The 2021 Honda Insight hybrid enters the new model year with minor changes, including more safety tech.

Gas mileage ratings remain unchanged, at 52 mpg combined (55 mpg city, 49 mpg highway) for all trim levels except the top-level Touring, which is rated at a slightly lower at 48 mpg combined (51 mpg city, 45 mpg highway).

That gives the 2021 Insight the highest city mpg of any sedan without a charge port currently sold in the United States.

The Insight's closest rival is the Toyota Corolla Hybrid, which matches the Honda's 52 mpg combined. The Toyota surpasses the Honda in highway fuel economy and earns the same 52 mpg combined. But the Corolla Hybrid's 53 mpg city rating is down 2 mpg on the Insight.

The only notable changes to the Insight for the 2021 model year are the addition of blind spot information with a cross-traffic monitor as standard equipment on the EX and Touring trim levels, and a new exterior color—Radiant Red Metallic.

No mechanical changes were made, so the powertrain still consists of a 1.5-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine, as part of Honda's two-motor hybrid system.

Total system output remains unchanged at 151 horsepower, which is sent to the front wheels only.

2021 Honda Insight

We've found the Insight to be a very pleasant-driving hybrid—feeling more like an electric car at lower speeds than other alternatives.

The Insight shares an inner body shell with the Honda Civic sedan, with changes made to accommodate the hybrid powertrain as well as somewhat different exterior styling.

While Honda has sold Civic Hybrid models in the past, this time it opted to create a distinct model using the name of its first production hybrid.

Sold in the U.S. from model years 2000 to 2006, the first-generation Insight was a fairly radical design, with aluminum construction to save weight and an aerodynamic shape (complete with rear-wheel shrouds) to reduce drag.

Introduced for the 2010 model year, the second-generation Insight was more conventional, but proved unpopular. It was dropped after the 2014 model year.

Pricing for the 2021 Honda Insight starts at $23,885 for the base LX trim level. The mid-level EX starts at $25,765, while the top Touring trim level starts at $29,795. All prices include a mandatory $995 destination charge.

The Insight is built at Honda's Greensburg, Indiana, factory alongside the recently-introduced CR-V Hybrid, as well as other CR-V and Civic models.