The car is part of a UK-based ten-strong fleet made up purely of Honda hybrids, also including Jazz and Insight models, which has racked up an amazing half a million miles since 2010.

The fleet is owned and run by Renewable Solutions UK, designers and installers of Renewable Energy Systems for business and domestic customers.

With the cars used on a daily basis in its work up and down the country, Mike Lowes, Managing Director of Renewable Solutions UK commented: “Honda hybrids are a perfect fit for our business, with the efficiency of battery power and the many environmental and financial benefits this brings. The fleet is worked very hard, every day, for both short and long journeys, but we’ve only ever had to pay for standard servicing and wear and tear costs, and no major breakdowns. They just keep going without skipping a beat!”

The fleet has been built up over the last three years with all of the cars bought from Greenacre Honda in Blackburn.

“We have complete free rein in what we buy and where we buy it from, so the fact that we stick with Honda is testament to the trust we have in the brand,” continued Mike Lowes. “Honda hybrids are a reliable, no-compromise solution to our needs, and Greenacre have offered us great customer service and value for money.”

Renewable Solutions UK offers a complete range of Sustainable Energy Systems to domestic, commercial and agricultural clients. The company installs Wind Turbines, Solar Panels, Biomass boilers and Heat pumps. Working across the country and internationally, it offers a range of tariffs, grants and funding solutions to clients.

Honda UK offers a range of three gasoline-electric hybrids, which currently includes the CR-Z, Insight and Jazz models.

The CR-Z is the world’s first sporty hybrid coupe, delivering a combined 56.5 mpg with CO2 emissions of just 116 g/km. It features three driving modes and a six speed manual gearbox.

The post Honda CR-Z Hits 100,000 Miles Without Skipping A Beat appeared first on HybridCars.com.

Can a hybrid car also be a sporty car? The answer: It depends on what your expectations are when it comes to hybrid fuel efficiency, and how you define sporty as applied to cars.

Enter Honda’s two-seat 2012 CR-Z which carries over unchanged since being introduced last year. Styled with cues including those of Honda’s sporting CR-X of the ‘80s and ‘90s, the CR-Z strives to be both sporty and a hybrid. The result is a middling achievement of each. On the hybrid side, others trump Honda’s semi-electric approach to hybrid technology when it comes to fuel economy, and the CR-Z with an automatic transmission falls in line with 35 mpg city/39 mpg highway and 37 mpg combined. While those numbers are good enough to place the CR-Z seventh on the EPA’s 2012 Hybrid Fuel Economy list, they are a long way from the Toyota Prius’s leading numbers of 51 city and 48 highway. Plus, when equipped with a six-speed manual transmission – manual shifting helps define sporty – the CR-Z drops two notches with a rating of 31/37/34.

And speaking of sporty, notice there’s the letter “y” after sport; we’re not talking sports car here.

If a car’s styling is part of the definition of sporty, then the CR-Z certainly gets high marks. If fast is included in the equation, then a 0 to 60 mph time of 8.5 seconds falls a little short. Perhaps handling is a more important ingredient for a sporty car than speed, and this is where the CR-Z becomes entertaining and the fun factor of driving is evident.

Powertrain

The CR-Z employs the sixth-generation parallel hybrid system that Honda calls Integrated Motor Assist (IMA). It’s a descriptive moniker in that a thin, pancake-type electric motor/generator is “integrated” between the engine and transmission and only “assists” the gasoline engine. In certain instances, the CR-Z engine does cut off fuel and the car operates briefly on electric power only, but the engine’s parts still move. Like other hybrid vehicles, the CR-Z shuts off the engine when the car comes to a stop, and then fires up again when it’s time to go.

The primary power source is a 1.5-liter, four cylinder, 16-valve engine that features Honda’s i-VTEC, a computer controlled variable valve timing and lift system that improves fuel economy and reduces exhaust emissions. The four has a peak output of 113 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 107 pounds-feet of torque at 4,800 rpm.

The 10-kilowatt electric motor adds a maximum peak output of 13 horsepower at 1,500 rpm and 58 pound-feet of torque at 1000 rpm. Combined output of the gas engine and electric motor is 122 horsepower and 128 pound-feet of torque. And no, the combined horsepower rating of 122 and combined torque number of 128 are not typos. Honda states that peak output for the CR-Z’s gas engine and electric motor occur at significantly different rpm ranges. Therefore, combined power ratings represent peak power delivery in real-world operating conditions and take into account the unique rpm when each peak occurs.

Two transmissions are available, a standard six-speed manual – the only hybrid with three pedals – and a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Drivers who want a manual experience with the CVT can have it, courtesy of shift paddles on the steering wheel. There are seven fixed speed ratios that mimic a manual shifter, and up or down shifts are executed quite quickly. Of note, like a manual transmission, the CVT will stay in the selected gear, a nice sporty touch.

Completing the IMA system is a 100.8-volt nickel-metal hydride battery pack and all of the controls to operate the system. Located beneath the cargo area, the battery pack stores electricity generated during regenerative braking and sends power to the electric motor when it assists the engine.

There are three driver-selected operation modes for the powertrain: Sport, Normal and Econ. The Econ mode is the most fuel efficient. It limits the engine’s power and torque while relying more on battery power, and tones down air conditioning effort resulting in laggard forward progress. Selecting the Sport system quickens throttle input response, adds more electric power and tightens up steering effort. On start up, Normal is the default setting and the car operates, well, normally.

Exterior and Interior

The CR-Z’s styling blends design elements from the aforementioned 1984-1991 CR-X and the current Honda Insight with the 2009 CR-Z Concept. When you look at the CR-Z, you have a strong inkling that the designers had a clear vision of what they wanted out of the starting gate: a help-save-the-planet sporty coupe that has no equals in appearance.

The distinctive wedge shape originates from a low-slung hood to form an aggressive forward stance. An aerodynamic, raked roofline and sharply abrupt rear are reminiscent of the CR-X, but brought up-to-date with modern flowing lines. The truncated rear, called Kammback, is a design shape that reduces air resistance. The tail’s low drag helps improve fuel consumption.

The hatchback shape produces noteworthy interior space for a two-seat coupe. There’s adequate leg and headroom, even for taller occupants, and the driver and passenger are seated in firm, comfortable cloth sports seats. There’s 25.1 cubic feet of space behind the seats – more than twice the volume of an everyday compact car’s trunk, and more than a Lincoln Town Car. Small bins behind the seats can hide items like a cell phone, and a cargo cover keeps larger objects out of sight.

Low slung in stance, a low driving position may not be for everyone. But well-placed pedals and shift lever complement the seat’s positioning. As with other hatchback hybrid vehicles – Toyota Prius, Chevrolet Volt and Honda Insight – rear-ward view is compromised by large support pillars and the horizontal bar that separates the glass in the rear hatch.

The dash layout and styling are a near copy of the CR-Z Concept vehicle. The gauge cluster has a three-dimensional, electroluminescent central analog tachometer with a digital speed display in the center. When the driving modes are selected, the ring around the digital speedometer changes color: green for Econ, blue for Normal and red for Sport. For fuel-economy minded drivers, a display rewards good behavior with a growing number of green leaves.

All controls are easy-to-reach, and the switchgear feels substantial and operates with a smooth deliberateness. Interior fit and finish is quite good, while the quality of the materials is not too cheap looking, they are not luxurious either.

Model Lineup

The CR-Z is available in three offerings: Base, EX and EX with Navigation. Unlike other automakers, Honda doesn’t offer a long list of options; each model in the lineup has a set suite of features. Priced starting at $19,545, the base CR-Z is moderately equipped with: keyless entry; power windows, doors and outside mirrors; cruise control; tilt/telescopic steering column – often over looked in small cars; and a six-speaker, 160-watt audio system.

With a sticker price of $21,105, the EX, adds: a leather wrapped steering wheel; polished interior accents; a 360-watt audio system with a subwoofer; and Bluetooth technology. The $22,905 EX with Navigation adds Honda’s navigation system with voice recognition and illuminated steering wheel-mounted navigation controls. Both audio systems are PC-savvy, accepting formats like MP3, WMA and iPod.

Honda apparently feels new buyers place little value on the luxuries Boomers desire: the coupe is not available with leather seats, let alone, heated seats or even a sunroof. Buyers can, however, order a 17-inch tire and alloy wheel package in place of the standard 16-inch set up.

For safety, all CR-Z models are equipped with anti-lock disc brakes with brake-force distribution, electronic stability control and a full complement of airbags, including curtain-style bags.

Editor’s Note: This road test of a 2012 CR-Z was previously a stand-alone review we’ve merged into the general review.

Last year, HybridCars.com staffers drove a CVT-equipped Honda CR-Z on a 125-mile loop to see how the sporty hybrid coupe fared. The drive consisted of a broad sampling of road conditions: highways, town streets, and sweeping country roads. At the end of the run the coupe tallied 35.3 miles per gallon – three tenths more mpg than the EPA city rating of 35 mpg in the city, and nearly 4 mpg shy of the 39 highway rating. The conclusion: maybe a little too raucous during in-town driving, but overall what most drivers will experience.

A few weeks later, I checked out a manual shift CR-Z EX with navigation for a week. Logging 379 miles during the seven days, fuel mileage was recorded in three segments: 73 miles of normal running errands and shopping in town; 132 mile drive from Olympia, Wash. to Seattle during morning and late afternoon brake lights and gridlocks; and 174 miles of hey, let’s flog this thing and see just how sporty it is, and oh yeah, how much gas did the little four-banger guzzle.

No one has ever accused me of having a light foot on the go pedal, although I have changed my driving habits the past several years. I just didn’t know how much until I looked at the mpg numbers of the CR-Z that said, “Oh no, you’re becoming a greenie!”

Great MPG, With Some Work

During my drives about town the colored ring around the speedometer was primarily green, but I didn’t need it as a reminder that mode selection was Econ. The word sluggish best defines the forward motion of the CR-Z in this setting, and following the shift-up and shift-down indicator arrows was foreign even to my changed driving habits. Really Honda? Up shift from 1st to 2nd at 15 mph, and from 2nd to 3rd at 18 mph? But, it works; fuel economy averaged 43.3 mpg – 12.3 more than the government’s 31 mpg. Makes one wonder how those EPA folks come up with their numbers. Oh please, don’t tell me I have succumbed to hypermiling.

I saw a lot of truck bumpers on the Interstate drive to Seattle and back. The Econ mode seemed to be the logical choice during the seemingly endless stop, go, stop commuter traffic movement. Unlike the CVT-equipped Zs that automatically shut the engine off when the car is stopped, manual shifters require the transmission be in neutral. Holding the clutch in with the right foot on the brake pedal does not turn off the engine. So, constantly shifting to neutral and then shoving back into gear to restart is a chore. But again, the system works, and with maybe 50 miles out of the 132 total in the Normal mode, the little hatch scored 39.2 mpg. Hmmm, that’s the highway rating given to the more fuel efficient CVT equipped CR-Z. Did the Feds get things backwards?

After five hours that covered 174 miles of driving primarily in Sport mode, the coupe registered 32.7 mpg. That’s a number even a Prius would be envious of with the tachometer close to red line for many of those miles.

Sporty, As In Handling, Not Horsepower

The CR-Z is built on the same platform as the Insight hybrid, but engineers didn’t just copy, cut and paste. The structure is more rigid, the wheelbase is clipped 4.5 inches, overall length is shortened by some 8 inches and the car is considerably wider and lower. Add the suspension from the Insight – McPherson struts and a rear torsion-beam setup – and you have Honda’s formula for a sporty coupe.

Around town the CR-Z has a smooth, fairly well-damped ride and it’s easy-to-drive, easy-to-park and with wide doors, easy-to-get in and out of. I found the highway ride to be firm, controlled and pleasant, not harsh. Bumps and those pesky expansion joints had a negligible impact.

Like all Honda four cylinder VTEC engines, this one brings on power in a linear, effortless manner. Its response to throttle input is prompt, almost brisk, except in the Econ mode, and if it lacks urgency it makes up for it in pluck and willingness. And when pressed – to merge with freeway traffic, for example – it does get noisy. There is a surprise, however, just left of the steering wheel. Select the piano key-like button marked Sport and there’s right-now throttle response. It’s like the Honda suddenly found an additional 50 horsepower.

However, the CR-Z’s sporty personality isn’t derived from horsepower, it’s all about the handling. The attention to vehicle dynamics is surprising. The coupe’s precise and nicely weighted electric rack-and-pinion steering tracks true with good feedback, making abrupt lane changes and sudden, tight curves a delight.

Should you drive slightly over your capabilities, the stability control system and anti-lock brakes respond in quick fashion. Under brisk cornering there is an expected amount of understeer and a moderate dose of body roll. But the Z never felt like the average driver might fight for control.

Unlike some hybrids, the brakes have good pedal feel and are not grabby. The manual transmission offers relatively short throws with clean gates and a comfortable, easily engaged clutch action. Gear ratios are well selected to give the car a suitable launch, first through third gears.

Hybrid puritans will scoff at the CR-Z’s fuel efficiency and driving enthusiasts will pooh-pooh its performance. But kudos to Honda for developing a car that is fun-to-drive and fuel-efficient.

The Car For You?

Hybrid puritans will scoff at the CR-Z’s fuel efficiency and driving enthusiasts will pooh-pooh its performance. But kudos to Honda for developing a car that is fun-to-drive and fuel efficient. The Detroit News’s reviewer put it this way: “There will be some people who just fall in love with the CR-Z. They will look past the things so many see as detriments. They will be those willing to admit they don’t need everything in a single vehicle and use the CR-Z as a tool for getting around in style. They know that not everyone needs a back seat for imaginary friends who will never ride in their car.”

There are other choices for a sporty car that not only offer decent fuel economy, but also have room for two or three actual friends. Ford’s nifty Fiesta SE hatchback with manual transmission and optional SYNC and Sound package lists for $16,265 and serves up 29 mpg city and 38 mpg highway. For $24,235, Volkswagen’s Golf TDI offers German engineered handling while the torquey diesel engine delivers 30 mpg in town and 42 on the highway. Perhaps the closest fun-to-drive two-door competitor is the Mini Cooper. The modest-powered base model starts at $19,500, dispenses 29 city/37 highway fuel mileage and carves canyon roads like nothing in this price range.

The CR-Z isn’t the only hybrid car that has sporty performance characteristics. Lexus began selling its CT 200h last year that has a combined city-highway fuel mileage of 42 mpg. But it’s starting price of $29,120 puts it out of reach for a large number of buyers. The Z’s starting price of $19,345 makes it an every-man’s green car, and for now it’s the only sporty game in town.

Prices are Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) at time of publication and do not include destination charges, taxes or licensing.

This article was updated on Feb. 23, 2012. The first comments below are from original publication prior to the vehicle’s release.

The post 2012 Honda CR-Z Hybrid appeared first on HybridCars.com.

But they’re looking at the wrong cues for an understanding of the car, and therefore miss the charms and benefits of the Honda CR-Z—which we rediscovered after another few days of driving the six-speed manual version last week. You need to look at the price tag, and at its three driving modes.

First, the price tag. The base MSRP is $19,345—by many standards an entry car for a young person wanting a mix of fun, technology and efficiency. Sure, you could buy more horsepower for the dollar. The CR-Z only serves up 122 ponies. But it’s the total package: its low-slung position, tight handling, sharp dashboard graphics, and hybrid system mated to a stick shift that makes it a kick to drive. That compelling set of features for an attractive price made the CR-Z the third most popular hybrid in America in April (behind the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight). The 5,000 people who bought CR-Zs aren’t crazy. They see value.

The CR-Z’s three modes of driving—Normal, Sport and Eco—are put to better use in this manual transmission hybrid, than in any other hybrid. (The CR-Z is the only hybrid offered with a manual.) If you’re just getting from place to place, thinking about things other than driving, leave it in Normal for steady easy shifting. Put it in Sport to toss the gears, and squeal around town with some zeal. Or push the Eco mode for a game of shifting at low RPMs to maximize fuel economy. Unlike hybrid automatics (especially those with CVTs), the driving experience radically changes with each change of mode—and thereby provides another reason to make the CR-Z an affordable fun little commuter car.

We used a combination of the three modes in about equal proportions—whatever met our fancy. (To be honest, we pushed the limits of Sport as much as possible.) At the end of a few days, our total fuel efficiency tally was 37.5 miles to the gallon. Impressive.

The CR-Z slamfest will not end anytime soon. But when we hear it, we know it’s coming from folks who fail to grasp the new redefined relationship between vehicle style, power, efficiency and cost in the age of hybrid and electric cars. If you’re in the market for a hybrid, and can live with a two-seater, the CR-Z is worth a test drive.

The post Honda CR-Z Hybrid Coupe Defies Its Critics appeared first on HybridCars.com.

Last year, HybridCars.com staffers drove a CVT-equipped Honda CR-Z on a 125-mile loop to see how the sporty hybrid coupe fared. The drive consisted of a broad sampling of road conditions: highways, town streets, and sweeping country roads. At the end of the run the coupe tallied 35.3 miles per gallon—three tenths more mpg than the EPA city rating of 35 mpg in the city, and nearly 4 mpg shy of the 39 highway rating. The conclusion: maybe a little too raucous during in-town driving, but overall what most drivers will experience.

A few weeks ago, I checked out a manual shift CR-Z EX with navigation for a week. Logging 379 miles during the seven days, fuel mileage was recorded in three segments: 73 miles of normal running errands and shopping in town; 132 mile drive from Olympia, Wash. to Seattle during morning and late afternoon brake lights and gridlocks; and 174 miles of hey, let’s flog this thing and see just how sporty it is, and oh yeah, how much gas did the little four-banger guzzle.

No one has ever accused me of having a light foot on the go pedal, although I have changed my driving habits the past several years. I just didn’t know how much until I looked at the mpg numbers of the CR-Z that said, “Oh no, you’re becoming a greenie!”

Great MPG, With Some Work

During my drives about town the colored ring around the speedometer was primarily green, but I didn’t need it as a reminder that mode selection was Econ. The word slug best defines the forward motion of the CR-Z in this setting, and following the shift-up and shift-down indicator arrows was foreign even to my changed driving habits. Really Honda, upshift from 1st to 2nd at 15 mph, and from 2nd to 3rd at 18 mph? But, it works; fuel economy averaged 43.3 mpg—12.3 more than the government’s 31 mpg. Makes one wonder how those EPA folks come up with their numbers. Oh please, don’t tell me I have succumbed to hypermiling.

The Honda CR-Z is currently the only hybrid available with a manual transmission.

I saw a lot of truck bumpers on the Interstate drive to Seattle and back. The Econ mode seemed to be the logical choice during the seemingly endless stop, go, stop commuter traffic movement. Unlike the CVT equipped Zs that automatically shut the engine off when the car is stopped, manual shifters require the transmission be in neutral. Holding the clutch in with the right foot on the brake pedal does not turn off the engine. So, constantly shifting to neutral and then shoving back into gear to restart is a chore. But again, the system works, and with maybe 50 out of the 132 miles in the Normal mode, the little hatch scored 39.2 mpg. Hmmm, that’s the highway rating given to the more fuel efficient CVT equipped CR-Z. Did the Feds get things backwards?

After five hours that covered 174 miles of driving primarily in Sport, the coupe registered 32.7 mpg. That’s a number even a Prius would be envious of with the tachometer close to red line for many of those miles.

Sporty, As In Handling Not Horsepower

The CR-Z is built on the same platform as the Insight hybrid, but engineers didn’t just copy, cut and paste. The structure is more rigid, the wheelbase is clipped 4.5 inches, overall length is shortened by some 8 inches and the car is considerably wider and lower. Add the suspension from the Insight—MacPherson struts and a rear torsion-beam setup—and you have Honda’s formula for a sporty coupe.

Around town the CR-Z has a smooth, fairly well-damped ride and it’s easy-to-drive, easy-to-park and with wide doors, easy-to-get in and out of. I found the highway ride to be firm, controlled and pleasant, not harsh. Bumps and those pesky expansion joints had a negligible impact.

Like all Honda four cylinder VTEC engines, this one brings on power in a linear, effortless manner. Its response to throttle input is prompt, almost brisk, except in the Econ mode, and if it lacks urgency it makes up for it in pluck and willingness. And when pressed—to merge with freeway traffic, for example—it does get noisy. There is a surprise, however, just left of the steering wheel. Select the piano key-like button marked Sport and there’s right-now throttle response. It’s like the Honda suddenly found an additional 50 horsepower.

However, the CR-Z’s sporty personality isn’t derived from horsepower, it’s all about the handling. The attention to vehicle dynamics is surprising. The coupes precise and nicely weighted electric rack-and-pinion steering tracks true with good feedback, making abrupt lane changes and sudden, tight curves a delight rather than an, “Oh my God!”

Should you drive slightly over your capabilities, the stability control system and anti-lock brakes respond in quick fashion. Under brisk cornering there is an expected amount of understeer and a moderate dose of body roll. But the Z never felt like the average driver might fight for control.

Unlike some hybrids, the brakes have good pedal feel and are not grabby. The manual transmission offers relatively short throws with clean gates and a comfortable, easily engaged clutch action. Gear ratios are well selected to give the car a suitable launch, first through third gears.

Hybrid puritans will scoff at the CR-Z’s fuel efficiency and driving enthusiasts will pooh-pooh its performance. But kudos to Honda for developing a car that is fun-to-drive and fuel-efficient.

The post Honda CR-Z Delivers MPG and a Dose of Fun appeared first on HybridCars.com.

Meanwhile, back in the United States—where the CR-Z was released this summer—critics have been rough on the vehicle, with most complaining that it lacks performance or fuel efficiency, or both. The CR-Z offers 122 horsepower and average fuel economy rating of 37 mpg.

Depending on your slant, it’s true the CR-Z isn’t the most fuel-efficient hybrid out there, or the sportiest subcompact. For many American critics, the CR-Z’s inability to be best at anything rendered it a failure at everything. The 2010 CR-Z failed to reach the short list of candidates for this year’s North American Car of the Year award.

Luckily for Honda, the U.S. consumer market has been somewhat more forgiving. Since its first full month of availability in August, the CR-Z has become the fourth most popular hybrid in the U.S. Sales have been consistent, with Honda racking up more than 3,300 sales in about 9 weeks. Those figures may not be as robust as sales numbers in Japan, but neither is America’s current appetite for hybrids or small cars.

Get Over the Nostalgia

The CR-Z has suffered bad reviews mostly because U.S. auto critics have not been able to rekindle their love affair with the discontinued Honda CR-X—the 1980s automotive icon that served as an inspiration for the new hybrid CR-Z. The CR-X is remembered for its blend of sportiness and efficiency in a small package, as well as its adaptability as a tuner car. But like many memories of past loves, they can deceive.

“People forget what the CR-X really was, or they think it’s something that it’s not,” said Woody Rogers, who owned and loved his 1988 Honda CR-X. “By today’s standards, that old CR-X is painfully slow, small, unsafe, cramped, and has poor visibility. Yet, it was fun to drive. Compared to everything else that was available in 1988, that thing was a gas.”

Rogers, a tire information specialist at Tirerack.com, was very impressed by his recent experience with the CR-Z on the company’s test track. “Compared to our old CR-X, the CR-Z’s engine was more well-refined. The fit, the feel, the look, the fittings in the car, it was so reminiscent.” After reading the bad reviews, Rogers didn’t want to like the CR-Z—but after his drive was considering trading in his Mini Cooper S for the hybrid.

For those who have been turned-off by the CR-Z’s perceived lack of power, Automotive News recently suggested that Honda will produce a high-performance version of the hybrid. Rogers likes the idea. “If the CR-Z had just a little more power, I think they’d really have something,” he said.

The post Honda CR-Z Is Award-Winner in Japan, Dissed in U.S. appeared first on HybridCars.com.

“With the CR-Z sport hybrid coupe, drivers can achieve the great efficiency of a hybrid car without giving up the fun that many demand from a sporty car,” said Bruce Smith, Honda vice president of parts operations. Honda’s gambit with the CR-Z is to create a blend of performance, style, fun and green—pushing hybrid cars further out of a pure eco-oriented sphere to a mainstream market that sees green simply as another aspect of a car’s coolness.

Honda announced that it will begin sales of a limited-edition MUGEN accessory kit for the vehicle in spring 2011. Sales will be limited to only 300 complete kits.

Honda also unveiled two concept vehicles from HPD: the CR-Z Hybrid R Concept and the HPD CR-Z Racer. Though neither vehicle is intended for sale, HPD, Honda’s North American racing company, showed the potential of the CR-Z for both street and racing performance. Other vehicles on display demonstrated currently available Honda accessories.

Reaching out to the import community, Honda invited independent vehicle tuners to build and display their CR-Z hybrid concepts at the SEMA Show. Tuners were asked to push the limits to improve fuel economy and performance with their creations.

Have Hybrids Ever Looked This Cool?

The 2011 HPD CR-Z Racer

The Bisimoto Engineering 2011 CR-Z project vehicle

The Konig Wheels 2011 CR-Z

The 2011 Honda CR-Z equipped with MUGEN accessories

The Eibach Springs 2011 CR-Z project vehicle

The post Tuners Pimp Out Honda CR-Z Hybrid in Las Vegas (Gallery) appeared first on HybridCars.com.

Those are the key stats for the all-new 2011 Honda CR-Z Sport Hybrid Coupe. We took the car out for a 125-mile loop to see how it fared on the two categories by which the CR-Z will be measured: efficiency and fun. Honda is billing the CR-Z as a zippy sports car that uses less fuel.

Our mileage loop consisted of a broad sampling of road conditions: highways, town streets, and sweeping country roads. We did not apply hyper-mile techniques, but instead moved right with the traffic—a fairly light touch on open roads, and slightly more aggressive in city traffic. At the end of the run, our automatic CR-Z tester tallied 35.3 miles per gallon—a couple of mpgs shy of the EPA ratings of 36 miles per gallon in the city and 38 on the highway with a CVT automatic transmission. (The fuel economy rating of the standard six-speed manual CR-Z, the only manual hybrid on the market, is 31/37 mpg.)

Perhaps other journalists babied the CR-Z to bring the mileage nearly to 40 mpg, but we would expect everyday driving to produce the same results we got: mileage smack in the middle of the 30s. That’s a far cry from a breakthrough on hybrid fuel efficiency, with the midsize, five-seat Toyota Prius earning close to 50 mpg for most drivers.

Still, A Fun Ride

On the other hand, we believe Honda made somewhat of a breakthrough on the hybrid fun factor—especially when most people think of hybrids as the goody two-shoes of the automotive world. During our drive, the CR-Z proved to be nimble, agile, and responsive. The car actually felt quick, and took corners with confidence. The smallness and lightness of the CR-Z, combined with its tuning for a sporty ride, gives it more zip than the 122-horsepower rating would suggest.

The CR-Z’s three driving modes include Sport, Normal and Economy. The Sport mode alters throttle response, electric power steering effort, and electric motor power assist for faster reaction. The inner ring of the tachometer glows red while in sport mode. We spent equal amounts of time in each of the three modes. The torque and acceleration is noticeably higher in sport mode. While the economy mode boosts efficiency by a few points, it didn’t rob the CR-Z of the power required for everyday driving.

Inside, the cabin is comfortable, but a bit tight. The styling is modern, but not futuristic like the all-electric Nissan LEAF. The storage compartment directly behind the seats are a bit odd—not sure what’s supposed to go in there—but when folded down, you get a pretty decent cargo compartment in the rear hatch.

Our biggest criticism was high road noise, especially compared to the usual hush-quiet experience of most hybrids. Noise and vibration often plagues first generation cars, so maybe this will be fixed in subsequent model years.

At $20,000, and with less than stellar fuel economy, the decision to buy the CR-Z is not about saving money at the pumps. It’s about driving something cool and green. The car will stand out on the road—not by advertising its eco-friendliness to the world—but by showing a unique eclectic combination of thrift and thrill.

The post First Drive: Mileage Comes Up Short on 2011 Honda CR-Z Hybrid appeared first on HybridCars.com.

Honda this week gave automotive journalists their first chance behind the wheel of the 2011 Honda CR-Z Hybrid. Honda’s goal with the all-new two-seater is to combine the fuel parsimony of a hybrid with the sportiness of the company’s classic CRX coupe—and to offer it as the most affordable hybrid on the market.

The fuel economy rating of the standard six-speed manual is 31/37 mpg, with the optional automatic (CVT) rated at 35/39 mpg.

“The CR-Z is as much about the driving experience as it is about our commitment to fuel efficiency and affordable hybrid technology,” said John Mendel, executive vice president of sales at American Honda Motor Co. “We lit the fuse on hybrids,” Mendel said.

Did they succeed? On affordability, the answer is yes. The MSRP of the CR-Z, which goes on sale on Aug. 24, is not official, but is expected at less than $20,000. That does make it the lowest priced hybrid on the market—and the only one available with a manual transmission.

But on the evaluation of the Honda CR-Z as both a sports car and as a hybrid, the reviews are mixed. And yet, there’s an underlying sentiment that Honda has made a worthwhile contribution to the hybrid field. Here’s a sampling of what auto critics had to say on the twin goals.

• Jalopnik

  “The CR-Z is not a fast car; it is not even a quick car…but it’s still moderately entertaining. Is this the most entertaining hybrid car money can buy? Yes. Is it what I want and, frankly, what the market needs? Not quite…The takeaway? The car you see here is a decent, though not remarkable, answer to the Where’s the fun in green? question.”

• Automotive News

  “Well, it won’t set your hair on fire, and a small car can feel fast even when it isn’t. Is it more fun to drive than a Prius or Insight? Definitely…A day of spirited country-highway driving netted 35 mpg — not much better than the similarly sized Honda Fit, which isn’t even a hybrid.”

• Cars.com

  “In the absence of substantially greater acceleration, the CR-Z’s low-mileage rationalization simply falls apart…[Yet] I exceeded the automatic’s highway rating with 39.4 mpg, according to the trip computer.”

• CNet
  

  “Honda may have come up with the first fun hybrid car…The handling, while good, proved just a little loose. Honda seems to have tuned some softness into the suspension to make the CR-Z a comfortable everyday driver. As such, suspension travel allowed a little bit of lean in the corners. The CR-Z still can claim sports car handling, but there are more tightly screwed down cars available.”

• Car and Driver
  

  “Somewhat shockingly, however, this hybrid is entertaining, even as it tries to marry the disparate concepts of sport and efficiency… Particularly with the three-mode adjustable drive system in Sport, it’s a relatively fun little car…[Yet] if fuel-efficiency is the goal, better mileage (and practicality) can be found in the Toyota Prius and the Insight, which are EPA-rated for 50 and 41 mpg combined.”

The post Mixed Reviews on Honda CR-Z as Hybrid and Sports Car appeared first on HybridCars.com.

We can’t imagine that Honda Motor Europe’s project in group filmmaking, Live Every Litre, is the reason for the extra attention. The marketing effort—hypothetically designed to promote the CR-Z as hip—yielded a set of YouTube road trip vignettes that induce equal parts confusion and boredom. Nonetheless, a trio of British auto reviewers recently reported a much better time from behind the wheel of the CR-Z.

Quentin Willson of The Mirror was nearly ecstatic about the car. He wrote that the CR-Z “is set to become one of the most desirable cars on the planet.” Willson added, “Looking like nothing else on the road, with a wonderful swooping roofline, it’s a lulu to drive.”

He praised the CR-Z’s handling and steering. “This is one of Honda’s best cars yet, and the world’s first truly sporting hybrid coupe…Sustainability never looked sexier.”

Jason Barlow of BBC’s Top Gear—usually no fan of hybrids—agreed with Willson. “By sticking the Insight’s hybrid tech into something that doesn’t look like a slapped arse,” Barlow quipped, “Honda might finally have made eco motoring sexy.” Barlow also praised the CR-Z for its handling. “It’s proper fun to drive,” Barlow wrote.

Andrew English of The Telegraph was generally positive, but not as effusive as the others. English dinged the CR-Z for poor visibility in the corners and through the back, for limited space in the rear seats, for braking that feels “wooden,” and for too much body roll. Yet, he granted the CR-Z as “sporting by hybrid standards” and concluded that it’s “a likeable little car.”

Small and Sexy in America As Well?

Meanwhile back on home turf, American Honda Motor Co.’s John Mendel, executive vice president of sales, said the CR-Z will appeal to tuners, who modify and tweak their rides for maximum performance and individual style. He told Automotive News that Honda research showed that tuners are excited about the CR-Z because it’s reminiscent of the old Honda CR-X, one of the ultimate tuner vehicles.

In other words, the CR-Z might inadvertently create a whole new market of hybrid buyers. Forget about the traditional hybrid puritans, who have expressed disappointment in the CR-Z because it averages merely 37 mpg. The people most likely to buy the car probably won’t give a damn one way or the other if it’s hybrid. It just looks cool and is fun to drive. Full stop.

As far as we’re concerned, anything that adds pizzazz and sex appeal to hybrids is a step in the right direction.

The post Could Honda CR-Z Be The World's First Sexy Hybrid? appeared first on HybridCars.com.

The Department of Energy has invested $1.4 billion in plug-in cars and battery research and development grants, $25 billion in low-interest loans, and has created a federal tax credit up to $7,500 for battery-powered vehicles. Meanwhile, consumer incentives for conventional hybrids have not been renewed, and investment in hydrogen fuel cell technology has been slashed.

“To put the country on the course to a single technology without fully understanding its implications, including whether customers will buy it, will put us behind in achieving our objectives,” Mendel said. The Honda executive believes that government’s role should be to set goals for achieving improvements in air quality, climate change and energy sustainability, and to “leave it to industry to figure out how to get there.”

Slow Adoption of New Technologies

Mendel pointed to the slow rate of adoption of conventional hybrids, which represent less than 3 percent of new car sales, 10 years after Honda introduced the original Honda Insight in December 1999. “If we can’t convince people to move a hybrid, which is fully functioning and is as easy to refuel as an internal combustion engine vehicle,” Mendel questioned, “then we have to serious consider what we will get them to accept in terms of battery electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles with their myriad of limitations, such as cost, driving range and refueling or recharging options.”

In the near term, Honda will pursue “expanded use of hybrids,” with a focus on making hybrid technology more affordable and appealing. With the 2010 Insight, Honda tried to offer the most affordable high-efficiency hybrid, but the Prius-look-alike did not meet its sales targets—because the price tag is not low enough and the mpg is not high enough. The company could face a similar problem with its attempt at hybrid sportiness, the Honda CR-Z due this summer. Mendel reiterated Honda’s plans to offer hybrid technology in its Acura luxury brand, and said the company was investing in lithium ion battery technology for future hybrids.

Hydrogen fuel cells are the “ultimate alternative to petroleum,” according to Mendel. He pointed to the Honda FCX Clarity as a successful use of the technology, but acknowledged that it will take decades to overcome market obstacles.

Reluctant Steps Forward

Honda produced about 300 units of the all-electric EV Plus in the late 1990s.

Despite its questioning of policy support for electric-drive cars, Honda is considering the possibility of producing a plug-in hybrid. “We have a few things in the kitchen,” Mendel said. Nonetheless, he expressed concerns about the cost, weight and durability of hybrids with larger battery packs. Honda is also researching a short-distance all-electric city commuter car, according to Mendel.

The Honda executive said that new electric cars hitting the market later this year have roughly the same driving range as Honda’s 1997 EVPlus electric car, and continue to be expensive. “Despite legitimate advancements in [electric car] technology and infrastructure,” Mendel said, “There remain significant hurdles to high-volume market appeal.”

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