Remember The Honda Insight? It’s Back As An Electric Crossover SUV

The Honda Insight was last sold in the Philippines in its second-generation fastback form. A third-generation model debuted in 2018, sharing its fundamentals with the Civic, making it a traditional sedan. For the fourth-generation model, it once again transforms, this time ditching its hybrid powertrain and going all-electric as it adopts a crossover body style.

But this isn’t (probably) coming to the Philippines, because the fourth-generation Insight is currently debuting in Japan first. Pre-orders for this model will begin on March 19, and though Honda has not yet revealed the manufacturing source of this vehicle, its design offers a sense of deja vu.

That’s because the 2026 Honda Insight is basically the e:NS2, which is manufactured by the Dongfeng Honda joint venture in China. The e:NS2 shares the same platform as the e:N1, a fully electric version of the HR-V. You can see some hints of the HR-V in its proportions, but overall, the new Insight looks very distinct.

At the front, the Insight features very distinct LED daytime running lights, whose full-width LED light bar forms a large H-shaped motif. The Honda logo is also illuminated, while the shape of the front end forms a trapezoid motif. The side profile of the Insight is particularly interesting because, while it is a crossover SUV, the hatch area has been somewhat lengthened, giving it sedan-like proportions. Finally, towards the rear end, the thin LED taillights mirror the front end’s H-shaped motif, and topping it all off is a Honda script as opposed to the traditional H logo.

Sit inside the new Insight, and you’ll be greeted by an interior that breaks numerous Honda traditions. The driver is greeted by a narrow but wide 9.4-inch digital gauge cluster, along with a large 12.8-inch touchscreen running Honda Connect 4.0 software. This touchscreen ditches all physical controls (unfortunately), with only the switches for the gear selector, hazard lights, and parking brake being some of your remaining physical inputs. There’s also a large 11.5-inch head-up display, as well as plenty of soft-touch materials surrounding the cabin.

Honda has not yet revealed specs for the Insight, but if it mirrors that of the Chinese market e:NS2, it will have 204 horsepower and 310 Nm of torque from a single front-mounted electric motor. Honda promises a WLTP-rated range of more than 500 kilometers, which is more stringent than China’s 545-kilometer CLTC rating for the e:NS2.

With the Honda Insight, or rather the e:NS2, being exported outside China (assuming it is assembled in China for Japan), it is somewhat a sign that this model may be exported to more markets in the future. If ever it gets offered by Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) in our market, would you be interested in purchasing one?