AAA-ZE1 · YA-ZE1
Honda Insight ZE1 specs
ZE1 is the model code of the Honda Insight. Japan’s transport ministry lists it in its fuel economy lists from 2004–2006 under 2 model types AAA-ZE1, YA-ZE1. A genuine car’s chassis number starts ZE1-.
ZE1 at a glance
- Make
- Honda
- Model
- Insight
- Model code
- ZE1
- Model types
- AAA-ZE1, YA-ZE1
- In MLIT’s lists
- 2004–2006
- Engines
- ECA 995 cc petrol; ECA 995 cc hybrid
- Gearboxes
- 5-speed manual, CVT automatic
- Drive
- front-wheel drive
- Kerb weight
- 820–860 kg
- Official fuel economy
- 32–36 km/L (90–102 mpg)
Fuel economy is from Japan’s official tests and is usually better than you’ll see on UK roads. MLIT doesn’t list power or torque.
AAA-ZE1
Listed 2004–2006. The AAA prefix (our explanation, not MLIT’s) means hybrid passenger car certified to Japan’s 2005 emissions rules. Check AAA-ZE1 against ULEZ and clean air zones.
| Engine | Gearbox | Drive | Weight | Seats | Fuel economy | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ECA995 cc petrol | 5-speed manual | front-wheel drive | 820–830 kg | — | 33–36 km/L93–102 mpg, Japanese 10-15 mode test | 2004–2006 |
| ECA995 cc hybrid | 5-speed manual | front-wheel drive | 820 kg | — | 36 km/L102 mpg, Japanese 10-15 mode test | 2005 |
| ECA995 cc petrol | CVT automatic | front-wheel drive | 850–860 kg | — | 32 km/L90 mpg, Japanese 10-15 mode test | 2004–2006 |
| ECA995 cc hybrid | CVT automatic | front-wheel drive | 850 kg | — | 32 km/L90 mpg, Japanese 10-15 mode test | 2005 |
YA-ZE1
Listed 2004. The YA prefix (our explanation, not MLIT’s) means certified to Japan’s 2000 emissions rules, 50% below their limits. Check YA-ZE1 against ULEZ and clean air zones.
| Engine | Gearbox | Drive | Weight | Seats | Fuel economy | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ECA995 cc petrol | 5-speed manual | front-wheel drive | 820–830 kg | — | 33–35 km/L93–99 mpg, Japanese 10-15 mode test | 2004 |
| ECA995 cc petrol | CVT automatic | front-wheel drive | 850–860 kg | — | 32 km/L90 mpg, Japanese 10-15 mode test | 2004 |
Each row is one version as MLIT lists it. A version can appear twice when MLIT gave figures on two tests that year. Low-emission stars and trim names aren’t shown. MLIT gives fuel economy in km/L; the mpg figures are our conversion to UK gallons. Japanese tests are gentler than real UK driving, so expect less.
ZE1 build year by chassis number
Japan’s carmakers list the chassis numbers each code was built with every year from 2015. Find the serial below, or use the build year finder.
| Built | Chassis numbers |
|---|---|
| 2017 | ZE1-000001 to 000053ZE1-000063 to 000064ZE1-000076 to 011066 |
| 2018 | ZE1-011067 to 037195ZE1-051001 to 051948 |
| 2019 | ZE1-037196 to 037767ZE1-051949 to 067957ZE1-090001 to 090044 |
| 2020 | ZE1-090045 to 101839ZE1-120001 to 120016 |
| 2021 | ZE1-101840 to 103995ZE1-120017 to 128937ZE1-200001 to 200027 |
| 2022 | ZE1-128938 to 132001ZE1-200028 to 210176 |
| 2023 | ZE1-210177 to 218456ZE1-250008 to 251048 |
| 2024 | ZE1-251049 to 255668 |
| 2025 | ZE1-255669 to 258215 |
From the JAMA chassis number lists: 車台番号一覧表. We keep only the chassis code, serial ranges and year. JAMA calls them reference information, not a certificate.
Check a ZE1 before you buy
Make sure the car is what the advert says: the chassis number on the V5C should start ZE1-, and the engine and gearbox should match one of the versions above. Our free check reads the UK MOT history and compares it with the chassis code.
Other Honda Insight model codes
Questions
What engine does the ZE1 have?
MLIT lists the Honda Insight ZE1 with ECA 995 cc petrol or ECA 995 cc hybrid.
What fuel economy does the ZE1 get?
Officially between 32 and 36 km/L (about 90–102 mpg), depending on the version, on Japan’s own tests. Real-world figures are usually lower, especially against the older 10-15 mode test.
How heavy is the ZE1?
Between 820 and 860 kg kerb weight, depending on the version.
Is AAA-ZE1 the same as ZE1?
Yes. AAA-ZE1 is the full model type: the letters before the hyphen are Japan’s emissions code, which changed as the rules were tightened, and ZE1 is the model code. The chassis number starts with ZE1-.
About these figures
The model types, engine codes, capacities, gearboxes, drive, weights, seats and km/L figures are copied from MLIT’s yearly lists of cars on sale in Japan each March, so “listed” years are list years, not exact production dates. The English model names, mpg conversions, emissions code explanations and chassis number matching are ours. Lists before 2013 were printed as PDFs that we read by machine; where an older list gives an engine code that doesn’t match its capacity, we’ve used the figure the same model type has in other years. Check anything that matters against the car’s own papers. Spotted a mistake? Email [email protected]. All Honda model codes.
Source: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), Japan, fuel economy lists 2004–2026, used under the Public Data License 1.0. Edited and translated by JDM History.