Unfortunately any word on pricing is just speculation right now. Those numbers sound reasonable, if not a little low. But I'm crossing my fingers.

I plan on giving the CR-Z a thorough test drive. My past cars were a 95 civic, 2 separate RX-8s, and a 90 CRX. Now I'm looking for something sporty and safe, but also economical.

 

I wonder if the transmission could be swapped into a Fit? I don't know if the engine is an L like ours , or a R like the Civic. The Civic Hybrid does use a L though.

 

I just don't understand who this car is being marketed towards.

Sports enthusiasts? No, not enough power.
Families? No not enough room for any more than two people?
College students? Maybe, but most college students I know don't drive new cars.
MPG-enthusiasts? Maybe, depending how much over the published MPG numbers it gets.

It just seems to be in an identity crisis, it's a 2 seat sports car that likely won't be any faster than a Fit. It doesn't have enough room for anything more than a single guy or maybe a couple not planning on having kids (maybe they are aiming for the retired community?). I dunno, I don't love or hate it, I'm just trying to figure out who is going to buy it.

 

Engine looks to be the current gen Fit's L15A4 engine with IMA tacked on to it

 

why would it not be any faster than a fit? it has more hp and torque, with not that much weight tacked on. it has a very similar power to weight ratio with a base mini cooper, which does the 0-60 sprint in under 9 seconds, even in automatic guise. the new fit sport will take 11 seconds to do that, when so equipped.

 

Car and Driver 09 Fit Sport Manual:
"The new Fit gets to 60 mph in 8.5 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 16.6 seconds at 83 mph."

2009 Honda Fit Sport - Driving Impression - Car and Driver

Car and Driver 07 Mini Cooper Manual:
"But all the little gains show up on the clocks: 7.7 seconds to 60 mph and 16.3 at 85 mph in the quarter-mile versus 8.3 seconds and 16.6 at 83 mph for that 2002 car."

2007 Mini Cooper - Short Take Road Test - Auto Reviews - Car and Driver

True, the power-to-weight of the CR-Z and Fit are similar to the base Cooper.

I imagine the stiffer suspension of the Cooper has much to do with its relatively short 0-60 time compared to the Fit.

 

I see potential with a different motor in it.

 

yea I actually asked the question on the release page in the comments section: "why would anyone buy this over a fit?" I see no advantage. Higher MPGs are useless if the base cost of the car and subsequent replacement of the battery packs exceeds the cost of a lower priced car + the difference in fuel over 10 years. The CRZ offers nothing to justify the higher price tag IMO.

 

Well, while I do agree with most of your post, realistically very few people keep a car for ten years. So the only people effected by the battery replacement cost would likely be the 2nd or 3rd owner. So the first owner could enjoy all of the benefits of the hybrid without having to worry about too many of the drawbacks. By the time replacement is due, the batteries should be much cheaper to replace (as long as hybrids become a success).

 

Actually people with 1st gen Priuses and Insights are running their cars well past 200k miles with no battery issues. What was once thought to be an issue is becoming more moot every day. Another durability advantage to those hybrids is the brake pads are lasting more than 100k miles because most braking comes from the brake regeneration.

 

Here are some Detroit auto show pics I took of it.
One word.. "Small"

 

i agree with you. your first post was also precise, and insightful.

the crz does nothing well. slow, no cargo capacity, only moves 2 people. at the expected pricing, it's no value considering very little practicality and poor mpg given its low weight, low power, and hybrid drivetrain.

it took honda almost 2 decades to replace the crx with a heavier car that gets about 60% of the fuel economy of the original. that's a long time to do almost nothing.

there are so many legitimate 2 place sports cars at half the price (or less) of the cr-z, such as an S2000, miata, or the original crx.

i'm about as disappointed with the crz as i am with my fit's gas mileage.

 

I don't know if anyone mentioned it, but I was going through the official CR-Z website and saw a little article where it officially states:

"The mileage numbers we released—an estimated 36 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway—are projections of the future EPA mileage estimates. The CR-Z has three driving modes: Sport, Normal and ECON™. Our numbers were achieved with the CR-Z in Normal Mode. Which is the default mode and will be how the EPA tests the car. Driving the CR-Z in ECON mode typically delivers the best fuel economy of the three modes."

36/38 in Normal mode, and that's not official EPA numbers yet. I wonder what kind of numbers we'll see in Eco mode for this car? Or how low it can go mashing it in Sport mode?

 

The posted auto show pics look MUCH better than the concept drawings. The overhang in the front is either well disguised, or not nearly as large as the early renditions appeared. In any case it looks better in the flesh than in early "concept" form. It is a little wierd to me that Honda chose to recycle the Insight name on a four door hybrid, when the original was very much like the CRZ is today. Seems like they would have stepped on fewer toes in the auto press and interweb world if they had left the CRX designator in its grave. A lot of people have very high expectations of a car badged as a CRX, and this CRZ probably won't end up fulfilling them. I think it is a good idea and I look forward to giving one a test drive, as it would make a really fabulous car to get me (and only me) to and from work.

 

Those complaining about the mpg ratings of the CR-Z: remember what the Fit is rated at, and then look at how much better than that most of us get.

 

I'm kind of wishing I would of waited another 2.5 months before ordering my Fit and picked up the CR-Z. In person, it looks really good at least to my eyes. Would much prefer the 6 speed manual over the 5MT of the Fit, although the 6th gear ratio is non-performance oriented at a .5:1 ratio...uggghhhhh useless for my style of driving, it's like an overdrive last gear, same way the American muscle cars get their MPG ratings by having a useless last gear. That was something I loved about my old 5R Teggy the 6th gear was still performance oriented and had pull to it. Not sure what the 6th gear was like on RSXs, but I know it was not geared the same.

I do like that the front lower arms are like those of the previous DC5R and the current FD2R in that they are of strengthened aluminum and not just a press of stamped steel. Lighter and stronger, might look at if they are at all compatible with the Fit's front end. Just looking at pics in the brochure they look very similar, but could be off with mounting points.

My really only dislike of the car is the interior lighting scheme, I hate the blue lighting and wish it would of been red or amber, but I guess I would hate the Fit's interior lighting scheme in NA as well. The blue just would annoy the hell out of me. hahaha And I guess also the rear seating, I wish Honda here would offer it without as an option since the North American model will not have the rear seats. They really are pointless, but the CR-X here was also released this same way with tiny rear seats.

The dealer closest to my place has a Premium white pearl one on display and it looks really good to my eyes in white. Just picturing one with some RE30 eco-drive wheels and slightly lowered. If I had one, it would always be in sport mode, because that's just how I prefer driving. I don't really care so much about MPG, even with my Fit I only average about 25mpg per tank, of course it usually is bumper to bumper urban traffic.

I'm interested in seeing what the Japanese tuners do with it, since many are messing around with the Insight and newer Prius lately.

 

Maybe I have missed something, but has anyone heard of a real price for one of these? Last I heard it was to be over 30 grand. Too much.

 

No real price point yet, or what trim levels will be available. I think they released the UK prices but as with the Japanese sales, you can't just convert Yen to Dollars and compare prices that way. The 27k-30k+ is only if you directly convert to dollars, not to mention there will be many features on the car that are not on the USDM release.

 

The Japanese price for the top model was to come to if I remember correctly about ¥2.7 million. Which converted to the current shitty $ would be about $31035. Granted the US price never is the same with the Japanese price and cars cost more in Japan, unless of course the $ is strong and you are buying with $ converted to yen. My old DC5R Integra I picked up for ¥3 million yen, but at the time the $/¥ was 1/118 which in turn made the price just over $25k. Which was cheaper than what the RSX-S was selling for stateside and was the much better car between the 2.

My Fit, well it cost me $22k...ugghhhh talk about expensive compared to NA pricing. :) And even moreso when you see I paid just $3k more for the Teggy in 2003.

So yes it is quite expensive for what you get, but it is unlike any of the other hybrids.

 

Hey 555sexydrive, any idea how the reception to the CR-Z has been so far from actual owners in Japan? I'm itching for information.