After the Clarity, a second hybrid Honda model is discontinued
Sales of the Insight will continue in certain markets, such as the US
A direct replacement doesn’t seem likely
Honda Canada has confirmed the withdrawal of the Insight from our market, a compact hybrid sedan that has never been able to carve out a niche alongside the Civic since its introduction in 2018.
Company officials cite very low sales as the reason for abandoning the model in this country.
In fact, only 415 Insights were sold across Canada in 2020, which pales in comparison to the Civic, which sold 50,805 units, or the Toyota Corolla Hybrid, which sold 2,472 units.
This lack of success can be explained by the fact that the Insight has always been in the shadow of the Civic and that dealers and the brand have not put much effort into promoting it, preferring to push other, more profitable models.
2021 Honda Insight | Photo: Honda
Because of this lack of promotion and the very low inventory at dealerships, few potential customers know about this model.
The current generation of the Insight is the third to hit our roads, the first generation having been the first hybrid vehicle marketed in North America in 1999, a year before the arrival of the Toyota Prius, which had been on the road for longer in Japan.
The withdrawal of the Insight and Clarity, announced earlier, leaves only the Accord Hybrid as an electrified model in Honda’s Canadian lineup, at least until the arrival of the CR-V Hybrid in 2023.
There are rumors that a Civic hybrid will be introduced soon to replace the Insight, but since the latter continues to be sold in the United States, it’s hard to be sure.
Honda is expected to introduce its first all-electric model, the Prologue SUV, in 2024. Acura’s first electric vehicle will also follow in that same year.
