From the 2010 Detroit Auto Show, Cars.com's Joe Wiesenfelder takes a look at the 2011 Honda CR-Z.
Transcript
(rock music) <v Announcer>Cars.com Auto Review. Hi, I'm Joe Wiesenfelder with Cars.com. We're taking our first look at the 2011 Honda CR-Z hybrid, which comes out this summer. It is the third hybrid that they sell.
It is smaller than the Insight five seater. It's a two-seater, and it's kinda sporty looking. Now, how sporty it is in performance, we're not sure yet. Honda's not giving any kind of acceleration numbers. They are giving mileage estimates of 36 city, 38 highway, which is decent, but it's not even as good as the Insight. That suggests it's gonna be powerful, it's gonna be quick, but they seem to be managing expectations. Maybe it's going to be a fun car, not a quick car. One thing we do like performance-wise is a six speed manual transmission, which makes it the only hybrid you can buy with a manual. Honda decided long ago, not to give a manual because it costs you mileage. The CVT can actually do a much better job of driving efficiently than you can, and this is the case in the CRZ, too. It'll cost you three miles per gallon if you go for rowing your own. Now, typical of two seaters, there's lots of room in the front here, 'cause you're not trying to give any space to a backseat. It's all cargo. Now the cargo area reminds me of the original Insight, which was also a two-seater, ' 'cause it has pretty high cargo floor, but it's actually a little bit better because the cargo section goes farther forward and you can flip this down, gives you a good amount of volume. Now the Honda Insight sales have disappointed, even disappointed Honda. And I think it's because the price and the mileage aren't significantly better than the Toyota Prius, which is a larger car. Now with this one being even less efficient than the Insight it's going to have to be priced really well, or it's going to have to be exceptionally fun to drive, and we have yet to see if that's the case. <v Announcer>For more car related news, go to Cars.com or our blog, KickingTires.net.
