Toyota will put its Prius hybrid sedan on sale later this year, and Honda has plans to put versions of the Insight power train in other models. Johnson has been smitten with the promise of the Insight ever since he read about a prototype at the Tokyo Motor Show two years ago. Though I support the push for cleaner and more efficient power, I've been a critic of battery-powered electric cars, which have always struck me as impractical and unrealistic, requiring too many compromises of driver and passengers. Battery-powered cars and trucks have limited range. Their power will deplete quickly in snow and ice.
Most models take a long time to recharge.
After borrowing one from Honda for a couple of days, I found the Insight to be comfortable, adequately powered and pleasant to drive. Insight's dashboard gauges are way cool and deserve mention. They keep track of the gas mileage, showing miles per gallon at every instant as well as for the latest trip and for the lifetime of the car. In the same way that a video game motivates a player to achieve a high score, Insight's dash somehow inspires the driver to achieve better mileage. Johnson liked the gauges, too, but he has always been a sucker for newer, lighter, faster technology.