Wednesday, August 11, 2010

2011 Honda CR-Z Review Part One


2011 HONDA CR-Z




The new CR-Z is likely to be one of the hottest vehicles for 2010. This is the first mass-produced sport hybrid coupe in North America and likely won't be the last. For those that are curious....the letters "CR-Z" stand for "Compact Renaissance Zero." A unique name for a unique vehicle.



The CR-Z features a 1.5-liter, 16 valve SOHC i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine with Integrated Motor Assist. The motor produces peak combined 122 hp with 123 ft-lbs of torque with the 6 speed manual transmission or 123 ft-lbs of torque with the CVT automatic.

Don't let the numbers fool you. This vehicle is fun to drive. The automatic transmission is a CVT, but also has paddle shifters that give you 7 speeds to choose from. The manual is a 6-speed and has a short and precise feel much like the Civic Si and S2000.




The motor delivers EPA-estimated fuel economy of 31/37/34 city/highway/combined mpg with the manual transmission or 35/39/37 city/highway/combined with the CVT automatic.

Keep in mind that driving in Economy mode and driving conservative will yield better mileage.





The CR-Z has a 3-mode driving system the lets you match the car to your driving needs. You can switch modes while driving and you will notice a difference in the throttle & steering response on each.

The system is on the automatic and manual transmission.






All CR-Zs will come equipped with a USB Audio Interface.

Honda does not put branded radios in their vehicles, but for those who may be curious about who manufactures our radios I did learn this at the event. Clarion builds our systems that do not have Navi and our Navi equipped radios are produced by Alpine. Two of the top names!

More pictures and videos soon!