Honda CR-Z

Good but not Great

By zzpot on Friday, October 21, 2011

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 12,000

Pros: "Good mileage, Sporty look and feel"

Cons: "ROAD NOISE! no armrest, Sluggish"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 9

"Quick and zippy but has no real power. Even in sport mode the car seems sluggish once the initial torque from the electric motor runs out. The 6 speed version may be more fun to drive but the CVT really takes some of the driving feeling out of it. The suspension is lacking in both comfort and performance. This car has a good deal of body roll in tight turns and the road noise is unforgivable. Let's not forget though that this is a hybrid and honestly we just are not quite there yet as far as merging a power and economy. Bottom line, great fun solution for a boring long commute just remember when you wish you had more power that it only takes $30 to fill and that will get you around 400 miles."

9 people out of 9 found this review helpful

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Best of both worlds

By shipnc (NC) on Sunday, December 18, 2011

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 14,500

Pros: "versatile, fun to drive, economical, looks great"

Cons: "poor rear visibility, no temperature gage"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"The CRZ is that rare breed of automobile that can be all things to at least some people. Drive it conservatively in the Econ mode and get 43 MPG on regular gas. Select PERF and punch the gas and leave the Bimmers at the light. Want to go on a trip with golf clubs, suitcases and coolers? Drop the trunk separator down and a storage expanse appears. The car looks great, is a lot of fun to drive and wasn't very expensive to begin with. What' not to love? This car is obviously not suited for a family or someone who needs 4 seats. Nor is it perfect. The rear visibility is perhaps its greatest imperfection, and it would be nice to have a temp gage rather than a light. I would also be reluctant to buy it with an auto trans. as this limits your ability to manage the auto stop should you want to keep the engine running for A/C. Plus half the reason you buy this car is to have fun, and the slick 6 speed fits the bill. Long term, I do wonder what the life of the battery will be and how expensive it will be to replace, but battery technology is increasing daily and I trust Honda to do it right. This car has been the best of worlds for me, even though I'm 67!"

7 people out of 7 found this review helpful

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Good Car, has flaws

By spyderbite9001 (Colorado Springs, CO) on Tuesday, May 17, 2011

"I've owned 2 hondas in my life. An 08 Civic EX Coupe automatic and an 11 CR-Z EX w/o navi manual. Of the two, I like various things about them. My perspective is taken after owning both. Pros for the CR-Z. Its much more nimble, though roughly the same weight, its body lean is much less than the Civic. Its also quicker off the line and passing on the freeway is much much easier, I dont even downshift, the "sport" mode takes care of it for me. Excellent fuel economy. I get ~39 mpg average, and my daily commute is all city ~11miles each way. Neutral- The sun visors are equally cheap in both cars. But thats the way it is for all honda's under 25k, so its a tie. The interior styling is futuristic and really neat in both cars. I like them equally. The digital speedometer is AWESOME! I just love it. The steering wheel in both is great. The CR-Z is a tad narrower but the leather feel is great and makes up for its rather puny size compared to the Civic. The alloy rims are really nice as are all EX stuff that comes with both cars. Definately a "must" addon to either vehicle, the value is there. Just like the civic, the passenger is left totally bored. There is nothing for the passenger to do but change his vents. Its all driver centric, pro or con, you decide, but my wife is totally bored over there. Must have ipad in glovebox (which fits in both btw) Both have ample trunk space. I love them, but the CR-z has a slight advantage in that its temp controlled and always accessible from cockpit. Cons- The civic seats were bigger and better for touring. The CR-Z seats are shorter in the seat, so someone of my size (6'2") has a rough time keeping comfortable after several hours. The battery is too small. Only .6kWh means you drain it if you floor it on the onramp. And when that battery isnt helping, that motor is too under powered. That makes it a tad slower than the civic for long accelerations. The vehicle also only charges when in gear. So if you want to charge the battery without moving your SOL. Its a bummer its not plugin, so dont think you're going to race more than 2, 1/4 mile stretches with battery."

7 people out of 7 found this review helpful

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