Here's an interesting little number: A car Honda tells us is sporty, yet delivers econocar fuel economy; a car that looks like the escape pod of the U.S.S. Enterprise, with room for only two passengers.
Applaud the 2012 Honda CR-Z for being different from anything else on the road -- quite different, in fact.
A sporty car with 122 hp? Really?
Really. The 2012 Honda CR-Z is equipped with a 1.5L inline-4 that, combined with an electric motor as part of Honda's IMA hybrid powerpack, develops 122 hp and 123 lb-ft when connected to the CVT automatic gearbox.
With the latter, you also get wheel-mounted paddle shifters that actually work quite well, although you aren't going to feel like a racecar driver with the modest power output. Zero to 100 km/h takes 9.2 seconds; not painfully slow, but not thrilling.
Punching the Sport mode button helps: it provides quicker throttle response and a more eager reaction from the CVT to get some extra speed on board.
Choosing the ECO mode in the 2012 Honda CR-Z obviously bogs the system down in favour of maximum fuel economy. Around town, the electric motor's assistance and a start/stop system help keep fuel economy high. Official ratings are 5.6/5.0 L/100km city/highway.
On a round trip from Montreal to Toronto, we averaged 6.1L/10km. While the result isn't bad at all, we were expecting better.
The 2012 Honda CR-Z is a decent handler, but is by no means a sports car. Its electrically assisted steering is nicely weighted and communicative, and you can squeeze a little fun out of the car despite its modest torsion beam rear suspension, but this ain't no
MINI Cooper competitor.
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| The 2012 Honda CR-Z is equipped with a 1.5L gas engine and an electric motor, good for a combined output of 122 hp. (Photo: Philippe Champoux) |
Space-age dashboard
Honda's recent interior styling efforts left us wanting more, such as in the Civic. In the 2012 CR-Z, on the other hand, the design is still very peculiar, but seems to work well in this car. The dash is riddled with circles and squares, with blue backlighting that offers up a cold, alien-like appearance. Even the shift lever looks like something you'd see dipped in formaldehyde several floors under Area 51.
The seats are dressed in a sporty, yet durable, silver-coloured cloth, although an available Premium Package substitutes them for heated leather upholstery (as well as a navigation system). While comfortable for the normal commute, they lack the support needed for 500-km road trips.
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| The dash is riddled with circles and squares, with blue backlighting that offers up a cold, alien-like appearance. (Photo: Philippe Champoux) |
Room for two
In other markets, the CR-Z has a back seat. But in a peculiar move, Honda decided the car would be a two-passenger coupe in Canada and the US, with plenty of room behind the front seats for a big purse. The rear section even looks like a seat was taken out purposefully. Whether they did this in an effort to recapturie the sprit of the loveable and long-gone CRX, or they figured no North American carcass would actually fit back there without a giant shoehorn, they should've left it in.
Fold down the rear panel in the 2012 Honda CR-Z (what used to be the rear seatback), and you get up to 711 litres of cargo space. The liftover height is low, thanks to a hatch that extends all the way to the bumper. On the other hand, the two-section glass portion of the hatch cuts down rear visibility and the rear wiper is just about useless. This hunchback design can also be found on other Honda products such as the
Insight and the
Crosstour.
The standard feature list of the 2012 Honda CR-Z includes HID headlights, 16” alloys, climate control, a trip computer, Bluetooth connectivity, a telescopic steering column, keyless entry and a great sounding seven-speaker sound system with a USB port.
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| Fold down the rear panel in the 2012 Honda CR-Z (what used to be the rear seatback), and you get up to 711 litres of cargo space. (Photo: Philippe Champoux) |
Reasonably priced
At $22,590, the CR-Z isn't a bargain-basement, blue-light special, but is well equipped for the money, and let's not forget that it includes a costlier hybrid powertrain. By adding the CVT to replace the standard 6-speed manual, the MSRP climbs to $23,390.
Direct competitors are hard to determine. You could consider a MINI Cooper hatchback or a Scion tC, but really, the 2012 Honda CR-Z is in a world of its own. Oh wait, there's also the
Hyundai Veloster, which costs less, has a back seat and handles better, but it has a less refined ride than the Honda.
Fuel efficient, stylish and well equipped, the Honda CR-Z is an interesting proposition. I'd prefer if it had a back seat, even though it would be cramped, because you never know when it might come in handy.
On the other hand, the 2013 model should be more powerful (read: sportier) and just as good on gas. If you set your sights on a CR-Z, you might want to wait for next year's model.
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