My tester was the CR-Z EX with Navigation with automatic transmission. This allows you to determine how you want to drive, specifically by shifting between three different drive systems (Sport, Normal, Economic) with the push of a button. And this is where Honda has a real winner.
Sport mode gives the car some extra punch and acceleration. You won’t mistake it for the sportiness of the CRX, but it’s certainly better than the Normal and Economic modes, both of which are more pedestrian, and thus more fuel efficient. While in Economic mode, it more resembles an Insight, including powering down when stopped, like at traffic lights. The brief time it takes to power back up is tough to adjust to, but is certainly better for the environment.
CRX enthusiasts who are eyeing the CR-Z will want to know that the CR-Z is 16 inches longer than CRX and significantly heavier, tipping the scales at nearly 2,700 pounds. So it’s much bulkier than the svelte CRX.
The 1.5-liter, four-cylinder engine is the same engine used in the Fit, but mated to Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist hybrid system (used in the Insight). Even in economic mode, the acceleration doesn’t feel like a hybrid.
The interior is where some buyers may feel the CRZ is lacking. Except for an ultra-cool, space-age instrument panel (that changes colors based upon which mode you’re driving in), the interior is unimpressive and sparse; there is no center console and, obviously, no back seat and amenities are sparse. The boggling thing about the interior engineering to me is there is room for a backseat and a center console. The rear had “buckets” for storage, where seats easily could have been inserted. Granted, the back seat would’ve been small, but it seemed curious to not use that space in a more appealing way.
Additionally, with the stubby rear end (which adds to the sporty look of the CR-Z), the blind spots are tough to overcome.
The CR-Z clings to its sportiness so much, that while it’s technically a hybrid, it only averages about 32 MPG, which is a little disappointing for a “green” car. I did go back and forth between Economy and Sport mode, so my guess would be that it would average closer to 37 MPG if driven totally in Economy mode, but what fun would that be?
Base models of CR-Z start just under $20,000, with the manual transmission version (CVT) being the most popular. The CR-Z EX that I drove sold for $23,960, with estimated annual fuel cost of just more than $1,000.
In short, Honda should be applauded for trying something different with the CR-Z, appeasing those who loved the sportier CRX, but catering to the practical part of the Insight. What’s left is a sporty car with hybrid tendencies.
Jimmy Dinsmore is the Wheels editor at the Dayton Daily News and may be reached at (937) 225-2115.
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