2014 cr z review

InHonda Cars Philippines had a model lineup that could only be described as lackluster. Think the much-maligned ninth-gen Civic and the not-too-exciting fourth-gen CR-V.

The Honda CR-Z is the lowest-selling car across the Japanese maker's lineup, and it's never really found its niche. It may be the only hybrid car in the world that's a two-seat hatchback small enough to rate the designation of subcompact. Regrettably, the little CR-Z is neither quick nor lithe enough to be sporty, but neither are its fuel economy numbers remarkable. In fact, they pale against those of many other, larger four- and five-seat cars. Originally, the CR-Z was intended to marry the rollerskate character and handling agility of the much-loved Honda CRX to a modern, fuel-efficient hybrid powertrain--the same one used in the Honda Insight five-door hybrid hatchback, which was expected to sell in much higher volumes than it has. But both cars are let down by their mild hybrid systems, and the CR-Z in particular ends up as neither fish nor fowl. By today's standards, it's a tiny car for just two people, with almost no cargo space.

2014 cr z review

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Awards Best Car to Buy ». Note that Honda lets you order the six-speed manual gearbox on all of the three trim levels.

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Michael Harley. Autoblog accepts vehicle loans from auto manufacturers with a tank of gas and sometimes insurance for the purpose of evaluation and editorial content. Like most of the auto news industry, we also sometimes accept travel, lodging and event access for vehicle drive and news coverage opportunities. Our opinions and criticism remain our own — we do not accept sponsored editorial. Curb Weight. Base Price. As Tested Price.

2014 cr z review

The Honda CR-Z is the lowest-selling car across the Japanese maker's lineup, and it's never really found its niche. It may be the only hybrid car in the world that's a two-seat hatchback small enough to rate the designation of subcompact. Regrettably, the little CR-Z is neither quick nor lithe enough to be sporty, but neither are its fuel economy numbers remarkable. In fact, they pale against those of many other, larger four- and five-seat cars. Originally, the CR-Z was intended to marry the rollerskate character and handling agility of the much-loved Honda CRX to a modern, fuel-efficient hybrid powertrain--the same one used in the Honda Insight five-door hybrid hatchback, which was expected to sell in much higher volumes than it has.

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The seating position is low, perhaps lower than almost any other vehicle on the road short of a supercar. It also reduces the climate-control output. In , Honda Cars Philippines had a model lineup that could only be described as lackluster. The CR-Z really is that small--and because it's low, the space is organized very different from the Smart ForTwo, a two-seater that surprises passengers with how much room it has inside. I understand that I can unsubscribe at any time. The version with a continuously variable transmission CVT also has paddle shifters that provide simulated "upshifts" and "downshifts" to wring more power out of the high-revving engine. Shame, then, that this unit has had things done to the suspension, with oversized inch rims added for good measure. By Make. It makes the steering quicker, the engine more responsive, and the accelerator pedal less resistant to full power--and adds that "Plus Sport" battery boost system as well. What makes this car special, though, is its Integrated Motor Assist IMA , a mild-hybrid system that has no electric-only mode, and still requires the engine to power the car.

The CR-Z is a sporty-looking, two-seat hybrid with nimble handling, but is not very sporty otherwise. Fuel economy is excellent, but you might expect more from such a small hybrid.

It needed something, and felt the CR-Z would be the answer to its prayers. Dislikes Fuel efficiency not all that high Ride deteriorates on rough roads CVT hurts any pretense of sporty driving Remarkably little luggage space. Volkswagen Volvo. Finally, there's the EX with Navigation model, new last year. On the road, the CR-Z understeers in hard cornering, as do most front-wheel-drive Hondas. Its ratings drop to 34 mpg 31 mpg city, 38 mpg highway. That's very close to far larger and less expensive subcompacts that will actually let you carry more than one piece of soft luggage per person. That means rear three-quarter vision is almost non-existent; and there are no good angles to show the driver what's behind and to the side of the car. The result is hp and Nm. Those include the narrowing tail and the vertical second rear window in the tailgate. Moreover, the CR-Z's mild hybrid system doesn't offer the allure of all-electric running, unlike any of those Prius models. So you've given up two seats and most of your luggage volume for a car that doesn't really deliver on its sporty appearance. Second, IMA provides instant torque to assist the engine when you need more power. Gone were the days of the Civic SiR, and still to come were the technological marvels now making up the current lineup. It's a low-volume car, so the limited selection keeps the process simple and the number of variations manageable.