Honda CR-Z Review
Honda CR-Z Review
In fact the Honda CR-Z looks somewhat similar to the Honda Insight - a scaled down version maybe, but with a lot more pizzazz. The concept is that you can have your cake and eat it, with a good mix of sportiness and economy motoring. Or, as the company puts it, "You don't have to abandon your passions to satisfy your conscience." Furthermore, it s all wrapped up in an exciting bodyshell, that sets it apart from the other hybrids on the market.
The Honda CR-Z's striking shape and styling is the result of many hours at the drawing board and in the wind tunnel; as there is little point in producing an eco-car that has all the aerodynamics of a house brick. Particular attention was paid to the rear end with its deep, rounded bumper below a split rear windscreen that extends well into the roofline and doubles as a tailgate. This is similar to the Insight and the Toyota Prius and also represents a nod to the old Honda CRX of the 80's. The darkened glazing is even more noticeable on the white car and in black; it simply appears mean and moody.
The long roofline provides a frame for the upper section of the rear window, while the strong C-pillars kick up from the integrated wheelarches, to form a frame for the triangular lights clusters and mark the point where the lower, vertical glazing meets the top section. At the front of the roof is a large sunroof but it is prevented from sliding open by the integrated aerial, which is fixed to the narrow bar of bodywork that joins the two cant rails.
The Honda CR-Z's front end is dominated by a deep front grille, which also houses the number-plate. It starts at the base of the front bumper and is flanked either side by the black fog-light housings. The straight upper edge of the grille draws the eye to the string of eight, daytime running lights set into the base of the sweeping headlight clusters. These running lights or DTRLs are only featured in the European version and the Honda CR-Z sold in the United States is quite different.
Above, the broad bonnet rises smoothly up to the windscreen. It looks innocuous enough but again, a great deal of thought and work has gone into the design, in order to shoehorn the 1.5-litre petrol engine and the IMA system under the bonnet without spoiling the lines but leaving enough room for deformation, should an impact occur.
The interior of the Honda CR-Z concept car proved so popular when it went on show, that many of the elements such as the 3D displays, the neon backlit buttons and dials, have been carried over to the production car.
The fascia is completely driver-focused to the point that you won't find any symmetrically placed air vents. These have been positioned to fit in and around the various panels such as the satellite navigation touch-screen (where fitted) and the instrument nacelle - which at first glance looks complicated but isn't.
Either side of the cowled nacelle are two 'wings'. These are at hand height, so that it is easy to press the buttons without hands having to stray too far from the steering wheel. They also have the advantage of being easily visible, without having to peer around the wheel. On the left-hand side are the climate controls and the panel on the right houses the controls for the door mirrors, headlight washers and 3-Mode Drive System.
The 3D gauge and ambient lighting on the dials is more than decorative as they are affected by the three different driving modes, which I will come back to.
Unlike the US version, the European Honda CR-Z has a 2+2 seating arrangement and while Honda says that there is enough room in the rear of the cabin for a child seat, I have to disagree. Even with a shorter driver in the front, there is not really enough room for a baby carrier or a booster seat for a toddler. The sloping roof is a restriction and there is minimal legroom and so, during the test, the rear seats tended to be used a shelf.
That is not to say that storage is at a premium as there is 225-litres of boot space with a further 19-litres hidden away under the load platform. The rear seat-backs fold flat, which takes the capacity up to 401-litres, measured to the windowline and that is on a par many small hatchbacks.
The shortage of rear passenger room is not something that the Honda CR-Z driver will dwell on. Nicely ensconced in the hip-hugging, leather-clad, sports seats, all the attention is turned to the wrap-around dash and the instrument display, as well as the road.
The 3-Mode Driving System comprises Sport, Normal and Eco buttons. The different settings affect the throttle, power steering, idle stop timing and how much boost is borrowed from the Integrated Motor Assist. What I liked about it was that around town or when encountering a traffic problem, it is easy to drop from Normal to Eco at just the press of a button. The Eco setting leans more towards fuel economy in the use of the drive-by-wire throttle, the air conditioning and the power steering.
Alternatively if you find an enjoyable twisty piece of road, pressing Sport has an immediate effect; the throttle responses are sharpened and the IMA hybrid system offers more boost, while the weight of the power steering is increased for more feel. The changes are all but instantaneous and can be selected to suit both mood and driving conditions at just the press of a button.
There is always a reminder, though, as to how economically you are driving. The speedo' illumination changes from red to blue to green, depending on the driving mode and style, in much the same way as the Honda Insight. On top of this, there is a graphic in the Multi-Information Display (MID) in the form of a bar. It shows whether the Nickel Metal Hydride battery under the boot floor is being charged or boosting performance. The idea is to keep it in the middle and the speedometer colour in the green.
Also like the Honda Insight, which incidentally, isn't being replaced by the Honda CR-Z, there is a flower graphic display. Leaves grow on the stem the more economical the drive and, should the driver achieve a 'perfect score', a flower head will appear on the top of the stem.
In order to help, there is another graphic - a Shift Indicator Light (SIL) that prompts the driver to change up or down through the standard 6-speed manual 'box, at the optimum time. Honda tells us that if the SID instructions are adhered to, it can result in a ten per cent improvement in fuel consumption (and a flower). The Stop/Start function also serves to save fuel and make the air a little cleaner; especially around town.
Speaking of which, the Honda CR-Z's official fuel economy figures are 46.3mpg for the urban cycle, 64.2mpg for the extra urban and 56.5mpg for the combined. Emissions are 117g/km so the VED is low Band C and, as a hybrid, it is exempt from the London Congestion Charge.
Simply put, the IMA system regenerates energy from braking and deceleration that would otherwise be lost and uses it to boost the engine, under acceleration. The electric motor sits between the engine and the gear box, which helps to keep the centre of gravity low. On its own, it produces 14PS at 1500rpm and 78Nm of torque between 1000- and 1500rpm. The benefit is that the torque is available for quick getaways, from almost as soon as the start button is pushed.
The petrol engine is a 1.5 unit, with a power output of 114PS (at 6100rpm) and 145Nm at 4,800rpm. So, in combination with the IMA system, the total power and torque is calculated as 124PS and 174Nm, respectively.
The Honda CR-Z is definitely much sportier than the other mainstream hybrids. It has a top speed of 124mph and takes 10.1 seconds to complete the 0-62mph sprint.
Producing hybrid-powered cars is nothing new to Honda, and from the very start with the Honda Insight in 1999 the company has got it right. The Honda CR-Z follows in the footsteps of the superb Honda Civic IMA and Honda Insight and builds on their strengths.
In fact the Honda CR-Z looks somewhat similar to the Honda Insight - a scaled down version maybe, but with a lot more pizzazz. The concept is that you can have your cake and eat it, with a good mix of sportiness and economy motoring. Or, as the company puts it, "You don't have to abandon your passions to satisfy your conscience." Furthermore, it s all wrapped up in an exciting bodyshell, that sets it apart from the other hybrids on the market.
The Honda CR-Z's striking shape and styling is the result of many hours at the drawing board and in the wind tunnel; as there is little point in producing an eco-car that has all the aerodynamics of a house brick. Particular attention was paid to the rear end with its deep, rounded bumper below a split rear windscreen that extends well into the roofline and doubles as a tailgate. This is similar to the Insight and the Toyota Prius and also represents a nod to the old Honda CRX of the 80's. The darkened glazing is even more noticeable on the white car and in black; it simply appears mean and moody.
The long roofline provides a frame for the upper section of the rear window, while the strong C-pillars kick up from the integrated wheelarches, to form a frame for the triangular lights clusters and mark the point where the lower, vertical glazing meets the top section. At the front of the roof is a large sunroof but it is prevented from sliding open by the integrated aerial, which is fixed to the narrow bar of bodywork that joins the two cant rails.
The Honda CR-Z's front end is dominated by a deep front grille, which also houses the number-plate. It starts at the base of the front bumper and is flanked either side by the black fog-light housings. The straight upper edge of the grille draws the eye to the string of eight, daytime running lights set into the base of the sweeping headlight clusters. These running lights or DTRLs are only featured in the European version and the Honda CR-Z sold in the United States is quite different.
Above, the broad bonnet rises smoothly up to the windscreen. It looks innocuous enough but again, a great deal of thought and work has gone into the design, in order to shoehorn the 1.5-litre petrol engine and the IMA system under the bonnet without spoiling the lines but leaving enough room for deformation, should an impact occur.
The interior of the Honda CR-Z concept car proved so popular when it went on show, that many of the elements such as the 3D displays, the neon backlit buttons and dials, have been carried over to the production car.
The fascia is completely driver-focused to the point that you won't find any symmetrically placed air vents. These have been positioned to fit in and around the various panels such as the satellite navigation touch-screen (where fitted) and the instrument nacelle - which at first glance looks complicated but isn't.
Either side of the cowled nacelle are two 'wings'. These are at hand height, so that it is easy to press the buttons without hands having to stray too far from the steering wheel. They also have the advantage of being easily visible, without having to peer around the wheel. On the left-hand side are the climate controls and the panel on the right houses the controls for the door mirrors, headlight washers and 3-Mode Drive System.
The 3D gauge and ambient lighting on the dials is more than decorative as they are affected by the three different driving modes, which I will come back to.
Unlike the US version, the European Honda CR-Z has a 2+2 seating arrangement and while Honda says that there is enough room in the rear of the cabin for a child seat, I have to disagree. Even with a shorter driver in the front, there is not really enough room for a baby carrier or a booster seat for a toddler. The sloping roof is a restriction and there is minimal legroom and so, during the test, the rear seats tended to be used a shelf.
That is not to say that storage is at a premium as there is 225-litres of boot space with a further 19-litres hidden away under the load platform. The rear seat-backs fold flat, which takes the capacity up to 401-litres, measured to the windowline and that is on a par many small hatchbacks.
The shortage of rear passenger room is not something that the Honda CR-Z driver will dwell on. Nicely ensconced in the hip-hugging, leather-clad, sports seats, all the attention is turned to the wrap-around dash and the instrument display, as well as the road.
The 3-Mode Driving System comprises Sport, Normal and Eco buttons. The different settings affect the throttle, power steering, idle stop timing and how much boost is borrowed from the Integrated Motor Assist. What I liked about it was that around town or when encountering a traffic problem, it is easy to drop from Normal to Eco at just the press of a button. The Eco setting leans more towards fuel economy in the use of the drive-by-wire throttle, the air conditioning and the power steering.
Alternatively if you find an enjoyable twisty piece of road, pressing Sport has an immediate effect; the throttle responses are sharpened and the IMA hybrid system offers more boost, while the weight of the power steering is increased for more feel. The changes are all but instantaneous and can be selected to suit both mood and driving conditions at just the press of a button.
There is always a reminder, though, as to how economically you are driving. The speedo' illumination changes from red to blue to green, depending on the driving mode and style, in much the same way as the Honda Insight. On top of this, there is a graphic in the Multi-Information Display (MID) in the form of a bar. It shows whether the Nickel Metal Hydride battery under the boot floor is being charged or boosting performance. The idea is to keep it in the middle and the speedometer colour in the green.
Also like the Honda Insight, which incidentally, isn't being replaced by the Honda CR-Z, there is a flower graphic display. Leaves grow on the stem the more economical the drive and, should the driver achieve a 'perfect score', a flower head will appear on the top of the stem.
In order to help, there is another graphic - a Shift Indicator Light (SIL) that prompts the driver to change up or down through the standard 6-speed manual 'box, at the optimum time. Honda tells us that if the SID instructions are adhered to, it can result in a ten per cent improvement in fuel consumption (and a flower). The Stop/Start function also serves to save fuel and make the air a little cleaner; especially around town.
Speaking of which, the Honda CR-Z's official fuel economy figures are 46.3mpg for the urban cycle, 64.2mpg for the extra urban and 56.5mpg for the combined. Emissions are 117g/km so the VED is low Band C and, as a hybrid, it is exempt from the London Congestion Charge.
Simply put, the IMA system regenerates energy from braking and deceleration that would otherwise be lost and uses it to boost the engine, under acceleration. The electric motor sits between the engine and the gear box, which helps to keep the centre of gravity low. On its own, it produces 14PS at 1500rpm and 78Nm of torque between 1000- and 1500rpm. The benefit is that the torque is available for quick getaways, from almost as soon as the start button is pushed.
The petrol engine is a 1.5 unit, with a power output of 114PS (at 6100rpm) and 145Nm at 4,800rpm. So, in combination with the IMA system, the total power and torque is calculated as 124PS and 174Nm, respectively.
The Honda CR-Z is definitely much sportier than the other mainstream hybrids. It has a top speed of 124mph and takes 10.1 seconds to complete the 0-62mph sprint.
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