Honda CR-Z 2016 News

It's now available in one variant, with a choice of CVT or six-speed manual transmission with a starting price of $38,490. A handy device in the corners, the Honda CR-Z now has a bit more go to go with the sharp dynamics thanks to a Plus Sport (S+) button which gives the vehicle more engine and electric motor assist power. The Plus Sport function can be used while in ECON, Normal or Sport mode. The CR-Z's drivetrain has been enhanced to deliver power of 100kW (up by 9kW) and torque of 190Nm (manual transmission), while the IMA system now features a lithium-ion battery. The sporty hybrid's dart shaped styling is accentuated by a new front bumper and grille design and rear LED lights that have a blue accent. The 2013 CR-Z also receives a redesigned diffuser and 17-inch two-tone alloy wheels as standard. Inside new LED lights and white interior stitching add to the CR-Z's sporty feel. Two new exterior colours have been added to the palette.  

If the magazine deliberately set out to create controversy over its choice of the Honda CR-Z, it has succeeded brilliantly. This is possibly the dumbest choice I have seen in decades, worse even than the Holden Camira, Mitsubishi Nimbus and Leyland P76.It features outmoded alleged "hybrid'' technology, absolutely no go and seats for two unless you are a midget without legs. Perhaps the sharpish handling won hearts at Wheels. It couldn't have been anything else. Otherwise, one wonders what drugs they are on.Last year was a purple patch in terms of new car launches with plenty of worthy contenders for the top dog position. What about the Ford Focus with its brilliant handling and great looks. It’s a great prospect from every point of view. And the Eco-LPi Falcon that halves your weekly fuel bill and goes better than the petrol.And the Volvo S60 in even the base T4, which punches well above its weight is super-safe and looks fantastic. There’s the Range Rover Evoque ... top styling, competent offroader, great engine performance with turbo petrol and diesel.And from cost-benefit analysis you’d have to go the Kia Rio that was Carsguide COTY. As a performance pick you can’t go past the Nissan GT-R – even though the new one coming will be even better again. But the CR-Z?OK, it looks alright if you're into that sort of dart shaped coupe/hatchback sort of thing but a sports coupe it most certainly is not, despite Honda subliminally linking it to the CR-X - a real rocket powered roller skate - with character, even in the targa roof version.The manual CR-Z struggles to put away a 0-100kmh sprint in 10 seconds and the "auto'' is a horrible, even slower CVT slurring away trying to decide where to set engine revs. My 83 year old dad would give CR-Z a run for its money on his treadly, and he's got arthritis in his knees.The hybrid drive system isn't really a proper hybrid because it's the wrong way around - a (wimpy) single cam petrol engine out of an econobox, with an electric boost motor. A real hybrid is like a diesel/electric train (and Chevy Volt) with the vehicle driven by an electric motor and the petrol or diesel engine powering a generator.Fuel economy is no reason to buy the CR-Z because it's nigh on impossible to achieve anywhere near the claimed consumption figure. And it's only Euro 4 compliant.The tacky interior is a rendition of generic Japanese design in mostly hard plastic filled with naff quasi-green reward systems to "help'' you drive economically. Heaven help us if this is the direction of car development in the future.

For those under the misapprehension it is a replacement for the raunchy CRX from the '90s, nothing could be further from the truth. Honda CR-Z has "nanna'' performance clicking over a 0-100kmh sprint in a pedestrian 9.0 plus seconds. What's even more annoying is CR-Z has razor sharp dynamics crying out for an engine to do it justice. The call has been answered by Honda specialist tuner Mugen which has delivered a supercharged version of the CR-Z with Civic Type R levels of performance. The car first appeared at the recent Goodwood Festival of Speed 2011, when Honda (UK) and "Mugen Euro'' joined forces to launch the hot CR-Z sports hybrid. It has almost 50 per cent more power than the standard car, and is rated around 140kW. Mugen Euro engineers 'breathed over' the 1.5-litre power unit, retaining the 3-button IMA (electric motor) modes, adding a supercharger, charge-air cooler and induction system and importantly, a Mugen Euro-mapped ECU (electronic control unit). The result is outstanding power to weight, and increased torque helping to deliver 0-100kmh in 6.1 seconds  over 3 seconds quicker than the standard car. A Honda UK spokesman said "The Mugen CR-Z is a super responsive yet eco-conscious model building on Honda's sporting credentials and giving it the ability to compete in the "hot hatch'' marketplace.'' Prices have yet to be confirmed in the UK, but are expected to be approximately 24,000 (A$37,400). Given Honda's inexorable slide into cardigan and slippers, don't expect this car in Australia any time soon.

A hybrid that matches Toyota's Prius on price but has sporty looks and the promise of a more engaging drive is the carrot Honda is waving at potential CR-Z buyers. Not that there will be a lot of them — Honda sales and marketing manager Stephen Collins predicts 600 sales of the petrol-electric CR-Z in the first year. Prices start at $34,990 for the CR-Z Sport with a six-speed manual. The continuously variable transmission is another $2300, which should help push buyers to the auto-only CR-Z Luxury at $40,790. Both models are powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine, boosted by an electric motor to produce 91kW and 167Nm in the auto or 174Nm in the manual. Claimed fuel consumption is 5.0 litres/100km for the manual, sliding back to 4.7 lites/100km for the CVT. Standard features include rain-sensing front wipers, cruise control, climate control airconditioning LED running lights, Bluetooth telephony with steering wheel-mounted controls and a six-speaker stereo with USB and iPod connectivity. The Luxury adds heated leather front seats, a satnav system that will play DVDs when the car is stationary and a panoramic glass sunroof. It delete's the Sport's rear parking sensors in favour of a reversing camera that displays on the satnav screen. Honda says the sporty looks of the CR-Z — which takes its exterior inspiration from the CR-X of the 1980s — is matched on the road with a suspension and chassis tailored for driving enjoyment. There are also three driving modes — Eco, Normal and Sport — that adjust throttle response, the electric motor's output and even how hard the airconditioning system pumps. Honda Australia says the Prius is a logical, but not natural competitor and prefers to compare the CR-Z with prestige small cars such as the Mini Cooper and Audi A1. The CR-Z joins the 1.3-litre Insight in Honda's hybrid line-up but sales and marketing manager Stephen Collins says "the demand for other fuels, like diesel" will lead to the company's first oilburner arriving in Australia in 2013 housed in a European-sourced Civic five-door hatch.

Honda killed the second-generation NSX with its F1-inspired V10 engine before it could hit the road but is now considering a new plan after scoring a string of successes in Japanese GT racing. After consolidating its green technology with the Insight, Civic Hybrid, CR-Z and Jazz Hybrid, Honda believes the is right for a serious re-evaluation of its sports car program. The head of Honda, Takanobu Ito, says the company is "rekindling" the spirit of motorsport and has commenced evaluation of a new car - for sports driving enthusiasts and motorsport - that will meet the expectations of a public wanting greener technology.  The result is likely to be smaller and lighter, and have a smaller and greener powerplant, but still generate a decent amount of power. Ito hints that Honda could put a small number of cars, based on the latest V8-powered NSX racer, into production but does not say when. But Honda is known to be on two other cars, one a medium-sized sports cars with a V6-hybrid, strongly rumoured to debut as an Acura for the USA, and the other a compact lightweight four-cylinder hybrid coupe.

The Volkswagen Polo led from the start of vote counting at Waseda University Hall in Tokyo, but a late surge by the Honda CR-Z gave the top prize to Japan's new hybrid hero.  The Polo was still named as Import Car of the Year. There are 60 judges on the Japan COTY panel and the Polo was ahead as the scores were read for the first 55, with more maximum 10-point votes -including mine - going to the Volkswagen compact. But then the tide turned and the CR-Z eventually won the count by a 406-397 margin.  As the votes were read for the final five jurors a Honda contingent led by CR-Z chief engineer Norio Tomobe, who had been silent and solemn until that point, began to cheer like soccer fans on the winning side. The final finishing order was Honda CR-Z, Volkswagen Polo, Suzuki Swift and Peugeot RCZ.  Each of the 60 Japan COTY jurors is allocated 25 votes, with 10 for their top-rated car and the rest for their next four in order of preference, something like 10-6-4-3-2. There are only two foreign nationals on the panel, including myself. Japan Car of the Year voting: 1. Honda CR-Z, 4062. Volkwagen Polo, 3973. Suzuki Swift, 2284. Peugeot RCZ, 1905. Nissan March (Micra), 676. BMW 5 Series, 627. Jaguar XJ, 548. Mazda Premacy (Mazda5), 519. Toyota Mark X, 2610. Mercedes E-Class (BlueTec), 19

An estimated 250,000 people crowded into the party, held to mark the launch of the new CR-Z sport hybrid coupe.Onlookers were given 3D glasses to watch interactive footage of the new coupe on a Spectacolor screen, marking the first time ever 3-D footage has been broadcast in a public space.  Sony also handed out 3-D racing simulators to the crowd, giving them a chance to be first to play the new Gran Turismo 5 game, while Pharrell Williams and N.E.R.D took to the stage to rock the crowd

The European body that crash tests vehicles, Euro NCAP, has announced it is about to begin crash testing electric cars. This comes as Euro NCAP released its latest results which include the Honda CR-Z hybrid sports coupe coming to Australia next year.Euro NCAP claims the CR-Z demonstrates that "good all-round safety needs not be compromised by a fuel efficient petrol-electric hybrid powertrain". The car's pedestrian protection result of 71 per cent continues the high scores achieved by other recently tested Hondas.Euro NCAP also released the crash test results for Suzuki Swift, Citroen C4 and Hyundai ix35. All four scored a maximum five stars overall with more than 90 per cent for adult occupant safety and more than 80 per cent for child occupant safety.From October, Euro NCAP will begin assessing new driver assistance technologies not included in current crash tests. Euro NCAP secretary general Michiel van Ratingen says the new assessments will broaden their scope."It is reassuring that, as well as developing these new advanced technologies, manufacturers are not neglecting fundamental crash protection and today's results show that car-makers are still striving for the very best levels of protection," he says.Visit www.euroncap.com.