As of late December 2010 CAR's long term fleet has grown by one. We welcome a Honda CR-Z into our garage for 20 000 km worth of "real-life" evaluation.
The CR-Z is a stylish little number that we tested late in 2010. As Honda SA is keen to spread the word about its recent hybrid arrivals (CR-Z and Insight) a CR-Z was seconded for use to CAR. Mind you, this is not the first hybrid model to be a part of our long term fleet, it is however, the first non-Toyota hybrid.
Unlike its Japanese counterpart the Honda does not have a complex powetrain that allows one to drive solely on electric power. Instead, the CR-Z uses a 10 kW electric motor, which is sandwiched between the transmission and the engine, to boost power when the need arises. This is referred to as a "mild hybrid" arrangement. An automatic stop/start function is aimed at reducing noise pollution and reducing fuel consumption in congested traffic situations.
Unlike most long-term vehicles that are delivered to our Cape Town offices, the Honda was collected in Johannesburg and used for traversing the roads between Jozi, Durbs and Cape Town during the recent summer break. A total of over 3 000 km was added to the delivery mileage of 582 km.
My initial impression of the car is favourable. It is extremely comfortable, has a slick-shifting six-speed gearbox, a booming good audio system and a very effective air-conditoner, which came in handy a few weeks ago.
Some of the downsides of the CR-Z? Rear quarters are seemingly just for show. Not only are the seats extremely small, but there is no headroom to speak of. I tried to squeeze one adult in back there for a short trip and she was in notable discomfort thereafter. There is also no auto unlock function for the passenger door once the ignition has been switched off. Another gripe is that there is a large glass surface area, therefore the CR-Z can heat up pretty severely when parked in direct sunlight.
Small issues aside we are looking forward to the next 17 000-odd km in the company of this zooty little Honda. And most importantly we are keen to show the real-world fuel consumption figures. Thus far we have only managed to match Honda's claimed combined cycle figure of 5,0 litres/100 km on one occassion, and that was on the open road.
If you happen to drive a Honda hybrid, more specifically a CR-Z, please send your thoughts, comments, complaints to [email protected]