Pros:
- Slick shifting 6-speed manual transmission
- CRX-like handling
- Decent fuel efficiency
- Eye-catching exterior design
Cons:
- Unimpressive acceleration
- Fuel efficiency should be much better
- Interior needs some work
Ever since Honda pulled the plug on the CRX 20 years ago, loyal fans have been waiting for the rebirth of this popular sporty compact hatchback. Having owned 2 CRXs myself, I have spent many an hour wondering why Honda abandoned such a perfect combination of smart styling, peppy performance, and impressive fuel efficiency.
With the new CR-Z, Honda has again given us a stylish, sporty and efficient 2-seater, but this time there’s a twist. While the exterior design could easily convince you that the CR-Z is the modern incarnation of the CRX we have all been waiting for, what’s under the hood might make you change your mind. Powering the CR-Z is the same hybrid drivetrain that motivates the Insight, Honda’s other dedicated hybrid platform.
After finding this out, I was honestly dismayed and really wanted to dislike the CR-Z. After all, what’s the point of loading down a small car with unnecessary electric hardware, especially when the fuel savings are likely to be minimal? A lightweight small car with a small engine is inherently efficient, as the CRX proved time and again. Haven’t we learned that technological progress isn’t always the answer and that simple sometimes is better?
After spending five days behind the wheel of this unique little car, I have to admit it changed my mind and I actually kinda like it. Is the CR-Z the worthy successor to the CRX? Not quite. But for folks seeking a sharp looking, efficient, and fun to drive small car, the CR-Z does deliver.
Driving Impressions
Let’s get this out of the way first: putting a hybrid powertrain in the CR-Z was a mistake. With only a modest 122 hp available from the 1.5L engine and electric motor, and over 2,600 pounds of weight to move around, this is not a fast car. The engine revs eagerly and you do feel a bit of extra torque from the hybrid system, but even at full throttle there just isn’t a lot of thrust. Acceleration feels no quicker than the original CRX, which is pretty sad given how much faster most cars have become.
Due to Honda’s mild approach to hybrid technology, which doesn’t allow for electric only running, there isn’t much of a gain in efficiency either. Our test car managed 36 mpg over 400 miles of mixed driving, which isn’t bad, but I remember easily getting close to 40 mpg in my old CRX. Some of the newer compact cars are even getting over 40 mpg on the highway, with no batteries required. Why Honda didn’t drop a regular 4 cylinder engine into the CR-Z, or a small turbocharged motor, is a mystery to me.
Having acknowledged this almost fatal error, you might be wondering how the CR-Z could possibly redeem itself. The first answer lies in the fact that this is the only hybrid currently available with a manual transmission, and as we’ve come to expect from Honda, it’s a very good one. With short shifter throws and smooth, supple clutch action, shifting between the 6 gears is simply a delight.
Additional smiles started to show up on my face the moment I took the CR-Z out on some twisty back roads. The car sits low to the ground and the suspension is nice and firm, but not so much that the ride really suffers. The CR-Z does pitch a bit over rough pavement, as you would expect for a car with such a short wheelbase, but the car feels more planted on the road than its size would indicate.
The CR-Z has three modes for different styles of driving: sport, normal, and econ. Put it in sport mode and the car comes alive, with more aggressive throttle and steering response. After flinging the CR-Z through some S curves, I started to feel some of the same handling magic that made me fall in love with the CRX many years ago. Like the CRX, the relatively narrow all-season tires have a surprising amount of grip and then gradually let go when you’re going way too fast around a turn, making the CR-Z a very forgiving car in which to explore the limits. The car even rotates a bit mid-corner and then progresses into mild understeer if you stay on the gas, which is easily corrected by lifting the throttle.
Altogether, the CR-Z comes up short when you compare it to other small sporty cars, like the MINI Cooper S or Mazda MX-5, but there is still enough of that small car handling magic to warrant labeling the CR-Z a sporty hybrid, and stick shift aficionados will definitely smile when they row through the gears for the first time.
Interior and Exterior Styling
Folks who like to be inconspicuous should definitely not purchase a CR-Z. When I first started driving the CR-Z around the South Bay Area I was honestly surprised at the attention the car generated, from pedestrians who stopped in their tracks to stare, to cars pacing me on the freeway to take a closer look.
Part of this was due to the particularly striking coat of red paint that our test car came dressed in, but the exterior design should certainly take some of the credit. Although definitely rounder and more of a bubble shape than the original CRX, the CR-Z still looks sleek and adds more of a muscular look, especially at the front. Unlike the much-maligned del Sol, which replaced the CRX, the CR-Z uses its curves to look cute but still be assertive, which is probably why I was getting stares from both men and women alike.
The inside of the car is an interesting blend of modern looking shapes and textures. The silver cloth seats are nicely upholstered and reasonably comfortable, and provide a decent amount of side bolstering, which comes in handy when cornering hard. There is plenty of room for both the driver and passenger, and the rear hatch area looks to be about as big as the old CRX, which means useful but still quite small. I managed to fit a mountain bike in the back, but only by taking both wheels off and moving the passenger seat all the way forward.
The ergonomics and electronics could be better, which is something we’ve noticed in some other recent Honda models. The LCD display is positioned too far to the right, making it hard to reach while driving, and the buttons surrounding the display, which mainly control the sound system, are really too small. Honda has been using the same integrated Navigation and sound system for several years now and it is definitely showing its age. I’d recommend skipping this option and buying a much cheaper aftermarket Nav system, should you need one.
For a car that stickers at $23k, the quality of interior materials is also a bit of let down. There are quite a few hard plastic surfaces and the fit and finish is just not as good as much of the competition at this price point. Many compact cars feature impeccable interiors these days and it looks like Honda needs to step up its act or risk falling behind.
Verdict
My time spent with the CR-Z turned out to be quite enjoyable and I was actually a bit sad to see the little car go. This is by no means a perfect product and some of the flaws are so glaring that I can understand why some have panned the car for embodying the worst aspects of modern automotive technology. But spend some time driving along a windy back road in the CR-Z, flicking through the gears and carving through the turns, and I’d be stunned if you didn’t have a smile on your face.
| BUILD | INTERIOR | PERFORMANCE | HANDLING | STYLING | VALUE | OVERALL | |
| RATING | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 / B |
