Not all of us are old enough to remember it, of course, but we’ve been here before. The two oil crises of the 1970s sparked a similar obsession with efficiency and fuel consumption to the one we see in the car market today, finally allowing the likes of Toyota and Honda to establish a firm foothold in the US market. Their ranges were vastly more fuel-efficient than the contemporary Detroit behemoths, and a generation of young people grew up with a Civic or Corolla as their first car, rather than a yacht-sized ‘station wagon.’
It was around this time that Honda hit upon a particulary appealing formula with its CR-X, which, in 1.5-litre form, offered 60mpg extra-urban fuel economy combined with an entertaining, lightweight chassis and attractive coupé styling. And now, with 21st century eco-mania in full swing, Honda has delivered the sequel in the form of the CR-Z petrol-electric hybrid, a thoroughly modern car but one very cleary inspired by the 1980s classic. So, what’s it like then?
Well, if you ask me that question as I’m gripping the perfectly-sized steering wheel tightly, with the noise of VTEC buzzing in my ears as I round a particularly tight corner on the local ‘B-road you know like the back of your hand,’ the answer is: nothing short of brilliant. Honda nailed front-wheel-drive handling with the 1995-2001 Integra Type-R, and the lessons from that car have not been forgotten. The compact hybrid is incredibly good on the quintessential ‘twisties,’ with beautifully weighted, millimetrically precise steering that communicates every last detail of the road you’re travelling over. The 112bhp, 1.5-litre i-VTEC motor is typically eager, emitting a fantastic buzz-saw roar as the revs rise, and the extra shove provided by the electric motor is most welcome at crucial moments. Being totally honest, however, there are some inclines and tight corner exits where a little more power and torque would not go amiss. But a simple aftermarket remap would probably make up the shortfall. The bottom line is that this is a fantastic driver’s car, full stop.
But.
The aforementioned moment of mid-corner glee is the only time the CR-Z makes perfect sense. On the motorway, it’s perfectly fine, but lacking a little in refinement. Around town, it’s just as unremarkably competent as a current Civic or Jazz. But it’s nowhere near as practical as those two stalwarts, with a tiny boot and borderline unusable rear seats. To really derive the economic and ecological benefits of the car’s hybrid status, you have to use Eco mode, which robs it of all but the faintest hint of power and acceleration ability. For anything else than a ‘maximum attack’ B-road run, there are any number of other cars out there that will fulfill the required task better than the CR-Z, and probably for less cash, too.
This makes it hard to envisage just who will buy a CR-Z. All but the youngest children will no doubt be unhappy in the confines of the rear seats, making it a poor choice for family buyers, even as a second car. While those looking for ultimate fuel economy can do better with the latest ultra-efficient diesel superminis. The CR-Z, then, is basically an old-fashioned impractical sportscar, with the added ability to sip fuel during driving’s duller periods. It sounds like an ideal combination. But when you think about it a little more, the kind of buyer and driver who will truly appreciate the CR-Z’s dynamic abilities just isn’t that concerned about fuel economy, or else runs a second car for the day-to-day drudgery alongside the weekend funmobile. Ultimately, it’s impossible not to like a car with the entertainment potential of the CR-Z, but it’s equally impossible to ignore that it’s one of those cars that answers a question nobody was really asking.
