The edgy looking 2011 Honda CR-Z is a surprisingly fun-driving and peppy hybrid that just may carve out a unique and potentially very popular new car segment. You see, it's a hybrid with "attitude" in a class dominated by vehicles with fairly "ho-hum" performance abilities.
With its sporty looks, nimble handling and excellent gas mileage, the new Honda CR-Z is a bit reminiscent of the very popular Honda CRX of the 1980's and has a lot going for it among car buyers who value uniqueness and fuel efficiency, while not entirely sacrificing decent handling capabilities.
What Honda has done here is to integrate an electric motor to assist the gas engine, but the CR-Z, unlike other hybrids, cannot run on electric power alone. Instead, the electic motor adds some additional torque and increases the car's gas mileage. No, it is not intended to compete head-on with the Prius in terms of fuel economy, but with EPA ratings in the mid to high 30's, it's a fun little car ranked in the top five overall in gas mileage performance.
However, with its two-door, two-seat body style, the new CR-Z obviously isn't for everybody. While its actual cargo capacity is quite useful, moving passengers is another story.
Powering the CR-Z is Honda's Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) mild-hybrid system. It employs a slightly larger 1.5-liter gasoline engine (as compared with the Honda Insight's 1.3-liter) that generates 112 horsepower and 107 pound-feet of torque. It then borrows the electric motor from the Insight which produces another 13 horsepower and 58 lb-ft. And this setup is then paired with either a 6-speed manual transmission or a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The result is a small vehicle with respectable power and outstanding fuel efficiency.
We always like to recommend that car shoppers do some comparison shopping. In this case, however, the CR-Z just doesn't have any direct competitors. That said, consumers interested in the new CR-Z may also want to take a look at vehicles with similar characteristics. Other worthy vehicles that offer a degree of feistiness, unique looks and solid fuel efficiency include the Mini Cooper, the all new Ford Fiesta and the Scion tC.
Update: Weak Economy Leads To Lower CR-Z Prices:
Honda's sales have been on the weak side historically for close to the past two years now, right along with the other car brands and evidence of a continuing slow economy.
However, dealers have recently made some progress in offsetting at least some of the market weakness through strong incentives and easier-to-get discounts. The bottom line? The current combination of a soft market along with intense dealer competition has created the perfect opportunity for nailing down some great deals.
Car dealers will "wheel and deal" bigtime right now if you know how to push their buttons.
How To Push The Right Dealer Buttons To Buy A New CR-Z At The Best Price: Before listing MSRP and invoice prices for the 2011 Honda CR-Z (below article), here's the best way to get the lowest price, especially given the current slow car market.
Trims, Standard Features And Options:
The 2011 Honda CR-Z is available in three trims: base, EX and EX with navigation.
Standard features on the already generously-equipped base model include full power accessories, 16-inch alloy wheels, automatic climate control, cruise control, hill-start assist on manual transmission models, steering-wheel audio controls, manual seats with driver-side height adjustment, automatic headlights, a tilt/telescoping steering wheel and a 6-speaker sound system with a CD player and USB/auxiliary audio jacks.
The CR-Z EX then adds Bluetooth, heated side mirrors, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, forglights, xenon headlights, metallic interior trim accents and a 7-speaker premium sound system. An optional voice-activated navigation system is also available for the EX.
There are also a number of available dealer-installed features, including satellite radio, 17-inch wheels and performance tires.
Engines, Powertrain And Gas Mileage:
The power team for the 2011 Honda CR-Z consists of a 1.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine, an electric motor and a nickel-metal hydride battery pack. As a result of different power peaks, the total combined output is 122 horsepower and 128 lb-ft of torque.
The standard transmission is a 6-speed manual while a CVT with paddle shifters is an available option (the torque decreases slightly with the CVT to 123 lb-ft). All CR-Zs come equipped with a three-mode drive selector with Sport, Normal and Econ settings. This system adjusts the performance for transmission programming (with the CVT), additional IMA assist (with the manual transmission), steering assist, throttle sensitivity and air-conditioning use.
The EPA-estimated gas mileage numbers stand at a very impressive 31 mpg city and 37 mpg on the highway (34 mpg combined) with the manual. The numbers get even better with the CVT, coming in at 35 mpg city and 39 mpg highway (37 mpg combined).
Safety:
Standard safety featues on all CR-Z's include traction control, stability control, antilock brakes (ABS), front seat side airbags, side curtain airbags and active head restraints.
Government crash tests had not yet been completed at the time of this writing.
Interior:
The immediately most noticeable attribute of the new Honda CR-Z is its two seat body style, although some CR-Zs sold outside the United States come with a small backseat. Instead, it's outfitted with a fairly convenient flip-down rear package shelf. Overall, the front seats are both comfortable and supportive.
The rear cargo divider can be lowered to create a flat load floor for increased storage and usefulness. Despite the CR-Z's small dimensions, maximum cargo space comes in at a healthy 25.1 cubic feet. With the divider lowered, the CR-Z can actually accommodate two golf bags fairly easily. The rear area also features a multiposition cargo shade.
While the overall look and feel of the CR-Z's cabin is attractive and well-designed, its top aspect is its futuristic dash. There's a three-dimensional look created by the way the multicolor gauges are positioned. They display a green background when the vehicle is being driven efficiently or a blue background when the efficiency can be improved. In addition, the display turns red when driving in the Sport mode. There's also a configurable display to show other fuel-efficiency gauging tools.
Drive:
While the 2011 CR-Z hasn't been engineered to perform like a sports car, it's been tuned for a smooth and comfortable ride while still providing handling nimbleness and fairly responsive steering not usually expected in a hybrid. Power is also adequate and the added torque from the electric motor gives it more acceleration than most rivals.
It's overall performance will differ depending on the selected driving mode. The Sport setting allows for a particularly impressive free-revving performance, while the Econ setting results in a slow, unathletic drive that maximizes fuel economy. Most will usually be satisfied with the Normal setting, which is somewhere in between.
Both transmissions are good ones. The 6-speed manual shifts easily, while the CVT is well-timed and maintains the car's sporty flavor via its paddle shifters.
Prices:
2011 Honda CR-Z:
Base, manual: list price: $19,200, invoice price: $18,124
Base, CVT: list price: $19,850, invoice price: $18,735
EX, manual: list price: $20,760, invoice price: $19,590
EX, CVT: list price: $21,410, invoice price: $20,201
EX w/Nav, manual: list price: $22,560, invoice price: $21,282
EX w/Nav, CVT: list price: $23,210, invoice price: $21,894
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