Insight G1 vs G2

[pete c]

I recall reading a thread somewhere discussing the topic of extra weight possibly being beneficial in certain P&G situations. I believe the rational had to do with the extended glide times. Don't recall if anyone ever put it to an actual test.

[brucepick]

Originally Posted by pete c

...
One more question. How far can you coast on that hill in Glastonbury on 2? I would think just about into east hartford if you had a little extra ballast on board. I was driving a buddy's old chevy pickup when it ran out of gas there and I was able to coast into the gas station just off the exit after that hill. It was a long slow coast though.

Today I tested that coast for you, Pete.
Just past the crest of the hill, I got it up to 72 mph and put it in a coast. There was only light traffic there so I could coast without braking. I coasted 1.6 miles till the speed dropped to about 57--58 mph.

There's a long and gentle upgrade as you approach Exit 8, Hebron Ave in Glastonbury. It's a half mile long, and then some. I don't see any car coasting that whole stretch without losing significant speed. Then, the exit ramp towards the gas station is uphill.

[pete c]

Well Bill's old Chevy pickup must have had real good bearings. Plus we had 3 guys in the cab, it had one of those utility bodies, a bunch of tools and probably a few bags of quickcrete. Also it was a manual transmission. I forget exactly where I lost power but it was after the crest of the hill, but not by much. All I remember was a verrrrrry long coast and going up that long off ramp was agonizing. It made it though under its own power. But you could have jump out and beat it to that gas station which is just to the left on Hebron Ave.

Next time put 6 bags of quickcrete in the back! Good luck getting it to 72 mph at the crest though.

[brucepick]

Originally Posted by pete c

Well Bill's old Chevy pickup must have had real good bearings. ...

Yeah, I always wonder about bearings and other friction sources in the drivetrain and elsewhere.

[pete c]

IMO a properly serviced servicable bearing is superior to a sealed bearing from a friction point of view. And a damn site easier to work on!

[pete c]

I have widened my search to include another member of the Honda hybrid family, a '15 CRV. It has 11K miles on it. Haven't driven yet but looks awfully good. The only catch is a salvage title. The seller owns a body shop. He picked it up from the insurance co. or whoever it is that handles these things. It was Hit down the length of the driver side. New headlight, fender. Door and quarter were repaired. He says there was absolutely no structural damage. Asking 10K.

It is more than I had planned on paying, but, the thoughts of a virtually new, fun car to drive that has a pretty decent cargo hold (I believe it is a little bigger than a G1) is rather appealing.

I realize it will never make hiway mileage numbers like the G1, but with a little effort, i think I can get it into the 50s.

[Ecky]

I assume you mean CR-Z? To my knowledge, there is no hybrid version of the CR-V SUV.

Anecdotally, many members of the CR-Z forums are getting upper 30's with typical driving. My impression is that it's geared silly (high engine RPM even in 6th), and that to get decent numbers you'll need to pulse and glide.

[pete c]

Yes, I did mean the CR-Z. I always make that mistake.

And I do agree. From what I have read, 6th gear is kinda short, probably about like 4th on a G1. I really don't get this. I understand that a very tall 6th is going to mean downshifts on long climbs, but so what? No reason at all, when you have 6 freaking cogs, to not make one of them solely for highway cruising. You still have 5 gears that can be squeezed together too tightly to satisfy the tuner racer crowd. But then, this wouldn't be the only example of a tranny that has me scratching my head and asking why. Another good example is the Corvette's 7 speed. Yeah, I know, Porsche did it, so you have to match them, but is there anyone who thinks that a torque monster like the LS7 needs 7 cogs in a light weight sports car. 6 is already a bit of overkill, IMO.

[AJI]

Owned a manual G1 Insight, spent a week each with a G2 Insight and a manual CR-Z.

Lifetime MPG for the G1 was around 60. G2 managed 50mpg over the course of a week, CR-Z managed about 42mpg.

Fun factor was more or less the opposite of economy. CR-Z is way out ahead of the other two, as you might expect. Has the most power, the manual gearbox is great, it feels well balanced, makes a sporty noise, has a fun cabin design, and feels fairly high quality. The seats gave me backache after only 15 minutes or so every time I drove it though.

G1 Insight is surprisingly good for a car so focused on economy over all else, and helped by light weight, but you're always limited by grip and ultra-long gearing. I always found it seriously comfortable over longer distances - whatever it is about the seats and driving position in that car, it just works for me. Interior is one of my favourites on any car too, but it possibly feels a bit flimsy by modern standards.

The G2 Insight's CVT and extra power make it more peppy more of the time, there's a little extra grip to lean on too, and it feels relatively light for a car of its size, but it's not "fun" in a traditional sense - more decently nimble. Probably the quietest and most comfortable of the trio, and obviously much more space inside.

If MPG is all, the G1 Insight has to be the car. The ideal compromise for me would be the CR-Z with the G2 Insight's economy - if it could get that extra easy 10mpg or so I'd probably buy one right now.

Not sure if any of this will help you choose, but just my take having driven all three candidates.

[pete c]

The CRZ was fun for the whole 10 minutes I drove it, but damn, why the hell didn't they give it a tall 6th gear? I think they could get to at least G2 economy with a good OD.