2011 Honda CR-Z review by Edmunds.

CR-Z
Making its North American debut, the CR-Z is a next-generation lightweight sports car concept equipped with Honda's original gas-electric hybrid system that achieves both clean performance and a high level of torque. The CR-Z stands for "Compact Renaissance Zero" - an expression intended to capture the idea of a renaissance in the design of compact cars that begins anew from fundamentals. The design research model of a lightweight hybrid sports car features advanced technologies that deliver elevated driving performance while reducing the vehicle's environmental footprint.



CR-Z


Designed to be futuristic and dynamic, the CR-Z combines powerful performance in a compact form with a futuristic image. For its frontal view, an over-sized grill with a high-performance look is offset by openings on each side that lighten the overall feel. In the rear, tube-shaped rear combination lamps create a powerful presence.

Design details emphasizing the CR-Z's advanced image include door mirrors that provide high visibility in a stylish form, LED headlights that convey a sharp impression, and jaunty fin-shaped sub-lights. Large 19-inch wheels suggest dynamic driving performance.

The key words for the CR-Z's interior design are "Hi-tech and Sporty." The goal was to create an all-new sporty interior that fuses the liberating feel of airy spaciousness with an advanced interface that brings out the fun of driving. Mesh material on a simple framework construction is used throughout the interior to convey a light, sophisticated image. In the cockpit, the meter unit conveys the image of advanced technology ensconced in a piece of glass artwork, offering quick recognition and a futuristic and exhilarating appearance. The CR-Z concept vehicle made its world debut at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show in November and indicates the styling direction for a second, new hybrid vehicle to be introduced by Honda Motor Co., Ltd. The other future hybrid vehicle, designed to meet the needs of a family and priced below the Civic Hybrid, is planned for introduction in 2009.

FCX Clarity
The FCX Clarity is a next-generation, zero-emissions, hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle based on the entirely new Honda V Flow fuel cell platform, and powered by the highly compact, efficient and powerful Honda V Flow fuel cell stack. Featuring tremendous improvements to driving range, power, weight and efficiency - and boasting a low-slung, dynamic and sophisticated appearance, previously unachievable in a fuel cell vehicle - the FCX Clarity marks the significant progress Honda continues to make in advancing the real-world performance and appeal of the hydrogen-powered fuel cell car.

FCX Clarity


FCX Clarity


American Honda plans to lease the FCX Clarity to a limited number of retail consumers in Southern California with the first deliveries taking place in summer 2008. Full details of the lease program will be set closer to launch, but current plans call for a three-year lease term with a price of $600 per month.

American Honda is also developing a service infrastructure that provides customers with the best balance of convenience and the highest quality of service. When the FCX Clarity requires periodic maintenance, customers will simply schedule a visit with their local Honda dealer. American Honda will transport the vehicle to its fuel cell service facility, located in the greater Los Angeles area, where all required work will be performed. At the completion of the work, the customer will pick up their car from the dealer.

The FCX Clarity utilizes Honda's V Flow stack in combination with a new compact and efficient lithium ion battery pack and a single hydrogen storage tank to power the vehicle's electric drive motor. The fuel cell stack operates as the vehicle's main power source. Hydrogen combines with atmospheric oxygen in the fuel cell stack, where chemical energy from the reaction is converted into electric power used to propel the vehicle. Additional energy captured through regenerative braking and deceleration is stored in the lithium ion battery pack, and used to supplement power from the fuel cell, when needed. The vehicle's only emission is water. The FCX Clarity's revolutionary new V Flow platform packages the ultra-compact, lightweight and powerful Honda V Flow fuel cell stack (65 percent smaller than the previous Honda FC stack) in the vehicle's center tunnel, between the two front seats. Taking advantage of a completely new cell configuration, the vertically-oriented stack achieves an output of 100 kilowatts (kW) (versus 86kW in the current Honda FC stack) with a 50 percent increase in output density by volume (67 percent by mass). Its compact size allows for a more spacious interior and more efficient packaging of other powertrain components, which would otherwise be unattainable in a sleek, low-slung sedan. Honda introduced the FCX Clarity at the 2007 Los Angeles Auto Show in November.

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[sam3d]

i dont think the words sports car and hybrid can go together for at least a decade more.

honda is again trying too hard to innovate, they dont learn form the gen 1 insight.

[nismofury]

Dumb pointless. Go back to the drawing board honda. Looks good except the front end. Needs more agressive look. Mpg needs to be better than 50 and it also needs to be quick. And the price needs to drop. $23k? You gotta be kidding...$15k thats what the price should be. Its not special so sell by the masses.

[MisterDenisX]

@sdlausen True dat

[sdlausen]

@MisterDenisX and the dismal VW reliability to go with it.

[MisterDenisX]

Or you could get you a vw golf tdi w/ manual trans. which gets 50 mpg

[searchlight1942]

My last car was a 2005 Lotus Elise. I put 90,000 miles on it. I know what it's like to own a sports car. The Lotus was a race car, actually, and let me tell you: They are uncomfortable, loud, gets bad gas mileage and are dangerous.

The CR-Z, my new car, right now reads "51.2 MPG" and is luxurious. I've had to make passes, and I do, with ease. Anything else is juvenile showing off. I've done that. Time to save thousands on gas, and look cool doing it. A Prius is boring, let's be honest.

[PhreshNBeat]

veloster to me isn't any better

[xTruthxWithinx]

i dont thnk people actually realized hat the cr-x wasnt anything special till they started tuning them i own one boosted cranking 255 hp so far with the electric engine attatched i gain 265 hp so basically the car itself does symbolize the origional cr-x so i truely do not know what the hell they are talking about and fyi my cr-z pulls a 1.5g turn so shove it edmunds

[Niche79]

Buy the new Veloster, its cheap and gets better MPG. Honda has truly lost its way. Oh well, capitalism is boss, you mistep along the line, someone will step in quickly to pick up where you left off. Hence the Velosters flying off the lots!!

[lotussheath]

bad car with a really nice design..apart from the back end...and the back interior since some places actually includes seats... though i guess you'd have to have no legs to sit in the back in all honesty