Driving into the Future with Style and Sustainability – Meet the Honda CR-Z Hybrid

The CR-Z or Compact Renaissance Zero, made its debut as a concept at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show. It was meant to symbolize "a renaissance in the design of compact cars that begins anew from fundamentals," and it was meant to be "sporty, incredibly efficient, and inexpensive." The CR-Z replaced the outmoded Honda CR-X and was released into the Japanese market in early 2010, with sales in most other markets following by December of the same year. The Honda CR-Z is a compact car with a 4-seat capacity and three doors, featuring a LaneWatch, Touch Screen Audio System, and Keyless Entry. 

The Honda CR-Z is a compact car with a 4-seat capacity and three doors, featuring a LaneWatch, Touch Screen Audio System, and Keyless Entry.  The CR-Z is also an affordable hybrid with a sporty stance, priced below the Toyota Prius. Its 1496cc engine offers a sporty feel with a standard six-speed manual transmission, but loses its sporty feel when paired with the optional CVT. Its fuel efficiency ranks among the top ten most efficient cars. 

Engines

A  2016 Honda CR-Z is equipped with 1496cc LEA I4 engine and a 20 bhp electric motor power the 2016 Honda CR-Z. The electric motor is a component of the IMA (Integrated Motor Assist) protocol from Honda. Together, they generate 130 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 190 N-m of torque at 1,500 rpm. When the CVT is used instead of the manual, the torque decreases to 172 N-m, but the peak torque is still reached at 1,500 rpm. The CR-Z can go from 0 to 100 km/h in slightly over 8 seconds, and it can finish a quarter mile in 17.6 seconds.

The good news is that fuel economy is a bigger priority for most CR-Z buyers than performance. When outfitted with the six-speed, the 2016 model's fuel economy is rated at 13.17 km/l in the city and 16.15 km/l on the highway. The CVT units have respective ratings of 15 and 16.5 km/l. Although not particularly impressive, these figures are competitive for both the market as a whole and its class.

2016 Updates

The 2016 Honda CR-Z is a minor refresh of the 2015 model, featuring new bumpers and a gloss black paint patch on the exterior. Moving inside, it features an electronic parking brake, a closed storage bin, and an armrest, with keyless entry and a 178mm touch-screen audio system as standard features.

The 2015 model has undergone chassis updates, including a 20mm front stabilizer bar, a 10mm larger rear wheel track, and larger brake discs, while maintaining the MacPherson strut and H-shaped torsion beam suspension.

If you upgrade from the base model, there are a few extra bells and whistles to experiment with. LaneWatch is available on trim levels higher than EX. This Honda technician removes the blind spot on the passenger side by projecting an image onto the center screen using a side-mirror camera. Investing in the latest EX-L package will grant you heated leather seats adorned with contrast stitching.

Other Considerations

The primary issues with this CR-Z are similar to those with any other sports vehicle on the market: the fuel economy, in this case because of the outdated IMA system. The Earth Dreams hybrid system from Honda delivers significantly more powerful horsepower along with improved fuel economy. With Honda having already phased out the IMA-based Civic hybrid and Insight, the IMA systems seem destined for history as the CR-Z is the last model to use them. In spite of this, the CR-Z has a very respectable fuel economy for a coupe. 

Finally

For those looking for a sporty vehicle that still gets good gas mileage, the 2016 Honda CR-Z is still a very good choice. However, Honda is known for its legendary dependability. You can now check the Honda CR-Z stocklist best deal models.