Honda engineers knew that the Insight's body would play a major role in helping it achieve the fuel economy, performance and safety goals they had set for it. In response to this challenge, they came up with an innovative, new body design for the Insight that is lightweight, rigid and highly aerodynamic.
Since a lightweight vehicle has better performance and fuel economy than a heavier one, the Insight's body is made from aluminum alloy. Aluminum weighs only one-third as much as steel. In addition, aluminum alloy is highly versatile and readily lends itself to a wide variety of manufacturing techniques. Lastly, aluminum is extensively recycled, which helps lower its cost. The Insight's aluminum body in white (just the sheet metal: doors, hood, etc.) is roughly 40 percent lighter than a comparable steel body.