Why This Used Honda Hybrid Still Outshines New Cars In 2025
Buying a used car isn't always necessarily bad, and when it comes to a hybrid vehicle (HEV), it's possibly a huge selling point when shopping for a used model. Hybrids are known for various things, but one of the main traits that the majority of hybrids carry is impressive reliability. When you put "reliability" and "used" in the same sentence, it might sound contradictory. Still, the hybrid industry likes to break norms and showcase that even older models can be as dependable as newer models.
There are various car brands that stand at the forefront of the hybrid industry, such as Toyota, Kia, and Hyundai, but one other brand is pretty iconic when it comes to used hybrids, and that's Honda. The Japanese automotive manufacturer isn't new to engineering and designing top-notch hybrids, and one of its discontinued models is still worth buying in today's age. Whether it's the tank-like reliability, competitive fuel economy, or discounted price tag, this hybrid sedan may be your next car.
In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources, including IIHS, NHSTA, EPA, Edmunds, Consumer Reports, J.D. Power, and Kelly Blue Book.
2000 Honda Insight
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The 2019 Honda Insight Provides Top-Notch Reliability
2019 Honda Insight Exterior Front Fascia
The Honda Insight is one of Honda's earliest hybrids in the States, debuting in 1999 and coming close to the 1997 Prius, which was the first hybrid vehicle to be produced. Fast-forward a couple of decades later, and the 2019 Insight Hybrid is thriving in terms of reliability and features. Unfortunately, the Insight platform wasn't selling as well as other hybrids in Honda's lineup and its rivals, leading to its discontinuation in 2022. Still, this hybrid sedan is a worthy candidate for a used hybrid to hop into. The hybrid industry is one of the most competitive fields in the car world, and the Insight might be a hybrid that still puts up a fight six years later.
2019 Honda Insight Performance Specifications
Powertrain | 1.5-Liter Inline Four-Cylinder Hybrid Engine |
Horsepower | 129 HP |
Torque | 197 LB-FT |
Transmission | eCVT |
Driveline | Front-Wheel Drive |
Fuel Economy (City) (LX, EX/Touring) | 51/55 MPG |
Fuel Economy (Highway) (LX, EX/Touring) | 45/49 MPG |
Fuel Economy (Combined) (LX, EX/Touring) | 48/52 MPG |
Range (LX, EX/Touring) | 509/551 Miles |
Consumer Reports Gave It An 88 Out Of 100
Honda
The 2019 Honda Insight scored an impressive 88 out of 100 in reliability. Consumer Reports rated the Insight, and it should be noted that this credible car reviewer is a hard grader when it comes to reliability. One area that it lacked or was a bit disappointing was owner satisfaction, which scored a 3 out of 5. This isn't all that bad, with it nearly sitting smack-dab in the middle, with people not overly loving or hating it.
J.D. Power Scored It A 77 Out Of 100
If you're one who likes to bring in various sources or data, then it's best to explore what J.D. Power had to say about the 2019 Honda Insight. This second credible car reviewer put the Insight slightly lower in terms of its reliability, with a 77 out of 100 score. This is a high C-letter grade, and while C's aren't accepted in some family households, it's apparent that the 2019 Honda Insight carries more than 70 percent of reliability, which seems like a winner. Its other scores sat in the same ballpark, with the resale value scoring 76 out of 100, the driving experience was the highest, receiving 81 out of 100, and with all scores put together, the 2019 Insight received an overall score of 78 out of 100.
- Quality And Reliability: 77/100
- Resale Value: 76/100
- Driving Experience: 81/100
- Overall Score: 78/100
The 2019 Insight Was A Top Safety Pick
Honda
Reliability isn't just a number that magically gets made. It breaks down into several areas, with safety playing a critical role in determining a car's dependability. From 2019 to 2022, the Insight was a Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety (IIHS). It aced its ratings when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) evaluated it, receiving an overall safety rating of five out of five stars. From 2019 to now, the Insight ran into seven recalls: fuel pump failure, seat buckle not latching, and software malfunctions.
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The Honda Insight Depreciated Less Than $10,000 After The First Five Years
Honda
Safety isn't the only factor that goes hand in hand with reliability, with the other important area being ownership costs. Just like reliability, ownership costs break down even further into different areas, such as depreciation, maintenance, repairs, and more.
2019 Honda Insight 5-Year Breakdown
Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Total | |
Insurance | $715 | $736 | $759 | $781 | $805 | $3,796 |
Maintenance | $850 | $137 | $1,771 | $316 | $1,270 | $4,344 |
Repairs | $351 | $408 | $476 | $553 | $641 | $2,429 |
Taxes & Fees | $1,290 | $24 | $24 | $24 | $24 | $1,386 |
Financing | $1,276 | $1,033 | $770 | $485 | $177 | $3,741 |
Depreciation | $3,709 | $1,737 | $1,836 | $1,371 | $1,035 | $9,688 |
Fuel | $923 | $951 | $980 | $1,009 | $1,039 | $4,902 |
True Cost to Own | $9,114 | $5,026 | $6,616 | $4,539 | $4,991 | $30,286 |
** Note: Ownership Costs Taken From 2019 Honda Insight Touring
Many people worry over depreciation projections for specific car models, and the 2019 Insight depreciated by $9,688 after five years. The ownership costs are taken from the highest trim, the Touring, which came with a $28,190 MSRP. The average car will depreciate 60 percent after five years, whereas the Insight Touring only depreciates 34.38 percent.
You Can Expect Low Maintenance And Repairs
Honda
The 2019 Honda Insight does amazing when it comes to depreciation and its resale value, but there are other factors that can make or break it. When it comes to its five-year maintenance costs, you can expect to spend $4,344. The repairs sit lower, with the five-year projection costs sitting at $2,429. You won't know how this looks until it gets put up against some of the more mainstream and popular hybrids today. But for now, the 2019 Honda Insight looks to ace all areas.
The 2019 Insight Costs $30,000 And Some Change For Its 5-Year Ownership Costs
Honda
Other ownership costs will vary depending on the individual, such as insurance, taxes and fees, and financing, but taking an average or estimate of those and adding the rest leaves you with the true cost to own. For the 2019 Honda Insight, it is expected to cost you $30,286 after five years.
This doesn't look all that bad, and Edmunds states that the average car's true cost to own is around $35,000, but it varies depending on the car model, platform, type, location, etc. So far, the 2019 Honda Insight aces its safety ratings, receives above-average reliability scores, keeps ownership costs low, and depreciates slowly. The last area that could stir some trouble is how it stacks up against its up-to-date rivals.
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How It Stacks Up Against New Hybrids
blue 2025 toyota prius
As stated earlier, the hybrid industry is as competitive as it gets, and this should be seen as a positive rather than a negative aspect. The reason car brands keep pushing out reliable and captivating hybrids is that their rivals keep them on their toes to keep innovating and engineering the next best models. While you would think that this impacts older gen models, it's quite the opposite, with some of them being more reliable than newer ones. Honda doesn't plan to bring back the Insight anytime soon, so the only area that it can compete or compare to is its rivals that are still being made.
5-Year Ownership Costs
2019 Honda Insight | 2024 Toyota Corolla Hybrid | 2025 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid | 2025 Honda Accord Hybrid | |
Depreciation | $9,688 | $10,838 | $12,800 | $16,952 |
Maintenance | $4,344 | $3,709 | $3,625 | $4,009 |
Repairs | $2,429 | $612 | $534 | $612 |
Fuel | $4,902 | $4,699 | $4,354 | $5,340 |
True Cost To Own | $30,286 | $31,135 | $32,683 | $41,924 |
**Note: Ownership Costs Taken From 2025 Toyota Corolla Hybrid LE FWD, 2025 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid Blue FWD, And 2025 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring FWD
2024 Toyota Corolla Hybrid
Edmunds doesn't provide any ownership costs on the 2025 Corolla Hybrid, but the good news is that it carries over from the previous year with no noticeable changes. The base 2024 Toyota Corolla Hybrid is the second-slowest car to depreciate after five years, which came out at $10,838. For its five-year maintenance and repair costs, you can expect to pay $4,321. Lastly, the Corolla Hybrid came in second again for its true cost to own, which was $31,135 after five years.
2025 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid
The second hybrid up for comparison is the 2025 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid. This hybrid sedan depreciated a bit more compared to the Corolla Hybrid, losing $12,800 in five years. The area it did better out of the four models was having the lowest five-year maintenance and repair costs, which was $4,159. It sits in the same ballpark as the Corolla Hybrid and Insight, with a projected $32,683 five-year true cost to own.
2025 Honda Accord Hybrid
The last hybrid is a sibling to the Insight, the Honda Accord Hybrid. Surprisingly, with how well the Insight did in terms of ownership costs, the Accord Hybrid does quite the opposite, costing more in several areas compared to the other three models. The Accord Hybrid depreciates the most, losing $16,952 after five years. The 2019 Insight did the worst in maintenance, but the Accord Hybrid came close, with its repairs and maintenance reaching $4,621 after five years. The area that it didn't do too hot and was a significant increase was its five-year true cost to own. You can expect to spend $41,924 on the Honda Accord, which is around $9,000 more than the other three hybrid sedans.
2022 Toyota Corolla Hybrid side profile
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The 2019 Honda Insight Does Well All Across The Board
Honda
So, going up against some heavy hitters, the 2019 Honda Insight seems to have either drawn or possibly won when it came to ownership costs. The main takeaways are that the Insight delivers class-leading safety, an impressive resale value, and low ownership costs, and, above all, it is still relevant in 2025.
Even a hybrid sedan that was axed from the lineup is still a worthy candidate for a hybrid car that you should buy over a new one. Maybe its overall win is its used price tag, which sits around $13,685 for the base and $16,422 for the highest trim. If you're on a budget or just want a dependable hybrid sedan that has aged well, the 2019 Honda Insight is that car.
