Items installed:

• JVC KD-LX100 CD receiver
• Kenwood KFC-P603 6-1/2" component system

Dennis Judd expected great things when he bought his 2001 Honda Insight, and he hasn't been disappointed. The gas/electric powered hybrid looks cool, drives great, and gets 65 miles to the gallon. However, Dennis was not thrilled with the Insight's factory stereo system, so he decided a receiver upgrade was in order.

He chose JVC's KD-LX100 CD receiver to replace the factory radio. This high-powered receiver features the "El Kameleon" stealth face — a multicolor display that retracts when the power's off, leaving a featureless black panel in the dash to deter theft. The JVC uses BBE II sound processing (commonly used in professional recording studios) to improve clarity, focus high frequencies, and enhance bass response.

Dennis had to remove the Insight's glove compartment and some incidental trim pieces to access the factory radio. Once the radio was removed, however, the JVC bolted right into place, the wiring harness supplied by Crutchfield (designed for the 2001 Honda Civic) snapped perfectly into the Insight's plug, and the KD-LX100 found a new home in the Insight dash.

Once he heard the sonic improvement with the JVC receiver, Dennis realized that the factory speakers had to go. He chose the Kenwood KFC-P603 component system with its pearl-mica, injection-molded 6-1/2" polypropylene woofers and 3/4" polyetherimide (PEI) tweeters to replace his door speakers. The system includes outboard crossovers with a tweeter protection circuitry that prevents excess power from damaging the tweets.

Dennis removed the door panel, only to discover that the protective plastic cups that surround the factory speakers were too shallow for the Kenwood woofers. He solved the problem by cutting out the back of each cup, and installing the Kenwood woofers with a sheet of plastic film as a waterproof backing. In order to provide the most effective imaging, the tweeters were angle-mounted in the sail panels at the top of each door.

The JVC receiver has plenty of power to drive the Kenwood components effectively in the Honda's quiet interior, so Dennis was able to make a dramatic improvement in sound quality with minimal disturbance to the Insight's stock appearance. Future plans include adding a small powered subwoofer for a little more bottom end punch, and taking a Caribbean vacation with the money he's saving on gasoline. Thanks, Dennis, for the chance to scope out a beautiful ride.


Dennis Judd with his 2001 Honda Insight. This electric/gasoline powered hybrid vehicle gets over 65 miles to the gallon.


The clean, stylish look of JVC's KD-LX100 CD receiver makes it a natural for the Insight's dash.


The Kenwood 3/4" polyetherimide tweeter provides a strong, clear image from its ideal spot in the door's sail panel.


The Honda door panel features a protective cup that keeps the speaker dry and clean. Dennis removed the back of the cup to make room for the Kenwood woofer, using heavy plastic film to maintain protection.


The car is totally 21st century, but the paper woofer and whizzer cone tweeter on the factory speaker is straight from 1955.


This shot shows off the Kenwood KFC-P603 6-1/2" woofer and 3/4" tweeter in the reinstalled door panel (the system's passive crossover is also mounted behind the panel).