First Look: Honda's CR-Z Hybrid Is a Blast to Drive. No Really

Hybrids are many things. Efficient, yes. Practical? Sure. Attractive? Hmm, well, maybe. Sporty? You're kidding, right? No one in their right mind would call hybrids sporty.

Until now.

Honda delivers much-needed excitement to eco-friendly driving with the CR-Z, an attractive, affordable hybrid that's a genuine hoot to drive. It isn't, contrary to the buzz, the second coming of the venerable CRX and you aren't going to see it tearing up any tracks, but the CR-Z is, dare we say it, sporty.

The thing is, the CR-Z doesn't feel like a hybrid. There's no lag when the 10-kilowatt electric motor hands off to the 1.5-liter engine. The responsive antilock brakes lack the mushiness found in other hybrids, and the continuously variable transmission is smooth.

There's a paddle-shifting slushbox available if you want to row through the gears, but the six-speed manual — a first in a hybrid — is the way to go. It's much more fun. Trust us on this.
We spent several hours exploring some of our favorite back roads north of San Francisco, and the CR-Z showed its athletic side with nimble handling and reasonably brisk acceleration. The chassis is tight, the suspension is firm and there's a hint of understeer. The car feels a bit heavy — the six-speed model weighs 2,630 pounds — but most of the bulk is down low, and the CR-Z is fairly easy to toss around.

You've got a choice of three driving modes to suit your style. Sport — where we spent most of our time — gooses the output of the electric motor, optimizes throttle response and gives the electric power-steering a tighter feel. Econ shifts the equation toward maximum fuel efficiency. Normal splits the difference.

The gasoline engine does most of the work regardless of the mode. The small (5.7 ampere-hour) nickel–metal hydride battery and 10-kilowatt electric motor are there to boost acceleration and ease the load on the engine when cruising. The gas-electric combo gives you 122 horsepower and 128 pound-feet of torque.

Set the car in normal mode and it'll get 35 mpg in the city and 39 on the highway (37 combined) with the automatic tranny. Chose the six-speed and you'll see 31 city, 37 highway, 34 combined. Yeah, you might expect a hybrid to do better, but the CR-Z skews ever so slightly toward performance end of the spectrum over efficiency. Still, Honda says it's among the top-five fuel misers in America (based on combined fuel economy figures of 2010 models).

Around town, the CR-Z trudged through an afternoon commute without complaint. The cabin is relatively spacious and nicely appointed. Our car had the optional seven-speaker, 360-watt audio system and the optional navi (with 6.5-inch screen). Both were easy to use and performed reasonably well.

The seats are supportive, and there's plenty of leg and headroom for all but the tallest people. You've got up to 25.1 cubic feet of cargo space behind the seats, and a huge hatchback makes it easy to use it all.

When Honda unveiled the production version of the CR-Z at the Detroit auto show earlier this year, it all but called it CRX 2.0. It has toned down the comparisons, but the Z bears a strong resemblance to the X. It's wide and low, and at 160.5 inches long and 54.9 inches tall about the size of the Honda Fit. Honda claims it's more aerodynamic than the Toyota Prius.

The car is not without its flaws. The instrument cluster, though comprehensive and easy to read, is laughably futuristic. "Aluminum-style" interior trim always looks cheap. The shifter feels limp — a mortal sin in a car with sporting pretensions. And the rear quarter windows are useless, with blindspots about the size of an SUV.

But those are minor quibbles in a car that'll run less than $20,000 or so when it goes on sale Aug. 24. Choose all the options that came with our test model, and Honda says you'll pay less than $24,000. (Honda hasn't finalized pricing.)

As nice as the CR-Z is, those who truly enjoy driving will want a bit more power and handling prowess. Honda has "nothing official" to say about whether we'll see a sportier Si version, but the tuner crowd already is developing parts. If the CR-Z isn't the second coming of the CRX, it might soon be.

Until then, Honda has done something remarkable. It's made an affordable hybrid that's actually fun to drive, even sporty.

Source;
http://www.wired.com/reviews/product/pr_honda_crz?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wired%2Findex+%28Wired%3A+Index+3+%28Top+Stories+2%29%29

2011 Honda CR-Z: the car for today’s and yesterday’s tuners?

Regarding the Honda CR-Z sports hybrid coupe, the Japanese manufacturer’s main target are today’s and yesterday’s tuners. How is that?

Well, according to John Mendel, executive vice president for automobile sales at American Honda Motor Co., the research shows that the “young people and guys my age, because it’s reminiscent of the CR-X, which was the ultimate tuner vehicle.” “We thought maybe the hybrid would turn the tuners off,” Mendel said. “Basically, they just say, ‘It’s 20 extra horsepower — what the hell.’ ” In order to reach younger buyers, the Japanese manufacturer is planning to use social media but sponsoring the concert tours of musical acts with a multigenerational appeal might work with both groups. For those who don’t know, the Honda CR-Z is powered by a 1.5-liter petrol engine delivering 102 hp and an electric motor capable to deliver 20 hp. This means that the car has a total output of 122 hp and 128 lb-ft. of torque at 1,000 to 1,500 rpm (123 lb-ft on CVT-equipped models). P.S. You may also want to check the Mugen CR-Z and the CR-Z ZF1 by C-West!

Source;
http://www.4wheelsnews.com/2011-honda-cr-z-the-car-for-todays-and-yesterdays-tuners/#more-8160

Honda's Hybrid Shatters Sales Target in First Month

By MARIKO SANCHANTA And HIROYUKI KACHI

As Toyota Motor Co. attempts to rebuild its reputation around the world, Honda Motor Co. on Wednesday said orders for its new hybrid sports car exceeded its forecast by 10 times, quietly stealing the march from its main Japanese rival.

Honda Motor Co. unveiled its CR-Z model in Japan roughly a month ago, making it the first mass-market hybrid sports car to hit dealerships. The company said cumulative orders for the car had exceeded 10,000 vehicles, far surpassing its monthly sales target of 1,000 vehicles.

Japan's second-largest car maker plans to introduce the model in the U.S. and Europe after June, with a combined annual sales target of 40,000 to 50,000 in the three markets.

The move comes as Honda has quietly benefited from its chief rival's woes. Toyota has recalled more than eight million vehicles world-wide, denting consumer confidence in its brand in the U.S., its biggest market. Though Honda has publicly said that it wouldn't offer special incentives for drivers to buy its cars over Toyota's – unlike U.S. rival Ford Motor Co. – its brand has steadily gained more fans over the past few months. In ALG's Spring 2010 Automotive Consumer Attitudes Survey, Toyota fell from first to sixth place in its perceived quality score, and Honda jumped to first place with a score of 83.2, followed by Nissan Motor.

"If [Honda] can gain sales, they are going to promote the brand at the expense of Toyota. They are not blind to the situation," said Chris Richter, automotive analyst at CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets. Honda is the second-largest hybrid car maker by volume after Toyota, and its Insight hybrid car was the first mass-produced hybrid automobile sold in the U.S.

Honda's new CR-Z is the successor to its Honda Civic CRX, a two-seater coupe that was introduced in 1984. In Japan, the CR-Z costs 2,498,000 yen ($27,630) for the high-end model. Honda said 90% of the orders had been placed by men, with most purchasers in their 30s and 40s. Honda has nearly reached its domestic annual sales goal of 12,000 in just under a month.
Still, Honda has a long way to go to catch up with the popularity of Toyota's Prius hybrid vehicle, which is still the best-selling car in Japan. More than 27,000 Priuses were sold in February, making the Prius the best-selling model for the 10th straight month, according to the Japan Automobile Dealers Association.

"It might be too small for Americans," said Mr. Richter, referring to the fact that the North American model of the CR-Z will only have two seats. "The Prius is a bona fide family car."

Honda expects net profit to soar 93% to 265 billion yen in the current fiscal year ending March 31. The company said Tuesday that it expects to sell around 100,000 units a year in India and Thailand of a new, low-priced model slated for launch in 2011. The new small car will be priced around 500,000 rupees ($11,000) and based on popular four-door Fit model.

Source;
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703312504575141221683837004.html?mod=WSJ_auto_IndustryCollection

Edmunds.com Review: 2011 Honda CR-Z First Drive

A Tesla Roadster at a Honda Price
By Peter Nunn, Contributor Published Mar 17, 2010
Finally the 2011 Honda CR-Z has come down off the stand at the auto shows and it's sitting right here on the asphalt on Naruto Skyline, a mountain road down the spine of Shikoku, the smallest of the main islands of Japan. We've been waiting to get behind the wheel of this car since the concept first appeared at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, and now we're getting our chance.

Already there's plenty of hype building for the car's introduction to the U.S. late this summer, as American Honda has already built a Web site to promote the car's arrival. But this is the real car in front of us, ready to be released into the Japanese market, and Honda officials tell us that the American version won't be much different.

The 2011 Honda CR-Z asks a lot of questions. The recession has dramatically affected Honda's adventurous engineering spirit, and the company has had to sell its Formula 1 team, cancel the development of its new front-engine replacement for the Acura NSX and end the sale of the Honda S2000 in America. Does this company still have the imaginative engineering that makes it so different?

The Honda CR-Z is certainly a different kind of car. A hybrid can be a lot of things. Clean, clever and fuel-efficient, without a doubt, and a poster child for a forthcoming generation of sensible cars. But fun?

Smart Car
Honda has been working hard to make sure that the 2011 Honda CR-Z makes us remember the Honda CR-X, its two-passenger coupe built from 1983-'91. Just as with the CR-X, the mission here has been to build a small, smart, eco-friendly coupe for the modern era. Lightness and efficiency are the key attributes, because the combination of 122 horsepower and a curb weight north of 2,550 pounds tells you the CR-Z is not going to be blowing too many doors off a Bugatti Veyron any time soon.

Here on the Naruto Skyline, the CR-Z defies its critics in cyberspace, who have been quick to dismiss the idea of the first hybrid with a six-speed manual transmission. It proves surprisingly taut, sporty, agile and entertaining as it tackles the twists and turns of the Shikoku roads.

Of course, it's a totally different car from the CR-X coupe. That is to say, it's not some kind of cut-down Honda Civic coupe with a manic 1.6-liter VTEC twin-cam engine screaming its way to an 8,000-rpm redline. Nor is it a redo of the original Honda Insight, the slippery 1.0-liter hybrid coupe that Honda launched back in 1999 as the first hybrid to go on sale in the U.S.

Fact is, the 2011 Honda CR-Z falls somewhere between the two — both in terms of design and in the amount of performance on offer. Honda believes that this is the right combination to build a network of CR-Z enthusiasts from Mini-type buyers who like the idea of a smart premium-style compact, only with the green image that a hybrid conveys.

The CR-Z is like a Tesla Roadster, but without the $109,000 price tag.

Hybrid CAFE Racer
While the CR-Z is loosely based on the current four-door Honda Insight sedan, you'll be cheered to know that the Honda engineers have massively improved the formula by shortening the wheelbase, widening the front and rear track and making the structure far more rigid.

The car measures 160.6 inches from end to end, 68.5 inches wide and only 54.9 inches to the tip of its antenna. The wheelbase is 95.8 inches, some 4.6 inches shorter than the Insight, and the CR-Z retains the suspension of the Insight platform with front MacPherson struts and a rear torsion-beam setup. The bad news is, Honda claims only a 97-pound reduction in weight from the Insight sedan.

Once you pull open the somewhat heavy door, a novel interior design awaits, a kind of cost-conscious, Honda-type attempt to deliver the arty style of a Mini or Fiat 500. The low-set driving position is just what you want in a performance car, and the pedals and shift lever feel perfectly placed. The sport seat offers fine all-around support and looks good. The instrument panel is a busy mass of buttons, lights and switches, but there are cool touches like the usual entertaining display of power flow through the internal combustion engine and hybrid system.

Don't look back, though, because rear vision is badly hampered by that dramatic, sloping roof line, especially into the blind spots over your shoulders. In Japan, the CR-Z comes as a 2+2 with kid-size jump seats behind you, but the new small Honda will be strictly a two-passenger vehicle in the U.S.

It's the Power
The DOHC 1,496cc inline-4 with i-VTEC variable valve timing and lift comes from the Honda Fit, and it delivers 111 hp at 6,000 rpm and 106 pound-feet of torque at 4,800 rpm. It's matched up with a six-speed manual transmission with ratios selected from the European Civic.

Just like the Insight, the 2011 Honda CR-Z features a parallel hybrid system with an electric motor powered by nickel-metal hydride batteries. The motor is rated by Honda at 13 hp, and some complicated calculations by the engineers (don't ask) lead Honda to rate the combined output of the CR-Z's powertrain at 122 hp at 6,000 rpm and 128 pound-feet of torque at 1,000-1,500 rpm (123 pound-feet when equipped with the optional CVT).

The CR-Z adds sport to the hybrid system with a three-mode drive system. Three backlit buttons on the dash give you the choice of Economy, Normal or Sport, and the inner ring of the tachometer is illuminated in green, blue or red to match. Each mode offers a different combination of throttle response, steering effort, idle-stop time and power from the hybrid system.

It's Alive!
Once you bring the engine to life, you'll recognize the uninspiring clatter. But when you select a gear from the six-speed manual, your frame of reference shifts along with the gears, as this tight, precise, short-throw linkage makes you think of the CR-X.

From the first, the CR-Z's chassis also feels infinitely better than you expect, far better damped than the Insight and with an incisive feel to the way it responds to the steering. The front struts have forged-aluminum lower control arms to reduce unsprung weight, while the compact, H-shape torsion beam in the rear (which helps make it possible to package the batteries unobtrusively) doesn't feel like a handicap.

And in the cut and thrust of driving — both in the city and on back roads — the 2011 Honda CR-Z feels sharp and punchy. Put that down to the extra push (in the way of torque) provided by the electric motor. In the Honda hybrid style, the electric motor is more than just a device to make it possible to stop and start the 1.5-liter engine at stoplights or propel the car silently across parking lots. Instead the motor delivers a maximum of 42 lb-ft of torque just as the 1.5-liter gas engine is getting into its stride. As a result, the CR-Z's powertrain has a sweet spot between 1,000 and 5,000 rpm on the tachometer, a smooth, seamless blend of power that gives the CR-Z a zest you don't expect.

On the highway, the CR-Z cruises easily at 80 mph, the sportified suspension giving a firm but not harsh ride. Up over the Naruto Skyline, the CR-Z uses its quick-ratio electric-assist steering, tight front suspension calibration and wide 195/55R16 Bridgestone Potenza RE050A tires on special lightweight wheels to turn into corners well and neatly stay on line. There's good consistency to the steering feel and the CR-Z seems entirely predictable and linear in the way it behaves.

We also tried the 2011 Honda CR-Z with its optional continuously variable transmission (CVT), and even with the slightly detuned engine (111 hp; 106 lb-ft of torque) required in this configuration, the car still accelerates briskly and smoothly.

Three Modes of Go
Gearheads, now look away.

This Fit-based 1.5 is no sports-car engine and starts to get loud at around 5,000 rpm. Keep the hammer down and all too soon you find the engine stuttering as it hits the ignition cutout at 6,500 rpm. Worked hard, the engine sounds flat and hard — not exciting at all. And when you're on the limit rather than just pushing along, the CR-Z gives in to soggy, plowing understeer, and the body rolls over in distress. And a few hot runs up and down the hills soon had the brakes smoking. Yikes.

There is, meantime, a big difference if you choose the Sport button over Economy. Throttle response is massively sharper in Sport (as it should be) and the Honda feels as if it's suddenly gained an extra 50 hp. But remember, on the hybrid side, there is no EV mode in Economy as such, and the CR-Z doesn't run in silent, zero-emissions mode like a Prius.

As far as fuel economy is concerned, American Honda tells us that we can expect the six-speed CR-Z to record 31 mpg city/37 mpg highway, while the CVT-equipped CR-Z will return 36 mpg city/38 mpg highway.

Is This a CR-X or Not?
So what to make of the 2011 Honda CR-Z? Honda says CR-Z stands for "Compact Renaissance Zero," a phrase meant to capture Honda's commitment to go back to the point of origin (zero) to take on the challenge of creating a new kind of compact car, one not bound by the values expressed by traditional coupes.

Down in Shikoku, the CR-Z proved that while it's not a machine to have the Nissan GT-R running for cover, it does have its own kind of sophisticated green-tinged driver appeal. Up to a pretty high level, it works, and that's pretty much all the CR-X offered us, however much we have romanticized the car in the past two decades.

At a price of between $25,000 and $27,600 in Tokyo, the Honda CR-Z is fairly expensive, but early orders have still been flooding in. Come late summer, will Honda's formula with the CR-Z click with Americans?

Source;
http://www.insideline.com/honda/cr-z/2011/2011-honda-cr-z-first-drive.html

Detroit 2010: Honda CR-Z

After a few weeks worth of leaked images and brochure fluff, Honda has finally pulled the covers off its next new production hybrid hatchback. The Japanese automaker claims the CR-Z will bring back the kind of driving joy that hasn't been felt since the CRX last left dealer lots in 1991, saying that owners will embrace this new mild hybrid with both their hearts and minds. We certainly hope they're right.

While we're really digging the looks of the CR-Z and the way it hearkens back to the classic CRX and even the original Insight hybrid, we've gotta admit that we're a tad bit disappointed with the specifications. With 122 horsepower on tap and just 128 lb-ft of torque from the 1.5-liter VTEC four-cylinder with Integrated Motor Assist, shouldn't we expect more than 36 miles per gallon in the city and 38 on the highway from the CR-Z?

Let's just hope that the car's driving dynamics live up to the lofty standards to which Honda is eluding – at least there's an optional six-speed manual transmission to go along with the expected CVT automatic. We'll know soon enough know how it goes down the road, as the 2011 CR-Z is slated to hit the ground running in the summer. In the meantime, check out our live images below and click past the break for the press release.

Source;

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/11/detroit-2010-honda-cr-z-promises-to-bring-driving-joy-to-the-hy/

Even more pic's of the 2011 Honda CRZ Brochure....

From what we know, Honda will toss the covers off the production version of the CR-Z hybrid coupe at the Detroit Show on Monday afternoon. And even though we've shown you brochure images of both the standard and MUGEN variants, as well as still video shots of the CR-X's spiritual successor, Carscoop reader S.Z. pointed us to a Japanese blog that just posted more than 30 scanned pictures of what is said to be the domestic market sales leaflet. Hit the jump to check out the complete set of photos.

Source;
http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2010/01/2010-honda-cr-z-sales-brochure-full.html

More Brochure pic's of the 2011 Honda CRZ Leaked

A couple of weeks back, the world got a look at some leaked Honda CR-Z brochure images. Today is more of the same, although these images are bigger and clearly. We also get some interior shots that were absent from the first brochure leak go-round. Not a bad looking place to spend some economical time.

To recap, the Honda CR-Z is the much-anticipated CRX spiritual successor from Honda. The leaked brochure states the power will be 112 horsepower from the gas engine, plus an additional 12 ponies from the electric assist motor. There will also be 107 pound-feet of torque from the 1.5-liter gas engine coupled to 57 electric lb-ft. of the stuff. You might be scoffing, but remember that the original CRX made around 60 hp and was much loved by enthusiasts.

Why? Weight. As in, the CRX didn't have any. In fact, when introduced in 1984, it weighed less than a Lotus Elise does today – about 1,800 pounds. Meaning it's freakishly light. Sadly, this new batch of images gives us no indication of the CR-Z's curb weight. Odds are the CR-Z will get a bit more beef when it comes here to the States.

And hey... let's not overlook the very good possibility of an Si or Type-R version at some point down the road.

Source;
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/22/even-more-honda-cr-z-leakage-this-time-with-interior-shots/

Upcoming Honda CR-Z will be hybrid only

I thought that the Honda CR-Z was going to be just a hybrid model and this confirms it.

The upcoming Honda CR-Z will be fitted with nothing other than a hybrid powertrain, emphasizing the company’s resolve for the CR-Z to remain a beacon of green technology. The CR-Z is a compact sports coupe reminiscent of the CR-X of the 1990s.

It is expected to be launched with a 1.5 i-VTEC petrol unit with 120bhp, mated to a 14bhp electric motor. Honda said that the CR-Z won’t be getting a sister model that will be equipped with a conventional combustion engine. This is a grand gesture from Honda since the CR-Z is intended to rival the Mini Cooper and VW Scirocco. Despite reports to the contrary, the CR-Z is meant to only be a hybrid. In fact the car is designed all around a hybrid powertrain. The car has a shortened Insight platform, with combined Jazz and Civic parts, and is fitted with a six-speed manual gearbox

2011 Honda CRZ: 21st-Century CRX

Honda's CRZ hybrid coupe remains on track as a 2011 model, on sale in late 2010. Honda wants sports-car enthusiasts to buy it not because it's green, but because it's fun. The carmaker considered doing a non-hybrid version of the CRZ, but it desperately wants to be seen as a hybrid supplier on par with Toyota and believes it needs a range of dedicated hybrid-only models to achieve that.


So the CRZ gets a lively 140-horse, 1.8-liter Civic-derived engine. The IMA system -- motor, battery, electronics -- will be like the Insight's, as will the platform, to save cost. A senior engineer says, "It must be fun to drive, must remind you of the original CRX." And a manual gearbox will be offered. "CVT is fine for the market, mostly. But we are Honda! We must have a manual!"

As a two-seater, the CRZ's smaller body mass versus the Insight should make up for the weight of the bigger engine, brakes, and tires. So a 2800-pound total, with lots of electric-assist torque and a revvy gasoline engine, should make it the real deal as a pocket performance coupe.
Honda has trimmed back its sports cars. President Takeo Fukui said the company has canceled the Acura NSX replacement, though engineers say it may simply be deferred. And the rear-drive Acura range has been canceled. Honda is out of Formula 1. So the CRZ must be to Honda in the 2010s what the CRX was to Honda in the 1980s.

The other leg of Honda's small-car hybrid tripod, the Fit hybrid, also is going ahead for a '10 release. To give the Insight a lower overall height than the Fit, for reduced aero drag at highway speeds, the fuel tank was moved from under the front seats in the Fit to under the rear seats in the Insight. Speeds in the EPA test aren't high enough to make aerodynamics a factor, so the Fit hybrid may match the Insight's fuel economy label, and offer more space and versatility, for less money. It will interesting to see how the marketing guys handle that one.


Source;
http://www.motortrend.com/features/auto_news/2009/112_0904_2011_honda_crz/index.html