Crazy green

HYBRID cars are very commendable and all that but most of the examples we've seen so far have been about as much fun as a stubbed toe, causing keen drivers to fear for the very future of the motorcar. Do environmentally-friendly vehicles have to forgo any semblance of excitement? Honda says no and backs up its opinion with the CR-Z coupe, the hybrid that people without hemp sandals and a lentil-based diet will want to drive.
By The Newsroom
Published 17th Aug 2010, 19:09 BST
Updated 17th Aug 2010, 23:09 BST

Honda has brought us a hybrid coupe before but the faintly futuristic and thoroughly odd first generation Honda Insight was a far, far cry from the CR-Z. If we dip a little deeper into the annals of Honda history, it’s possible to dredge-up a vehicle that’s far more in-touch with where this model is coming from. The CR-X was a fun-packed little sports car that captured the hearts of UK buyers in the 80s and carried more than a passing resemblance to the CR-Z of today.

With its compact dimensions, two-door layout and wedge-shaped profile, not to mention the distinctively flat rear end with split tailgate glass, the CR-Z looks for all the world like a CR-X for the modern era. Honda puts its hands up to the visual similarity and to at least some crossover in concept between the two cars. It’s pitching the CR-Z as a coupe that combines vibrant looks and thrilling handling with affordability and a real green conscience. With similar ideas behind it, the CR-X can’t exactly have been on-message amid all that 1980s excess but the CR-Z sounds perfect for the times we’re in now.

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The Honda Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid powertrain in the CR-Z is based around a 1.5-litre petrol engine with Honda’s free-revving i-VTEC variable valve timing technology and 112bhp. It’s assisted by a 14bhp electric motor and together they produce maximum power of 122bhp at 6,000rpm with 174Nm of torque at just 1,500rpm. The 0-60mph sprint takes just over 10 seconds and the top speed is 124mph, so this isn’t the fastest compact coupe around.

The CR-Z sits you low down like a good coupe should and presents you with an array of instruments that could have been lifted out of a spaceship as imagined on a 1980s Sci-Fi show. Chunky controls are mounted within easy reach and displays with bold white fonts shine out from glossy black backgrounds. There’s a tactile Honda steering wheel and deeply sculpted door linings incorporating chrome pulls and storage bins.

The CR-Z appears to be priced affordably for a hybrid sports car but then, there aren’t too many models that meet that description at the moment. It’s available in three trim levels starting with S and extending upwards through Sport to GT. In line with the high-tech feel of the car, even the basic car gets features like heated mirrors, daytime running lights, climate control, Honda’s Vehicle Stability Assist technology and six airbags. At the very top of the range, there’s a hands free telephone kit, a panoramic glass roof, xenon headlights, heated seats and full leather trim.

It’s likely that CR-Z customers will also be considering other cars of a small and sporty bent. Volkswagen’s Scirocco and Peugeot’s RC-Z are pricier alternatives while a Mazda MX-5, Renault Wind or any number of supermini-based hot hatchbacks could be had for broadly similar money. The Honda’s trump card in attracting buyers will be its hybrid technology and the resulting low running costs.

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The CR-Z is a livewire sportscar with sensible prices that uses an electric motor to make its brand of driving thrills yet more accessible through reduced running costs. We’ve not seen its like before but we may well see more of the same in the future.

Related topics:HondaVolkswagenPeugeotSport