CarBrief

The 2019 Honda Insight has 99 owner complaints on file with NHTSA[1] and 8 recalls to check before you buy[2]. It also earns top NHTSA crash-test marks, shown in the tiles below[3].

99owner complaints[1]
8recalls[2]
48–52MPG combined (EPA)[4]
5★NHTSA overall rating[3]

Most reported problems

NHTSA has 99 owner complaints on file for the 2019 Insight[1]. Of those, 12 mention a crash, 1 a fire and 6 injuries[1]. No deaths are reported[1]. These are unverified owner reports, and one complaint can name several components.

The five largest component groups:

Component group Complaints Crashes Median miles at failure
Forward collision avoidance[5] 17 4 40,000
Fuel system, gasoline[6] 15 0 125,000
Electrical system[7] 14 2 15,618
Unknown or other[8] 14 2 8,500
Brakes[9] 12 5 44,154

Smaller groups include fuel/propulsion with 9 complaints[10], air bags with 8[11] and engine with 7[12]. The air bag group lists 4 crashes, 1 fire and 4 injuries[11].

We also read a small sample of complaint texts for the top groups. Counts below are texts in our sample, not shares of all owners, and some texts repeat.

The complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 8 recalls for this model year[2]. Newest first:

Ask the seller whether each of these repairs was done.

Fuel economy

The EPA rates the Insight with its 1.5L 4-cylinder engine and automatic (variable gear ratios) at 55 city, 49 highway and 52 combined MPG[4]. It runs on regular gas and is front-wheel drive[4]. The EPA estimates yearly fuel cost at $1,300[4].

The Insight Touring is rated 51 city, 45 highway and 48 combined MPG, with an estimated yearly fuel cost of $1,400[21].

Safety ratings

In NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 4-door front-wheel-drive car, the Insight earns 5 stars overall[3]. It also gets 5 stars in frontal, side and rollover tests[3]. NHTSA puts its rollover risk at 9.3%[3].

Engine and size

The EPA test car list shows the 2019 Insight with a 1.5L 4-cylinder engine rated at 107 hp[22].

Dimensions below are Canadian-market specifications for the 4-door sedan, converted to inches and pounds[23].

Measure Value
Length[23] 183 in
Width[23] 74 in
Height[23] 56 in
Wheelbase[23] 106 in
Curb weight[23] 3,047 lb

How 2019 compares with other years

2000: 24 complaints, 1 recalls20002001: 15 complaints, 2 recalls2002: 12 complaints, 1 recalls20022003: 3 complaints, 0 recalls2004: 2 complaints, 0 recalls20042005: 2 complaints, 0 recalls2006: 2 complaints, 1 recalls20062010: 119 complaints, 10 recalls2011: 41 complaints, 10 recalls20112012: 59 complaints, 8 recalls2013: 45 complaints, 6 recalls20132014: 5 complaints, 3 recalls2019: 99 complaints, 8 recalls9920192020: 31 complaints, 6 recalls2021: 25 complaints, 3 recalls20212022: 33 complaints, 3 recalls
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Insight model year. The 2019 is highlighted[2].
Show the numbers
Model yearComplaintsRecalls
2000241
2001152
2002121
200330
200420
200520
200621
201011910
20114110
2012598
2013456
201453
2019998
2020316
2021253
2022333

NHTSA has these totals for the Insight model years that follow the 2019 one[2]:

Model year Complaints Recalls
2019 99 8
2020 31 6
2021 25 3
2022 33 3

Among these four years, 2019 has the most complaints and the most recalls. It is not the highest across every year on file. The 2010 model year has 119 complaints and 10 recalls, and 2011 also has 10 recalls[2]. Counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide.

Should you buy a used 2019 Insight?

On paper the 2019 Insight looks good, with 5-star NHTSA ratings[3] and a combined rating of 52 MPG, or 48 MPG for the Touring[4][21]. The downside is a long recall list: three of the 8 recalls involve a fuel pump that can fail and stall the engine, and others involve air bags, seat belts and the backup camera[14][16][18][13][15][19][20]. Before buying, ask for proof that each repair was done. In the complaint texts we read, owners describe automatic braking and camera problems, so test the driver-assist features on a drive[5][7]. Our data does not cover price, reliability scores or repair costs.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2019 Honda Insight?
Forward collision avoidance has the most NHTSA complaints at 17, followed by fuel system (gasoline) at 15, electrical at 14 and brakes at 12[5][6][7][9]. The total is 99 complaints[1].
Does the 2019 Honda Insight have recalls?
Yes, NHTSA lists 8 for this model year[2]. They cover fuel pumps, the front passenger seat weight sensor, seat belt buckles, body control module software, an air bag control module and the backup camera display[13][14][15][17][19][20].
How many MPG does the 2019 Honda Insight get?
The EPA rates it at 55 city, 49 highway and 52 combined MPG[4]. The Touring is rated 51, 45 and 48[21].
What is the safety rating of the 2019 Honda Insight?
NHTSA gives it 5 stars overall, with 5 stars for frontal, side and rollover[3].
Is 2019 a good year for the Honda Insight?
It has more complaints (99) and recalls (8) than 2020, 2021 or 2022, though 2010 has more of both on file[2].

Facts and sources

  1. NHTSA has 99 owner complaints on file for the 2019 Honda Insight (12 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 6 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
  2. Owner complaints and recalls for every Honda Insight model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
  3. NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 4 DR FWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 5 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 5 stars; rollover risk 9.3%. NHTSA vehicle records
  4. EPA rating for Insight, 1.5L 4-cyl, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 55 city / 49 highway / 52 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $1,300. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
  5. 17 complaints name the forward collision avoidance component group (4 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 40,000). NHTSA vehicle records
  6. 15 complaints name the fuel system, gasoline component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 125,000). NHTSA vehicle records
  7. 14 complaints name the electrical system component group (2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 15,618). NHTSA vehicle records
  8. 14 complaints name the unknown or other component group (2 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 8,500). NHTSA vehicle records
  9. 12 complaints name the brakes component group (5 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 44,154). NHTSA vehicle records
  10. 9 complaints name the fuel/propulsion system component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
  11. 8 complaints name the air bags component group (4 crashes, 1 fires, 4 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
  12. 7 complaints name the engine component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 2,820). NHTSA vehicle records
  13. Recall 26V332, filed May 21, 2026: Air Bags › Sensor › Occupant Classification › Front Passenger. NHTSA recall database
  14. Recall 23V858, filed December 18, 2023: Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump. NHTSA recall database
  15. Recall 23V158, filed March 9, 2023: Seat Belts › Front › Buckle Assembly. NHTSA recall database
  16. Recall 21V215, filed March 25, 2021: Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump. NHTSA recall database
  17. Recall 20V771, filed December 10, 2020: Electrical System › Body Control Module › Software. NHTSA recall database
  18. Recall 20V314, filed May 28, 2020: Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump. NHTSA recall database
  19. Recall 18V664, filed September 27, 2018: Air Bags › Air Bag / Restraint Control Module. NHTSA recall database
  20. Recall 18V629, filed September 13, 2018: Back Over Prevention › Sensing System › Camera. NHTSA recall database
  21. EPA rating for Insight Touring, 1.5L 4-cyl, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 51 city / 45 highway / 48 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $1,400. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
  22. EPA Test Car List, 2019 Honda Insight with 1.5L 4-cylinder: rated 107 hp. www.epa.gov
  23. Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, INSIGHT 4DR SEDAN: length 183 in, width 74 in, height 56 in, wheelbase 106 in, curb weight 3,047 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.