It’s a hybrid with strength, and the 2011 Wheels Car of the Year. Proficiently engineered, imposingly resourceful, and with muscular security credentials, the Honda CR-Z is also a genuine joy to drive. The little petrol-electric car may not be blindingly speedy, but it is eye-opening nimble. Endowed with the kind of handling and navigation that invites connection, the Honda puts a smile on the face of any driver who accepts the summons.
It’s hard to quarrel the Honda’s competence, nor the excellent security qualifications. Prepared customary with six airbags, the Honda already had an Australian NCAP five-star security rating in the bag at launch.
Particularly in town, the CR-Z’s hybrid drive train makes excellent sense. That thin electric motor sandwiched between engine and diffusion adds noticeable low-end torque, accurately where the 1.5-litre engine is weakest. Working together this way, the engine-motor combo is amazingly expandable and flexible. The fuel-saving Auto Stop structure works well in stop-start traffic too.
The 1.5-litre four seems to raise the roof in hard work, and sounds, well, happy, to be run to its 6500rpm redline. The CR-Z’s six-speed physical is a beautiful thing to use, so recurrent shifting is a real pleasure.
Either the CR-Z’s skeleton hardware or its line of crash contains any hint of surprise and pleasure. But the Honda is exactly a joy to drive. The company’s skeleton tuners – this time – have made a gem from the most necessary resources. It even rides well, at least in part for the reason that it has wisely sized tires. Cars that drive similar to this never occur by disaster.
Having set out to create a fun-to-drive car with superior competence, Honda bulls eyed its target. And it was this that lifted the CR-Z over the quantity, earning it the votes for COTY victory. Honda may be going throughout tough times right now, with an erratic model range and declining sales. But while it can still create a car akin to the CR-Z it deserves esteem and the special award.
