REVIEW COPYRIGHTED BY CTV
Brent Jamieson, CTV.ca News
Date: Wednesday Dec. 15, 2010 7:16 AM ET
This year Honda unveiled its brand new 2011 CR-Z Sport Hybrid – one of their most anticipated 2011 models, with the looks harking back to the CRX of old.
With its sloping nose and high rear end, this car is definitely a head turner, as proved on the drive back one night as I caught glimpse of Acura owner looking over his shoulder as he slowly passed me in rush hour traffic.
Available only in one trim level, the CR-Z has two unique tricks up its sleeve. It is the first Hybrid car to offer a 6-speed manual transmission, in comparison to Honda's current Hybrids (the Civic Hybrid and the Insight) which only come in an automatic CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission). It also has three different driving modes -- Econ, Normal and Sport. Each mode gives you a different driving experience. Starting at only 23,490, this is the cheapest Hybrid currently on the market.
Options: The CR-Z comes well equipped with 16" Alloy Wheels, 7-speaker audio system, HID (High Intensity Discharge) Headlights, fog lights, audio controls on the steering wheel, cruise control, Bluetooth handsfree connectivity, air conditioning, power doors, power mirrors and power locks. For an extra $800, you can equip the CR-Z with the CVT, which comes with steering wheel paddle shifters – so, even if you don't know how to drive a standard, you can at least have some fun.
Safety: The car comes with 6 airbags, 4-wheel ABS, Electronic Stability Control, Traction Control, Brake Assist, Hill Assist Start for the manual transmission and Creep-aid System for the CVT– both of which prevent the car from rolling backwards from starting on a hill.
Mileage: Advertised fuel economy of the CR-Z manual is 6.5L/100km for City and 5.3L/100km for highway and a combined fuel economy of 6L/100km.
The fuel economy of the CVT is 5.6L/100km for City, 5L/100km for Highway and a combined economy of 5.3L/100km. The model I had was equipped with the 6-speed manual transmission and I was able to get, with my daily commute of a combined winter rush hour traffic and city driving, 7.2L/100km. With its 40 litre tank, and 122HP Hybrid engine, this car can get you from A to D and be able to have lots of fun in between.
Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde
When starting the CR-Z, the first thing I picked up was the three buttons just left of the steering wheel marked Econ, Normal and Sport. Those were the clear identifiers of what mode you could put the car into. Every time you start the car, it starts in Normal mode, which I found a bit of annoyance, because if you pulled into your local grocery store in Sport Mode, you'd like to be able to leave in Sport Mode Instead, when you turn off the car, it automatically reverts back to Normal Mode, which is like having your radio programmed to your favourite radio station, and then every time you turn it back on, it sets itself to stations only your grandparents would listen to.
This was annoying, but not hard to change, especially when driving. While driving the car in Econ or Normal mode, I found its standing start and acceleration a little sluggish -- kind of like driving a minivan. But as soon as you hit that Sport mode button, the car transformed itself like a car from a 1980s cartoon into the sport coupe it is designed to be.
The handling, acceleration, and Hybrid system changes with each setting. In Econ mode, the car is as close you can come to a Hybrid. It relies heavily on the electric motor, and when you shift into neutral as you come up to a stop, the electric motor kicks in, shutting off the gas motor so that you are not wasting fuel as you wait your turn to go. The light around the RPM gauge changes from blue to green as you drive in an economical fashion, and you get a shift reminder.
In Normal mode, the acceleration is a little more responsive as the car isn't relying so much on the electric motor, and I found that I was driving in an economical fashion, even at 401 highway speeds, as the blue light changed to green with a slow and steady acceleration. The car will still switch to the electric motor at a standing stop, with the transmission in neutral, like the Econ mode – but it takes it a longer time for that system to activate, especially in the winter, and you still have the shift reminder.
But it's in Sport mode where you have the most fun. Putting the CR-Z in that mode, not only changed the acceleration, but also firmed up the steering, allowing the car to be more responsive to quick directional changes – making it easier to move around Christmas traffic. Not only that, but the car relies more on the gas motor than the electric motor, giving the batteries a chance to charge up with the hybrid system. Display wise, the blue light changes to red and stays red, and the shift reminder -- which you can glance at while driving in Econ and Normal mode -- is shut off, and it is now fully a driver's car.
On the exterior, the car is designed for absolute aerodynamics. From the front grill, to the back bumper, every curve and angle has been considered for not only looks but also performance. Driving straight into a head-wind, and with just a little bit of extra pressure on the gas, the car cut through it like a hot knife through butter without having to grip the wheel with a death-like grip.
But aerodynamics come at a price. With the unique design of the windshield, if you get a rock chip or crack, it could be costly to repair. And with the straight back end of the car, the designers installed a straight back window, to allow you to see clearly out behind you. Which is great, if it comes with a wiper. But because the tinted window at the back is so small, there is no wiper on it, and because it's a straight window, it gets covered in road spray, which makes it difficult to see out of in the winter.
Comfort wise, the CR-Z is planted on the road, and very surefooted, even in the worst conditions. The suspension is like driving a luxury sedan, as not even the harshest of bumps throws off the car. With standard fog lights and HID Headlights, this car is not blind on the road. Inside, the controls are easy to access and clearly marked. The two cup holders are not in the way of the shifter, making it possible to shift without having to reach around, or accidently hit, your coffee that you just picked up from your favourite drive thru -- making this a car that was designed for the manual transmission, before they installed the automatic.
The transmission is very easy to shift and there is no way that you could accidently put it into reverse, or the wrong gear.
With its small size, the designers put in many cubby areas, so that even though you don't have a back seat, you at least have a spot to place your laptop without having to go into the trunk. That being said, because the batteries are right behind the seats, they sacrifice extra leg room making it a tight squeeze for someone over 6 feet.
Cargo capacity, though, is pretty good. The hatch-like trunk allows you to load in a full-size travel bag width wise, plus others without having to fold down the divider between the seats and the trunk. With the divider area down, you gain enough space to load in two sets of golf clubs so that you and a buddy can go golfing. And without a passenger, you can carry something 6 feet in length with the passenger seat moved as far forward and folded as far forward as possible, without a problem. One of the things you need to watch out for when loading the trunk, is that the liftgate doesn't go as high as you think, so you might hit the back of your head on the latch mechanism.
Parking the CR-Z is easy. With its size and tight turning radius, you can park it with the same ease as a sub-compact. Because of its size, you're able to pull into a parking spot beside someone who doesn't know how to park, without having to worry about them hitting you car, or the back end sticking out beyond the end of the yellow lines. And if your work or mall has Hybrid Parking, you aren't wasting your time trying to find the best parking spot and ending up in a "valley of death" overflow lot.
Overall, this car definitely looks to the past for its design and to the future for its technology.
2011 Honda CR-Z Sport Hybrid
- Type: Two door Sport Hybrid Coupe
- Price Range: 23,490 – 27,857
- Engine: 1.5 Litre, four cylinder with 10 kilowatt Integrated Motor Assist (IMA)
- Horsepower: 122 HP
- Transmission: 6 Speed Manual / CVT
- Drive: Front wheel
- Competitors: None at the moment
[CTV.ca, full link can be found @ http://autos.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Autos/20101214/honda-cr-z-sport-hybrid-101215/?s_name=Autos]