Honda CR-Z review
Id like to introduce you to the Honda CR-Z. Its an interesting car this. Because its a hybrid and Honda says its
fun. Uh...
Fun and hybrid? That's an oxymoron. {BG Music and Car driving by} See historically hybrids have been exclusively engineered for efficiency, with little left
for pizzazz and amusement. Looking at CR-Z you can see efforts of Honda
trying. Its a small, racy looking two seater coupe
that hearkens back to the efficient and fun CR-X of yesteryear.
Theres a bit of oddness to it, like an
80s prediction of what cars would look like in the future. But what's under the hood might reflect our
vision of the future from today. See this is no powerful car. Its got a 1.5 Litre 4 cylinder engine.
To which is attached Hondas Integrated
Motor Assist electric motor. And together they produce a totally unimpressive
122 horsepower. But to make matters worse this particular
car is fitted with the Continuously Variable automatic transmission, perhaps the least
fun transmission in the world. CVTs dont have any gears which helps give
them lower fuel consumption, as is the case here.
Mileage may vary, but I got 5.4 Litres per
100 km. Pretty good, but for a car this small and
this slow I don't know if its enough to justify the excessive droning. And then theres the matter of price. It's not cheap.
It starts at just under 24-thousand, but this
particular model with the $800 automatic (which you should avoid) and Premium package costs
just over $27,000. And oh! Its only available in three colours: black,
white or red all over. So it seems the CR-Z is looking like an expensive,
not very frugal, boring, impractical hybrid. Well not quite because located just above
the Eco button is one labelled Sport.
Push it and the car changes to give you a
completely different experience. The ring around the 3D speedo turns red, the
steering gets heavier, the gas pedal sharper. And the CVT (which i dont recommend) gives
you more revs. It's a completely different car in sport mode.
It becomes so alive! You put it into a corner and the front digs
in and then the back goes right after it. Normally in a hybrid a battery pack is an
annoying compromise but in this it's located between the seats in the back. And it actually compliments the balance of
the car. Its...
It's fun. I really did think that the CR-Z was going
to be as entertaining as a dead dog named pepperoni. But given the right road, in the right mode
and with the right transmission (ie the manual) its more enthusiastic than an actual dog
happy to see it's owner. Itll run after a thrown ball with wagging
its tail the whole way there.
I really do like this car. Honda has really beaten the fun, hybrid oxymoron. And they did it by creating a car thats
more fun and less hybrid..
fun. Uh...
Fun and hybrid? That's an oxymoron. {BG Music and Car driving by} See historically hybrids have been exclusively engineered for efficiency, with little left
for pizzazz and amusement. Looking at CR-Z you can see efforts of Honda
trying. Its a small, racy looking two seater coupe
that hearkens back to the efficient and fun CR-X of yesteryear.
Theres a bit of oddness to it, like an
80s prediction of what cars would look like in the future. But what's under the hood might reflect our
vision of the future from today. See this is no powerful car. Its got a 1.5 Litre 4 cylinder engine.
To which is attached Hondas Integrated
Motor Assist electric motor. And together they produce a totally unimpressive
122 horsepower. But to make matters worse this particular
car is fitted with the Continuously Variable automatic transmission, perhaps the least
fun transmission in the world. CVTs dont have any gears which helps give
them lower fuel consumption, as is the case here.
Mileage may vary, but I got 5.4 Litres per
100 km. Pretty good, but for a car this small and
this slow I don't know if its enough to justify the excessive droning. And then theres the matter of price. It's not cheap.
It starts at just under 24-thousand, but this
particular model with the $800 automatic (which you should avoid) and Premium package costs
just over $27,000. And oh! Its only available in three colours: black,
white or red all over. So it seems the CR-Z is looking like an expensive,
not very frugal, boring, impractical hybrid. Well not quite because located just above
the Eco button is one labelled Sport.
Push it and the car changes to give you a
completely different experience. The ring around the 3D speedo turns red, the
steering gets heavier, the gas pedal sharper. And the CVT (which i dont recommend) gives
you more revs. It's a completely different car in sport mode.
It becomes so alive! You put it into a corner and the front digs
in and then the back goes right after it. Normally in a hybrid a battery pack is an
annoying compromise but in this it's located between the seats in the back. And it actually compliments the balance of
the car. Its...
It's fun. I really did think that the CR-Z was going
to be as entertaining as a dead dog named pepperoni. But given the right road, in the right mode
and with the right transmission (ie the manual) its more enthusiastic than an actual dog
happy to see it's owner. Itll run after a thrown ball with wagging
its tail the whole way there.
I really do like this car. Honda has really beaten the fun, hybrid oxymoron. And they did it by creating a car thats
more fun and less hybrid..
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