2015 Honda CR-Z: Fresh Car Review
Car Buying
Fresh Car Review
Most hybrid cars are all about fuel economy and practicality, but that’s not the case with the two thousand fifteen Honda CR-Z. Instead, Honda’s little hatchback concentrates more on style and sportiness, providing up a larger interior and an all-out concentrate on gas mileage in order to be the joy hybrid. Honda has other models, the Civic Hybrid and the Insight, for the practical, fuel-efficient side of the hybrid world.
Does the CR-Z accomplish its purpose of adding excitement to a hybrid? Yes and no, as we explain below. In brief, it’s a valiant effort and a lot more pleasant than many hybrid rivals, but don’t buy this car if you’re expecting the spectacle of a Corvette or a Ferrari, because you won’t get it. Instead, consider the CR-Z as a stylish, titillating alternative to many of today’s mainstream hybrids, and love that you can look good and have joy while returning almost forty miles per gallon.
What’s Fresh for 2015?
The CR-Z is unchanged for 2015.
What We Like
Distinctive design; unique driving practice
Lil’ interior space; neither sporty nor exceptionally fuel efficient
How Much?
Fuel Economy
All CR-Z models use a 1.5-liter hybrid 4-cylinder engine that makes one hundred thirty horsepower. When tooled with a manual transmission, the engine is good for one hundred forty lb-ft of torque; with the available continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), it offers one hundred twenty seven lb-ft. Fuel economy is thirty one mpg in the city and thirty eight mpg on the highway with the manual or thirty six mpg city/39 mpg hwy with the CVT.
Standard Features & Options
The CR-Z offers two trim levels. There’s a standard-level model simply called the CR-Z, and there’s an upscale CR-Z EX.
The CR-Z ($21,000) includes alloy wheels, keyless entry, a rearview camera, cruise control, Bluetooth, steering-wheel audio controls, automatic climate control, Bluetooth audio, total power accessories (mirrors, locks and windows) and an iPod/USB interface.
Step up to the CR-Z EX ($22,900), and you’ll get automatic headlights, an upgraded audio system, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, fog lights, improved interior trim and heated mirrors.
Like most Honda models, the CR-Z doesn’t suggest many options. In fact, there’s only one option: a touchscreen navigation system with voice control that’s only available on the EX. Drivers can also choose inbetween a 6-speed manual and a CVT automatic transmission.
Safety
The CR-Z has dual-stage, multiple-threshold front airbags, front and side airbags with Honda’s Occupant Position Detection System on the passenger side and side-curtain airbags. Active head restraints and anti-lock brakes accomplish the safety package. The front of the petite CR-Z’s chassis also has an injury-mitigation design for pedestrians and what Honda calls its Advanced Compatibility Engineering assets structure, which helps absorb and disperse energy in the event of a front-end crash.
In government testing, the CR-Z earned four overall starlets out of a possible five. That includes five starlets in the rollover test, four starlets in the frontal-impact assessment and three starlets in the side-impact test.
Behind the Wheel
Honda has touted the CR-Z as a sport hybrid, but in spite of its sport-inspired features, the CR-Z isn’t very sporty. It’s fairly agile, however, gripping corners confidently, and the engine sounds spirited at higher revolutions per minute. The most joy part, when drivers notice the power boost from the hybrid system, is right off the line. Acceleration in Sport mode is peppy, but above twenty miles per hour, any high-performance feel in the CR-Z is limited.
Drivers looking to achieve both a sporty driving practice and fuel efficiency may be disappointed with the CR-Z. When making the most of the CR-Z’s limited sporting attributes in the city, drivers will achieve an mpg rating that’s closer to the mid-20s than the mid-30s claimed by Honda. If customers come at it from a different mentality, however, they’ll find the CR-Z much more pleasurable. We think the best word to describe the CR-Z is “quirky.”
The CR-Z is puny, light and nimble, and you can’t directly compare it to any other vehicle on the market. Yes, there are other subcompacts out there, but the CR-Z provides a fully different motoring practice than anything else on the road. Drivers should lodge in and love the CR-Z for what it actually is: one part go-kart, one part spaceship and one part hybrid.
Other Cars to Consider
2015 Toyota Prius c — With only ninety nine hp from its gasoline-electric powertrain, the 5-door Prius c hatchback is far from sporty, but at fifty three mpg city/46 mpg hwy, the littlest Prius model is superthrifty on fuel. The Prius c is also reasonably priced, and unlike the CR-Z, it has a back seat.
2014 Mazda2 — The Mazda2 is not a hybrid, but it is a sporty little hatchback that’s a kick in the pants to drive. With five doors, a manual transmission and an optional neon-green paint color, the Mazda2 gives the CR-Z a run for its money.
Used Mazda MX-5 Miata — The MX-5 Miata doesn’t suggest a hybrid drivetrain, but it’s a 2-seat sports car that provides exactly the joy we suspect many CR-Z shoppers are interested in. More importantly, it manages more than twenty mpg.
Used Toyota Prius — If you’re after fuel economy more than excitement, consider the Prius. It offers better gas mileage than the CR-Z, along with a larger interior and more room for cargo, but the driving practice hardly matches the CR-Z’s.
AutoTrader’s Advice
For customers enamored with the two thousand fifteen Honda CR-Z’s distinctive looks and driving feel, we recommend that they step up to the EX with navigation. Featuring a 6-speed manual transmission and Honda’s satellite navigation system with voice recognition, the CR-Z features all the sporting and technological features that an eco-conscious urban driver could want.