The Ground Breaking Honda CR-X Is Soon To Be Released In Australia

Honda in the late 1980′s created a hot little hatchback that was similar to a four wheeled motorcycle and they called it the CR-X. It was a very popular sporty car that had a 1600cc VTEC engine that began screaming at you around 9000 rpm. The only thing people had against this sporty 3 door hatch, that was loosely based on a Civic, was the fact that it was very expensive for that time.

Honda CR-Z looks like a more expensive sports coupe

In 2007 Honda proudly showed a concept car at the Toyota Motor Show that stunned the industry and the motoring public. This concept car has been toned down slightly and is now being produced as the CR-Z. It is a sporty hybrid that resembles the CR-X body shape and styling but there the similarity ends.

The CR-Z has a 1500 cc single overhead cam petrol driven engine that is linked to a 10kW electric motor that has a combined power output of 91kW and 174Nm. The transmission is a six speed manual gearbox that propels this dart shaped pocket rocket to 100km/h in just 9.8 seconds. The constantly variable transmission in the Honda Insight may well be available in the CR-Z next year.

The sleek interior of the Honda CR-Z hybrid

This 1500 cc engine in the CR-Z achieves petrol savings by utilising a valve shut-down system at low revs and the six speed transmission, a first in hybrid vehicles, with the assistance of the electric motor during stop/start further assists the fuel savings. Honda are pushing the “green” envelope by creating an almost competitive, game like driver education system that rewards drivers for economical driving and penalises for wasting fuel.

This eco-assist function challenges the driver to use less fuel. A dashboard display resembling a tree will grow leaves and flourish with consistently good driving while poor driving habits will cause leaves to wither and fall from the tree. On my test drive I was able to achieve fuel consumption figures of 5.0 litres/100km but was told back at the dealership that I had a lead foot.

There are three driving modes available by selecting a push button on an instrument pod on the left hand side of the sporty steering wheel. You can choose economy, normal or sporty and while I did try the others I fould that sporty gave me everything that I required in this great little car.

Honda CR-Z latest dashboard layout

I found it a lot of fun to drive particularly when I had the engine in the upper rev range with the aid of the manual gearbox. Some of the fun aspects may be removed when the constantly variable transmission is introduced. I particularly loved the exhaust note from this remarkable engine and I could easily imagine that I was driving a much more expensive and more powerful machine.

Many people compare this vehicle to the Mini Cooper or the Alfa Mito and the CR-Z chasis is similar to the rigid chassis of the Civic type R. The overall weight of the CR-Z is 1140kg and this light weight certainly helps the handling and performance. Inovative use of aluminium in the front suspension has helped in keeping the weight of this vehicle down.

The distinctive looks and the sporty tone of this vehicle turn heads. The rear has similar looks to the CR-X, like it was chopped off as an afterthought. The interior is crisp, modern but functional and while the CR-Z is promoted as a 2 + 2 I certainly would not be able to get in the back but the additional space was useful to me for storage and getting my golf clubs into as well as all the shopping that my wife insisted on collecting while we test drove this vehicle.

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Tags: Body Shape, Combined Power, Driver Education, Fuel Savings, Honda Cr, Honda Hybrid, Honda Insight, Hybrid Honda, Hybrid Vehicles, Manual Gearbox, Motoring Public, New Ground, Overhead Cam, Pocket Rocket, Speed Transmission, Sports Coupe, Sporty Car, Toyota Motor, Variable Transmission, Vtec Engine, Wheeled Motorcycle