What Makes Honda So Revolutionary? 5 Fun Facts about Honda and the Honda Insight You’ll Be Surprised About

The following article about 5 facts about Honda and the Honda Insight is presented by your Utah Honda Dealers.

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Ever since Soichiro Honda started his company in 1946, Honda has been on the cutting edge of some of the most reliable, sleek, and fun to drive cars on the road. But do you know everything about the company that started a movement? Here are 5 facts about Honda you probably didn’t know!

World’s Largest Engine Manufacturer

Honda produces the most engines of any company in the whole world. Honda competes directly with the second largest car manufacturer Toyota, and Honda still produces more engines. How many engines has Honda produced? The company celebrated its 25 millionth engine coming off the factory line in 2017 since Honda of America opened in 1985. The Honda Anna production plant in Ohio has been operational for 33 years and builds about 1 million engines every year. At the current rate, it’ll take 25 years to double what they did in 2017.

The First Production Hybrid Car

Honda was the first production manufacturer of hybrid cars with the Honda Insight that was launched a full year before the Toyota Prius. While early versions of the Insight never gained popularity like the Prius, the fully redeveloped 2019 Honda Insight is miles above the car that held the same name when it was released a decade ago. More on the Honda Insight in a bit.

Motorcycles Were the Foundation of Honda as a Company

When Soichiro Honda created the Honda Technical Institute in Japan in 1946 he wanted to research and develop 2-cycle engines for motorbikes. The newly formed company Honda Motor Company Ltd started by producing motorcycles in 1948. And while Honda still produces more vehicles than anything, they are still the number one producer of motorcycles in the world. And they’ve produced over 100 million motorcycles since. Honda decided to enter the US motorcycle market in 1959 when they first created a storefront in Los Angeles.

Honda Manufactures Private Jets

Soichiro Honda actually started manufacturing planes as Honda was being started as a company. Most of these planes were for the Japanese military and were designed alongside other companies during World War II. Later in the ’80s, Honda started to experiment with executive jets that were designed for business. The first concept plane flew in North Carolina in 2003. The Jet was then made available to the public in 2006 and each plane cost $4.5 million. Now Honda produces about 80 private jets a year and even has their own airport.

The Honda Insight is a Cornerstone of Honda’s Evolution

The Honda Insight is a hybrid that runs on both gas and electricity. It runs on a 1.5L Atkinson engine that’s paired with an electric motor. It’s a far cry from the car introduced in 1999, now holding a 5-star rating as a 2019 Top Safety Pick. Did you know that the Insight has different modes? The available modes include Econ mode, sport mode, and electric-only mode that just uses the heavy-duty, high-voltage batteries.  Those batteries are recharged when you drive around in gas-mode.

If you were to take a family trip from Salt Lake City to Disneyland, a round trip to Anaheim would cost about $80 less in gas with the Insight than in a similar sedan.  And with a 500-mile range, you could easily make it to Las Vegas before filling up. Just don’t freak out when you don’t hear it running.

The Honda Insight is Available through YOUR Utah Honda Dealers

The 2019 Honda Insight is the perfect pairing for anyone looking to be more environmentally conscious. Or even better if you are just looking to save money at the pump. You can check one out at your local Utah Honda Dealer.

Ken Garff Honda Downtown
64 E 900 S
Salt Lake City, UT 84111
(801) 526-1700

Ken Garff Honda of Orem
195 E University Pkwy
Orem, UT 84058
(801) 709-1695

Ken Garff Honda Riverdale
950 W Riverdale Rd
Ogden, UT 84405
(801) 781-4700

Larry H. Miller Honda
5808 S State St
Murray, UT 84107
(801) 262-3331

Performance Honda Bountiful
2215 S 500 W
Bountiful, UT 84010
(801) 295-4477

Stockton #12 Honda
10860 So Automall Dr
Sandy, UT 84070
(866) 778-1103

Young Honda
1945 N Main St
Logan, UT 84341
(435) 554-3400