Honda Insight: Years to Avoid and Best Years (Engine & Transmission)
Honda Insight problems by model year, from 455 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. For each year: the share of complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system, how many there were, and the recalls.
Years to avoid: 2013 (95%, 35 drivetrain complaints), 2012 (79%, 38 drivetrain complaints) and 2011 (50%, 6 drivetrain complaints). 3 of the 8 Honda Insight years we score have an elevated engine, transmission or fuel-system complaint share; 2 of them are at the very high level (60% or more), where every model year we track has a documented failure behind it.
Best years on this measure: 2022 (13%), 2021 (14%) and 2010 (17%). 2022 and 2021 rest on fewer than 60 complaints, so treat them as provisional. A low share means owners complained about other things more than the drivetrain, not that nothing ever fails.
The sharpest change between consecutive years is from 2010 (17%) to 2011 (50%), up 33 points. The complaint pattern shifts at that year, so check which year the car in front of you is.
By raw volume, the 2012 drew the most drivetrain complaints (38 of 120 across the scored years). Volume also tracks how many were sold and how long they have been on the road, which is why the share, not the count, sets the verdict.
Engine and transmission complaint share, 2010–2023
Share of relevant owner complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system. 33% is elevated, 40% high, 60% very high. A dash means too few complaints to score.
Every Honda Insight year
| Model year | Signal | Drivetrain share | Drivetrain complaints | All complaints | Rank (1 = worst) | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 Insight | no elevated signal | 17% | 9 | 119 | 6/8 | 10 |
| 2011 Insight | high | 50% | 6 | 41 | 3/8 | 10 |
| 2012 Insight | very high | 79% | 38 | 59 | 2/8 | 8 |
| 2013 Insight | very high | 95% | 35 | 45 | 1/8 | 6 |
| 2014 Insight | too few to score | – | 0 | 5 | – | 3 |
| 2019 Insight | no elevated signal | 21% | 18 | 98 | 5/8 | 8 |
| 2020 Insight | no elevated signal | 23% | 7 | 31 | 4/8 | 6 |
| 2021 Insight | no elevated signal | 14% | 3 | 25 | 7/8 | 3 |
| 2022 Insight | no elevated signal | 13% | 4 | 32 | 8/8 | 3 |
What owners complain about most, all years
Categories as NHTSA files them, summed across the Honda Insight years with data. A complaint can name more than one component, so the shares overlap. Red is engine, transmission or fuel.
Honda Insight fuel system recalls: timeline
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns on the Honda Insight involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 21 across the years we track. Each model-year page has the details. Whether a particular car still has a recall open depends on its VIN.
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2020 | 20V314000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump | 2019–2020 |
| Mar 2021 | 21V215000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump | 2019–2020 |
| Dec 2023 | 23V858000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump | 2019, 2020, 2022 |
18 other recalls (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2016 | 16V061000 | air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module | 2010–2013 |
| May 2016 | 16V346000 | air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module | 2010–2011 |
| Jan 2017 | 17V030000 | air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module | 2010–2012 |
| Aug 2017 | 17V545000 | air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module | 2010–2012 |
| Jan 2018 | 18V042000 | air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module | 2010–2013 |
| Apr 2018 | 18V268000 | air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module | 2010–2012 |
| Sep 2018 | 18V629000 | back over prevention: sensing system: camera | 2019 |
| Sep 2018 | 18V661000 | air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module | 2010–2013 |
| Sep 2018 | 18V664000 | seat belts: pretensioner | 2019 |
| May 2019 | 19V378000 | air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module | 2010–2013 |
| Jun 2019 | 19V500000 | air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module | 2010, 2011, 2013 |
| Jun 2019 | 19V502000 | air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module | 2010–2013 |
| Dec 2020 | 20V771000 | electrical system: body control module: software | 2019–2020 |
| Dec 2020 | 20V798000 | electrical system: propulsion system: dc/dc converter | 2020–2021 |
| Nov 2021 | 21V900000 | seat belts: rear/other: retractor | 2022 |
| Mar 2023 | 23V158000 | seat belts: front: buckle assembly | 2019 |
| Feb 2024 | 24V064000 | air bags: sensor: occupant classification: front passenger | 2021 |
| May 2026 | 26V332000 | air bags: sensor: occupant classification: front passenger | 2019–2022 |
What the free pages leave out on the Honda Insight
- The mileage where it happens, for the model year you are looking at.
- What the repair costs, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives: similar cars with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive.
- Open recalls on the actual car, by VIN.
Questions people ask about the Honda Insight
What are the worst years for the Honda Insight?
On engine and transmission complaints, the worst Honda Insight years are the 2013 (95% of relevant complaints, very high), the 2012 (79% of relevant complaints, very high) and the 2011 (50% of relevant complaints, high). 3 of 8 scored years are elevated in all.
What are the best years for the Honda Insight?
On engine and transmission complaints, the best Honda Insight years are the 2022 (13%), the 2021 (14%) and the 2010 (17%). That describes the model year; any one car still needs an inspection.
Does the Honda Insight have engine problems?
In some years. Across the 8 scored years, 120 of 318 relevant NHTSA complaints (38%) concern the engine, transmission or fuel system; the largest drivetrain category is engine. The years with an elevated share are 2011, 2012 and 2013.
Is the Honda Insight reliable?
On the engine and transmission it depends on the year: 3 of 8 Honda Insight years we score have an elevated complaint share and 5 do not. Pooled across those years, 38% of relevant complaints are about the drivetrain, against a 33% line for an elevated signal. Complaint data does not measure overall reliability, so pick the year first, then inspect the car.
Are there transmission or engine recalls on the Honda Insight?
Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns involving the engine, transmission or fuel system across the Honda Insight years we track, out of 21 in total: 20V314000 (May 2020, 2019–2020), 21V215000 (Mar 2021, 2019–2020), 23V858000 (Dec 2023, 2019–2022). Whether a car still has one open depends on its VIN.
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Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across model years, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Model years with fewer than 25 complaints are not scored.