Can hybrids be sporty? June Neary takes a look at Honda's CR-Z coupé.
WILL IT SUIT ME?
I love sportscars as much as the next person but I had resigned myself to the fact that owning one would mean putting up with fairly hefty running costs. That's why I greeted news of Honda's CR-Z hybrid so positively. Here was a compact coupé that put efficiency on an equal footing with fun. But is it a substitute for a full-fat sportscar?
PRACTICALITIES
Hybrid cars are nothing new but we're used to seeing the petrol/electric technology installed in relatively mundane family cars. The CR-Z is a far more intriguing, desirable proposition for the keen driver.
The road-hugging looks of the CR-Z don't lead you to expect a voluminous cabin but the car is roomy enough for two. It's being touted as a 2+2 but the rear seats aren't much use to full-grown adults. It works better with them folded down to increase the 225-litre boot to 410 litres.
The CR-Z presents you with an array of instruments that could have been lifted from 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 sculpted door linings incorporating chrome pulls and storage bins.
BEHIND THE WHEEL
We won't go into the ins and outs of the hybrid drive system too deeply, but just how much fun is it possible to have with only 1.5 litres of engine beneath the bonnet, a petrol lacking either turbocharging or supercharging to wake it up? Quite a lot as it happens.
For one thing, it has an extra ingredient that gives it added zip – an electric motor between the engine and the gearbox that throws in 20PS to boost total power to 136PS. And you can add the CR-Z's incredible agility and accuracy of handling.
Drivers can select Sport, Normal and Economy modes which change the parameters of the hybrid system. The CR-Z matches its hybrid powertrain to a six-speed manual gearbox, one with a really slick sporty action.
Despite its complex mechanicals, the car weighs just under 1,200kg. This is a big aid to fuel economy and the official combined cycle figure is an impressive 56.5mpg with CO2 emissions at 116g/km.
VALUE FOR MONEY
The CR-Z appears to be priced affordably for a hybrid sports car, though there aren't many models that meet that description. It's available in two trim levels, Sport and GT. Even the basic car gets heated mirrors, daytime running lights, climate control, Honda's Vehicle Stability Assist system and six airbags. At the top of the range, there's a hands-free telephone kit, panoramic glass roof, heated seats and full leather trim.
COULD I LIVE WITH ONE?
The CR-Z is refreshing. It's not the fastest or most exhilarating coupé in the world but is a hoot to drive and it comes with lower running costs and a smaller environmental impact that most other sportscars.
