2021 Honda Insight
The 2021 Honda Insight is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid midsize sedan with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Insight, is EPA-rated at 52 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of C. Owners have filed 25 complaints, most often about the forward collision avoidance. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Specs & fuel economy
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insight | Hybrid | FWD | 1.5L 4-cyl + 222V Li-Ion | 55 | 49 | 52 | $1,300 |
| Insight Touring | Hybrid | FWD | 1.5L 4-cyl + 222V Li-Ion | 51 | 45 | 48 | $1,400 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 42542, 42537.
Emissions & certification
Source: EPA emission certificates| Configuration | Smog rating | Emission standard | Where it can be sold new | SmartWay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insight, Insight Touring | 7 / 10 | California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 | All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards | SmartWay |
Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.
The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.
Specifications filed with NHTSA
Source: NHTSA vPICDimensions Exterior
| Body style | Sedan/Saloon |
| Doors | 4 |
| GVWR class | Class 1B: 3,001 - 4,000 lb (1,360 - 1,814 kg) |
Engine Basics
| Cylinders | 4 |
| Displacement | 1.5 L |
| Engine configuration | In-Line |
Engine Output
| Horsepower | 107 hp |
Fuel Economy
| Fuel | Gasoline |
Seating
| Seat rows | 2 |
| Seating capacity | 5 seats |
Transmission
| Drivetrain | 4x2 |
| Transmission | Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) |
Driver assistance
Standard: Adaptive cruise control, Anti-lock brakes, Automatic emergency braking, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist, Rear cross-traffic alert
Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: EX, LX, Touring). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.
Dimensions & weight
Source: Transport Canada| Length | 183.5 in |
| Width (body, without mirrors) | 74.0 in |
| Height | 55.5 in |
| Wheelbase | 106.3 in |
| Track, front | 61.0 in |
| Track, rear | 61.8 in |
| Curb weight | 3,047 lb |
| Weight distribution, front/rear | 61/39 |
Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here one configuration: 4-door Sedan. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.
Factory warranty running out?
The 2021 Honda Insight is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.
What to check before you buy →Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
Recalls (3)
Source: NHTSA recall databaseAir Bags
XHP, VHQElectrical System
K9EThese are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.
NHTSA defect investigations
Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking — Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking open
On March 7, 2024, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE24008) to assess reports of inadvertent activation of the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system in model year 2019-2022 Honda Insight and 2019-2022 Honda Passport vehicles. The complainants allege activation of the AEB system with no apparent obstruction in the vehicle's path, resulting in rapid vehicle deceleration. Honda indicated that it is aware of a total of 412 reports that may relate to the alleged defect. Honda provided analysis of the alleged defect and stated that some customers possibly had an inadequate understanding of the AEB system and its limitations. However, many consumer compl
Opened Jan 17, 2025 · action EA25002 · the investigation’s page →
Forward Collision Avoidance — Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking closed
On March 7, 2024, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE24008) to assess reports of inadvertent activation of the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system in model year 2019-2022 Honda Insight and 2019-2022 Honda Passport vehicles. The complainants allege activation of the AEB system with no apparent obstruction in the vehicle's path, resulting in rapid vehicle deceleration. Honda indicated that it is aware of a total of 412 reports that may relate to the alleged defect. Honda provided analysis of the alleged defect and stated that some customers possibly had an inadequate understanding of the AEB system and its limitations. However, many consumer compl
Opened Mar 7, 2024 · closed Jan 17, 2025 · action PE24008 · the investigation’s page →
Electrical System:Propulsion System — Pedestrian alert sounds closed
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021. On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject mat
Opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023 · action DP22005 · the investigation’s page →
Whether any of this applies to one specific Insight
A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2021 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Honda publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.
Hear about a recall before the letter does
The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2021 Honda Insight, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.
Parts & accessories for the 2021 Honda Insight
Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.
Find parts for this Insight →Owner complaints
Source: NHTSA complaint database1 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 1 injuries · 0 deaths reported
21 per 10,000 built · Honda reported 11,967 Insight built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)
Filed per year: 2021: 3 · 2022: 5 · 2023: 3 · 2024: 4 · 2025: 6 · 2026: 4
Most-cited components
In owners' own words
Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.
The contact's daughter owns a 2021 Honda Insight. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the front driver's and passenger-side air bags suddenly deployed without impact. There was no warning light illuminated.
There is a massive hood flutter when large vehicle drive towards me going above 50mph. It feels and looks like the hood is not latched correctly and going to open into my windshield. This has happened since I purchase the vehicle new in 2021
I received a 2021 Insight Seat Weight Sensor Safety Recall in September 2025 saying that recall replacement parts were now available at Honda Dealers. Ever since I received this notice, none of the Atlanta area Honda dealers are able to remedy the defect in my vehicle due to lack of parts, contrary to the notice saying parts are available
The brake servo control unit feel simulator which reduces the simulation force provided to the brake pedal during emergency or failed conditions and is a key component of realizing a Regenerative Braking System. It provides a good pedal feeling to a driver, improves energy recovery and ensures braking security.
While my wife was driving my car on a busy road. The servo brake control unit/ pedal simulator broke making it near impossible to stop the car. She had to crash the car into a parking block. And Honda import/export is uncooperative and dismissive of the fact that my wife and daughters lives were jeopardized due to the part malfunctioning
On two (2) occasions, the "collision mitigation braking system" braked with no reason. It has happened on a quiet and straight line residential street with no other moving vehicle, pedestrian, animal, or any other obstruction in view. After one second or so of braking, it returned to normal. It is available for inspection.
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Reported by Honda itself: 3 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 3 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 25 per 100,000 built. Every Insight model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.
Crash ratings
Source: NHTSA NCAP| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 DR FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | 9% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning.
Driver-assist crash reports (1)
Source: NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-011 no injury reported
Nov 2021 to Nov 2021 · 0 with an air bag deployment · 1 towed
What was engaged, and what was hit
System named: not named in the filings
Crash partner: Other 1
Filed by: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
| Incident | System | Struck | Injury alleged | State | Speed | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2021 | Level 2 | Other | no injury reported | NY | — | 62-2159 |
From the manufacturer’s own filing
The reporting entity’s narrative as NHTSA published it, with anything identifying removed and nothing added. A narrative is a notice, written before the entity had verified what happened.
The customer hit a fence and her blew her tire driving over concrete. The customer alleges that the Lane Keep Assist System and Adaptive Cruise Control were engaged
A report under the General Order is a notice the manufacturer or operator must file within days of hearing of a crash in which a Level 2 driver-assist or automated-driving system was engaged within 30 seconds of impact. It is filed before anything is verified, and entities with telematics hear of far more crashes than entities that rely on complaints, so counts say as much about the reporting as about the car and are not comparable across makes. Nothing is normalised by fleet size. Every report on file, by make and year → · NHTSA’s page and files
Service bulletins & campaigns
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communicationsMost often about: Parking Brake, Equipment, Electrical System, Visibility/Wiper, Suspension.
- A21-068 Service bulletin2023-10-25 · Vehicle Speed Control
- Service Bulletin - The ACC system error message comes on while driving when outside temperatures are low/near freezing due to snow and ice getting stuck to the front of the millimeter wave radar. This can cause DTC P2583-76 (Temporary stop of Integrated Driver Support System [Misalignment Millimeter Wave Radar]) to be stored.
- A21080A Service bulletin2023-10-17 · Forward Collision Avoidance — Adaptive Cruise Control
- Service News - If an Adaptive Cruise Control System Problem comes back on when the vehicle is driven in freezing conditions, inform the customer it is likely due to snow or ice buildup on the radar. Advise the customer of the following procedure to clean the front grille where the radar is located.
- ATI&03272023904 Service bulletin2023-03-27 · Parking Brake
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for any & all 2018-2022 Accord Hybrids, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrids & 2019-2022 Insights that match the criteria listed below. Qualifiers AHM is interested ONLY if the vehicle meets the following requirements: 1. Manufactured date on the Driverâs door jamb must be between 1/2019 & 9/2021. 2. No DTC stored. 3. El
- ATI&03102023904 Service bulletin2023-03-10 · Parking Brake
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for any & all 2018-2022 Accord Hybrids, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrids & 2019-2022 Insights that match the criteria listed below. Qualifiers AHM is interested ONLY if the vehicle meets the following requirements: 1. Manufactured date on the Driverâs door jamb must be between 1/2019 & 9/2021. 2. No DTC stored. 3. El
- ATI&02232023903 Service bulletin2023-02-23 · Parking Brake
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for any & all 2018-2022 Accord Hybrids, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrids & 2019-2022 Insights that match the criteria listed below. Qualifiers AHM is interested ONLY if the vehicle meets the following requirements: 1. Manufactured date on the Driverâs door jamb must be between 1/2019 & 9/2021. 2. No DTC stored. 3. El
- ATI&02072023904 Service bulletin2023-02-07 · Parking Brake
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for any & all 2018-2022 Accord Hybrids, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrids & 2019-2022 Insights that match the criteria listed below. AHM is interested ONLY if the vehicle meets the following requirements: 1. Manufactured date on the Driverâs door jamb must be between 1/2019 & 9/2021. 2. No DTC stored. 3. Electric Servo
- ATI&01182023903 Service bulletin2023-01-18 · Parking Brake
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for any & all 2018-2022 Accord Hybrids, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrids & 2019-2022 Insights that match the criteria listed below.
- ATI&01032023902 Service bulletin2023-01-03 · Suspension
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for any & all 2018-2022 Accord Hybrids, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrids & 2019-2022 Insights that match the criteria listed below.
A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.
At the New York inspection station
Source: New York State DMVIn New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2021 Honda Insight failed the emissions check on 1.5% of first inspections — lower than the 1.9% for every 2021 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.8% (every 2021 vehicle: 1.5%).
failed emissions
337 initial inspections of 332 vehicles.
| Measure | The 2021 Insight | Every 2021 vehicle | Behind it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Failed the emissions check | 1.5% | 1.9% | 336 |
| Failed the safety inspection | 1.8% | 1.5% | 337 |
| Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit | 0.30% | 0.19% | 337 |
| Miles driven a year | 13,153 | 10,343 | odometer at inspection |
| Average odometer | 69,475 | 54,681 | odometer at inspection |
New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2021 vehicle” is every 2021 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).
Insight by model year
all years, side by side →Common questions about the 2021 Insight
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsDoes the 2021 Honda Insight have any recalls?
NHTSA has posted 3 recall campaigns for the 2021 Honda Insight. The most serious on file is 26V332000, covering Air Bags. 1 campaign is phased, so the repair reached some model years before others. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.
How safe is the 2021 Honda Insight?
NHTSA gave the 2021 Honda Insight 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 5-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 5-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it C (79/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.
What is the fuel economy of the 2021 Honda Insight?
Across the 2 EPA-rated configurations of the 2021 Honda Insight, the best EPA combined figure is 52 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.
What are the dimensions of the 2021 Honda Insight?
Transport Canada measured it at 183.5 in long, 74.0 in wide (body, without mirrors), 55.5 in tall, on a 106.3 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,047 lb. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.
What do owners complain about on the 2021 Honda Insight?
Owners have filed 25 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Honda Insight, most often about forward collision avoidance, unspecified, service brakes. Of those, 1 involved a crash, 1 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.
How clean is the 2021 Honda Insight?
The EPA smog rating for the 2021 Honda Insight is 7 out of 10. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 — which the table above lists per configuration.
Are there service bulletins for the 2021 Honda Insight?
The manufacturer has filed 25 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2021 Honda Insight, most often covering parking brake, equipment, electrical system. The most recent is dated 2023-10-25. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.
How does the 2021 Honda Insight do at state inspection?
In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2021 Honda Insight failed the emissions check on 1.5% of first inspections — lower than the 1.9% for every 2021 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.8% (every 2021 vehicle: 1.5%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.
What we hold, and what an empty row means
Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.
| Data | Held | Source | What it covers — or what empty means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel economy & configurations | 2 configurations | EPA certification records | Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures. |
| Emission certificates | 2 configurations | EPA emission certificates | Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new. |
| Recalls | 3 | NHTSA recall campaigns | A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags. |
| Owner complaints | 25 | NHTSA complaint database | Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold. |
| Crash ratings | 1 tested | NHTSA NCAP | Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them. |
| Service bulletins | 25 | NHTSA manufacturer communications | Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall. |
| Investigations | 3 | NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation | Open and closed defect investigations, with the agency's own narrative. |
| Driver-assist crash reports | 1 | NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01 | Crashes the manufacturer or operator reported with a Level 2 or automated-driving system engaged. Notices, filed before verification; not comparable across makes. |
| Specifications filed with NHTSA | 12 fields | NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns | What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder. |
| Measured dimensions | 7 fields | Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications | Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions. |
| Trims, pricing & equipment | none | Manufacturer press kit | We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind. |
Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.