2012 Honda Insight

Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.

64/100

Be careful

AVOIR's read: the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit.

What owners actually report

Owners have filed 59 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Honda Insight, and it carries 8 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.

Complaints by area, from NHTSA records for this model-year
Area	Complaints	Share
Engine	32	54%
Air bags	10	17%
Unknown or other	5	8%
Engine	2	3%
Vehicle speed control	2	3%
Seats	2	3%
Service brakes	1	2%
Air bags	1	2%
Power train	1	2%
Electrical system	1	2%

In owners' own words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.

The car has only 83000 miles. We bought the vehicle 2 months ago from the estate of an individual that passed away. We were driving the vehicle and the gas pedal stopped working. Prior to this happening, we noticed no o
NHTSA complaint: Engine

Roof and hood of car lost all paint and clear coat. Starting to rust
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other

Oil consumption issues. I can't drive my car 10 feet without dying. I was stuck in traffic when my car died from the issues. Look up TSB 15-015
NHTSA complaint: Engine

The contact owns a 2012 Honda Insight. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the vehicle jerked forward. The contact stated that the check engine, emissions, and ABS warning lights were illuminated. The contact was ab
NHTSA complaint: Engine

TTHIS CAR HAS SAFETY PROBLEMS BURNS OIL LIKE CRAZY , MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING DOWN 81 WHEN THE DASH LIGHTS CAME ON THE CAR WAS SHAKING SO SHE PULLED OVER AND CALLED THE POLICE WHO IMPOUNDED THE CAR 300 TO GET IT OUT THEN
NHTSA complaint: Engine

DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR MALFUNCTIONS. CONTINUES TO LOCK ITSELF WHEN DRIVING, CONTINUES TO LOCK ITSELF WHEN SITTING AND CAR IS NOT RUNNING. ONGOING FOR MANY MONTHS. HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO REPLACE, I'M OPTING TO DISCONNECT AND
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other

ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO, MY CAR BEGAN FLUTTERING AFTER I STARTED THE ENGINE AND BEGAN ACCELERATING. THE POWER FELT REDUCED AS WELL. LIKE MOST PEOPLE'S FIRST INSTINCT, I BEGAN CHECKING THE OIL AND NOTICED THE OIL APPEARED LO
NHTSA complaint: Engine

THIS CAR IS THE ABSOLUTE WORST CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED. THE OIL CONSUMPTION IS OUTRAGEOUS AND THE CAR ONLY HAS 89K MILES ON IT. IT ALSO BURNS THROUGH SPARK PLUGS LIKE CRAZY, I'VE PROBABLY PUT CLOSE TO 500 DOLLARS INTO IT A
NHTSA complaint: Engine

Recalls on record

NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns for the 2012 Honda Insight. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module 18V661000

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2014 Honda Insight and Acura TSX and TSX Wagon, 2014-2015 Honda Crosstour and Pilot vehicles nationwide, as well as certain 2014 Honda FCX Clarity and Fit EV vehicles in Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississipp

Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-21

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module 18V268000

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2012 Honda Accord and Pilot, 2010 Accord Crosstour, 2001-2011 Civic, 2002-2011 CR-V, 2003-2004, 2006-2008 and 2011 Element, 2007 and 2009-2013 Fit, 2010-2012 Insight, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2012 Ridgeline vehicles. The front passenger air b

Risk: An incorrectly installed air bag may deploy improperly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the passenger frontal air bag module assembly, free of charge. The recall began June 22, 2018. Owners may contact Honda

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module 19V502000

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura TSX, 2011-2014 TSX Sport Wagon, 2010-2013 ZDX, 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic and Civic Hybrid, 2008-2010 Civic GX NGV, 2012-2015 Crosstour, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2009-2013 Fit, 2014 Fit EV, 2010-201

Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-21

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module 19V378000

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura TSX, 2011-2013 TSX Sport Wagon, and 2010-2012 ZDX and 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic, Civic Hybrid and Civic NGV, 2012-2014 Crosstour, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2009-2013 Fit, 2010-2013 Insight, and 2009

Risk: An incorrectly installed air bag inflator may not properly deploy the passenger frontal air bag in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the inflator installation and, if necessary, replace the passenger frontal air bag module assembly, free of charge. The recall began July 5, 2019.

The seven scores

Reliability raw	52	average
Longevity est.	69	good
Maintenance	86	excellent
Depreciation	65	good
Performance	37	below average
Efficiency	64	average

How it compares in its class

Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.

Reliability: better than 3% of compact cars
Longevity: better than 11% of compact cars
Running costs: better than 69% of compact cars
Value retention: better than 64% of compact cars

Which of these numbers are measured

What stands behind each score for this car:

Reliability 52: from NHTSA recalls and complaints. This one is a raw count: we do not have a sales figure for this model, so a high-volume car looks worse here than it should.
Longevity 69: an estimate from powertrain and brand record. No 200,000-mile population exists for a 2012 car yet, so this is a prior, not evidence.
Maintenance 86: repair-cost data where we have it for this model, otherwise a mechanical-complexity estimate from engine size, cylinder count and drivetrain.
Safety: no score. NHTSA crash testing thins out for older vehicles and we would rather show nothing than guess.

Common questions

What goes wrong with the 2012 Honda Insight?

Owners have filed 59 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and engine is the most reported area with 32 of them (54%). There are 8 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.

Is the 2012 Honda Insight reliable?

AVOIR scores its reliability 52/100 (average) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.

How long will a 2012 Honda Insight last?

AVOIR scores its longevity 69/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2012 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.

Should I buy a 2012 Honda Insight?

AVOIR's read: be careful, because the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit. Its overall ownership score is 64/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.

Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.