The Insight will live on as an electric crossover SUV. Honda is opening orders in Japan on Friday, starting at about $35,000, but the new EV will be extremely limited. Honda Insight EV orders open in Japan on April 17 The Insight first arrived in 1999 as Honda’s first mass-produced hybrid. Over the years, it evolved from a 2-seat hatchback to a 5-seater and, most recently, a classic 4-door sedan. Although the Insight was ahead of its time as the first hybrid sold in North America, Honda discontinued it after the 2022 model year to make way for higher-volume models, such as the Civic and CR-V, both of which received hybrid variants. For its fourth generation, Honda is bringing back the Insight this year. The Insight is now a “newly-developed crossover SUV EV,” Honda said after announcing prices on Thursday. Advertisement - scroll for more content Honda is opening orders for the new Insight EV in Japan on Friday, April 17, starting at 5.5 million yen ($34,500). The “newly-developed” EV is based on the e: NS2, an electric crossover built by Honda’s joint venture with Dongfeng Motor, which has been on sale in China since 2024. Honda Insight EV (Source: Honda) The Honda Insight EV offers a WLTP range of up to 332 miles (535 km) and fast charging (up to 80%) in about 40 minutes. Honda didn’t reveal battery specs, but it’s expected to use the same 68.8 kWh battery as the e: NS2. It will also use the same front-mounted electric motor with 200 hp and 310 Nm (228 lb-ft) of torque. The interior features a 12.8″ central touchscreen, a 9.4″ driver cluster, and a large Head-Up Display that “serves as the primary information source for the driver,” Honda said. Honda Insight EV interior (Source: Honda) Honda included a few premium features such as ambient lighting, a 12-speaker BOSE sound system, and a new aroma diffuser. Drivers can choose from four different drive modes: Normal, Sport, Econ, and Snow, which optimize the drive settings based on the conditions. When Sport Mode is active, the Active Sound System creates a “virtual” engine noise during acceleration and deceleration. Honda Insight EV interior (Source: Honda) The new Insight EV comes with Honda SENSING, an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS), offering safety and convenience features including Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low Speed Follow, Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS), Honda Parking Pilot, and more. According to Nikkei, Honda will become the first domestic automaker to bring a China-made EV to Japan with the Insight EV. Despite this, Honda said it will only be available in “a limited quantity of 3,000 units” in Japan. While it could be sold in other overseas markets, don’t expect Honda to bring it to the US. For one, it’s made in China. Do I have to say anymore? Plus, Honda has already canceled plans to launch its 0 Series SUV and sedan, as well as the Acura RSX, in the US. The Prologue, which is built on GM’s Ultium Platform, remains on sale, but for how long remains up in the air. Stay up to date with the latest content by subscribing to Electrek on Google News. You’re reading Electrek— experts who break news about Tesla, electric vehicles, and green energy, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow Electrek on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our YouTube channel for the latest reviews.