Honda CR-Z Concept: Honda's Next Hybrid?

• Looks like: A sports car meets a beluga whale   
• Defining characteristics: Bulbous nose, hybrid powertrain
• Ridiculous features: Mesh interior materials may look good in a concept, but they won’t meet any safety or comfort standards in the real world
• Chance of being mass-produced: Not only could this be Honda’s next mass-production hybrid, it could be the replacement for the once popular CR-X

Honda is using the Tokyo Motor Show later this month to debut mainstream cars like the next-generation Fit as well as this concept, the CR-Z. Honda has been hinting that its next hybrid will be a sporty car that will be the most affordable, efficient hybrid to date. The CR-Z concept is the most concrete evidence we’ve seen from Honda that it actually has plans to roll out that dream hybrid.

There isn’t a ton of information on the concept besides the fact that it uses Honda’s hybrid powertrain, features LED headlights and, of course, huge 19-inch wheels. We wouldn’t expect many of the fancy features to make it to production, but the exterior design could be very similar to what we see on the road. This concept is much more realistic than others we’ve seen, like the Remix concept and the poorly named Small Hybrid Sports concept. More photos below.

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