"Because the gasoline engine isn't connected to the wheels, there's an odd, CVT-like effect to the drive. You press the gas pedal and hear the engine rev, but it's out of sync with the resulting acceleration. The note just sort of climbs and then hangs discordantly. However, the e-motor is way more responsive than a traditional continuously variable transmission could ever hope to be, so you don't feel any lag between your toe on the pedal and what you sense at the seat of your pants.
In other words, around town, the Insight sounds laggy, but feels responsive and torquey like an EV. It's really nice, and also really awkward, but it doesn't take long to get used to this sensation. By the end of my second day of testing, I only noticed the engine sound weirdness under hard acceleration. Like an EV, however, the Insight tends to run out of steam at high speeds, where it can feel a tad underpowered.
Overall, the Insight returns solid performance -- especially at city speeds where the e-motor is in its element. More importantly, it promises fuel economy that's right up there with the best of its class."
-- Antuan Goodwin, Roadshow by CNET