Honda Green Machine 001 meets GT5

Test driving the Insight at Tsukuba
minus the Best Motoring crew

Honda's second generation Insight, dubbed as Honda Green Machine 001, is the first of the established Honda Green Machine series, a series dedicated to environmentally friendly vehicles, especially Honda hybrids. Because the Insight turned out to be a major seller in 2009, the hit PS3 racing game of 2010, Gran Turismo 5 added the second-generation Insight to the list of over 1000 cars in the game and its placed on the Premium tier.

Staying true to its Honda roots at Suzuka

Unlike the third-generation Toyota Prius, which has a CVT that makes it more dull to drive, the Insight can be set to either Automatic or Manual, despite the Insight has CVT on it. Although the Insight is the most eco-friendly Honda available in the market, it made it more of a pleasant collection in GT5. I think this is much more fun to handle than the Prius because I can set it to either Auto or Manual before the race.

Elegant and stylish in Crystal Black Pearl

Insight at Ahrweiler, Germany

Ever since I first met the second-generation Insight in 2009, it was known to be the cheapest alternative to the Prius but in terms of fuel economy, the Prius wins. By vast majority, you can expect more Prius owners in Japan than Insight owners because this is the fastest selling hybrid but I believe the Insight has some possibility. By demand, the two hybrid rivals were added as Premium Tier cars on GT5 and with the addition of the Sport Hybrid Compact, the Honda CR-Z, and electric cars such as the Mitsubishi i-MiEV and Tesla Roadster (Gosh, I don't like the way an electric car sound like). Despite hybrid, both the second-generation Insight and the third-generation Toyota Prius can be tunable to gain more horsepower and reduce weight.

The most stylish eco-car from Honda

In my opinion, I think no other GT5 player showing up their Insight online. Maybe someday, there will be something special for the Insight, just like in one Special Race where the Toyota Prius is required but no tuning restrictions. What it will come up is for some photo sessions by Photo Mode during replays and Photo Travel, just like the Insight colored with Crystal Black Pearl taking things handsomely at the streets of Ahrweiler, Germany.

I'm appreciated that both the Honda Green Machine 001 (the second-generation Insight) and the Honda Green Machine 003 (the CR-Z) showed up on GT5. I tried them both but the winner for me is none other than my favorite hybrid car, the CR-Z.