - Reliability. Ease of servicing/replacing parts. Probably the biggest on this list, but not a huge priority because I can drive the S if I have to.
- Space to move people, things.
- Bluetooth connectivity, auxiliary music input, other gizmos like that to distract me from the fact that I'm not driving my S
- Handling has to not suck. My girlfriend has a Scion xB, and I'm comfortable dailying a car with a steering and braking response of that car. But nothing that handles like my mother's Nissan Quest or the Toyota Solara, please.
-Price: Saving money is always good, but I don't mind paying more for a car that'll do me better over the long run. I want the car to be 2005 or newer, and with less than 60K miles.

What I've observed so far-

According to Fuelly.com, the efficiency of either the Civic Hybrid or the Insight depends heavily on how it is driven. The EPA ratings for both cars are very close, with the Civic Hybrid just ahead.

I think the Insight has the edge on exterior looks. I like it over the Civic, which looks bloated.


What do you guys think?

 

Between the two of them I'd probably choose the civic hybrid. But have you also considered a 6th (or later) generation regular civic. Those things get 40+ on the highway and with a decent head unit and speakers will satisfy your needs of something fun, quiet and reliable with a little bit of fun too.

 

I'm sure the 6th gen Civic is pretty fuel efficient, but I think I'd want something more up to date. The age does show on that civic in my opinion, and I think the newer models would have a more welcoming interior.

 

My parents '11 Civic gets 40+ on the highway regularly. My Dad called me one time to tell me that on his trip he was averaging 47 mpg over a couple tanks.

Also, I haven't driven one but I've read a few articles about the Chevy Volt, they are being rediculously discounted and can be purchased in the high 20's low 30's new. Dealers have taken an additional $10k off of the price, estimates are Chevrolet pays close to $70k to manufacture each car.

 

I vote Fit. My wife has one and its awesome to have that great of fuel mileage with the ability to haul things. I vote that over the insight because of entry cost and maintenance costs. I think long-term the fit will get a little less mpg than insight but even out with cheaper maintenance/entry cost.

Plus it handles decently for what it is and rides nicely without feeling like it's too soft.

 

I'm really torn on the Volt. I like how it can be driven gasoline-free or it can use gasoline, but the fact that it has a gasoline engine almost means (to me) that the car is admitting it's not good enough. Having to stop and recharge for several hours every 100 miles or so will never be something I want to pay 20-30K for.

*engages full nerd mode:* I think Hydrogen should be the next step in automotive fuels. The refuelling process can be as simple and as available as gasoline is today. Because I'm hoping that somehow this will happen, I don't want to give money to full electric cars, because I think they are an inferior answer. Electric cars are only as good (in terms of finite fuel resources) as the power grid they are attached to. Hydrogen is EVERYWHERE on this planet, and the only byproduct is water vapor.

*nerd mode off."

 

Just adding to the monkey wrench Fit solution...

Everytime I use my wife's Fit, I am astounded as to how much crap can fit in there. When those seats fold down, you can fit more junk in that little car than you can in most SUVs. The fact that the car is lower makes it incredibly easy to put heavy items inside as well. The gas mileage isn't what it should be for such a little car (IMO), but we still regularly get 35-38 mpg. It handles great, looks great, is comfortable for long trips, you can load it up with gadgets, and you don't have any batteries to worry about in 10-15 years.

And to note, I can easily blast some Ludovico Einaudi, and feel completely relaxed in that car when I go on longer drives.

 

I went with a 2012 Subaru Impreza base model avg 32+ on a tank all wheel drive super comfy usb ipod handles great and its a beast in snow and rain.
The MPG is OK for what you can get now 40s+ but I was looking for something that can drive when you can't drive the S via snow and rain. The S handles good in the rain but why risk it you know. The Impreza is Partial Zero Emission Vehicle (PZEV)which just helps be friendly to the environment. It has a 15gallon tank i believe and i get around 500 a fill up so.
Also has tons of space I run a business out of the house and ship tons of packages never had a problem yet, fold down seats FTW

 

Yes, I've driven the S through the snow a few times. I can do it, but sometimes it's a little too dramatic to be done everyday . Any FWD car will be fine, though. I've driven through serious snow in Michigan and Oregon in FWD cars, and as long as the tires are good, no problem.

 

Yes, I hear so many good things about the Fit. I wouldn't be surprised if I end up buying one of those. When it comes to the batteries, though, Honda warranties them up to 150,000 miles, and if you have gently used batteries installed by a 3rd party it can be done for under 2K according to what I've read on numerous websites.

I haven't test driven any of these cars yet, but I certainly will try all 3 before I buy.