(PRINTWORDS NEWS)- The sports cars made by the noted Japanese cars company are having tough times. The popular Honda models like Acura NSX and S2000 were discarded and after the MR2 Toyota has not come up with any sports model worth mentioning. It is true that Nissan’s new take on GT-R is hogging headlines but it is likely to be priced in such a way that general buyers would not even think of owning it at the end.
Honda is trying to revive interest in sports car with its latest entry 2011 CR-Z, and it is embracing the green way to do so. Making eco friendly car is becoming a trend of the times and if the attention garnered by Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf is any indication then it can safely be said that more automakers will follow suit. Very soon we may see SUVs also going the green way. Of course the environmental groups will hail such moves!
The look of the car may reminds one of the CR-X of Honda which was made last time way back in 1991. As a matter of fact the CR-Z depends on the company’s Integrated Motor Assist gas-electric hybrid system which does not make it as eco friendly as the likes of the Toyota Prius. Even from the perspective of fuel economy it offers little advantage over a conventional gasoline based engine.
The CR-Z however, has impressive looks both outside and interior wise. The design is almost totally digital except for the car’s tachometer. The cool thing about the dashboard is that based on your driving style the ambient lighting keeps altering. However, Honda could add some improvements in the map department as it looks pretty basic.
However the Honda CR-Z offers cutting edge voice command system and offers decent navigation control. A simpler way of implementing the voice command system could be adopted by Honda. It is not bad or inconvenient though. It makes use of two different voice command system. The first is used for navigation and car controls and the other takes care of the phone. The controls for both systems are on the car’s steering wheel. You can also plug in your USB drive in the car’s integrated USB pigtail and the good thing is that it is fully compatible with Apple iPod.
The inbuilt audio system in the CR-Z is definitely above average as it offers six speakers and a subwoofer. The 360 watt amp makes a difference in the listening quality. The engine in the CR-Z generates 122 HP and the so called hybrid system actually functions as a booster for the gas driven engine.
It also makes the gas engine shut off at traffic halts. It is a nice feature, but does not necessarily add to the eco friendly footprint of the car. The engine of the car makes a buzz at all times and the people who prefer whisper quiet car engines are in for big disappointments. If you rev up and the rpm goes above 4000 mark, the roar of the engine crosses could make you pissed off.
Honda offers three driving modes with the car namely- Sport, Normal and Eco. The last one as its name suggests is meant for boosting fuel economy. Overall the CR-Z has got the looks right and some of its features are noteworthy. However, it falls short in the hybrid aspect compared to other cars.
