When I first picked it, up a co-worker assisted and he drove it back from the dealership. He was supposed to follow but ended up leading as he was having so much fun tossing the car around. Based on his opinion, I couldn’t wait to drive it myself, and when I did, I had the same initial impressions.
2011 Honda CR-Z
Fast forward to this week where I am participating in AJAC’s Car of the Year Testfest. Honda entered the CR-Z in the Small Car Over $21,000 category in CVT form, unfortunately, but I did get a chance to take it out on the test track where I normally would not be able during my week-long test.
On the track, you realize that the CR-Z perhaps is not extremely fast but it is so nimble and so much fun to drive that you don’t care. Liken it to the Mazda2 that everyone gushes over for its nimble handling, turn it up a notch and give it an even more eager and responsive engine, and there you have the CR-Z.
On the highway, where I spent most of my time with the CR-Z so far, it is comfortable and smooth but there is road noise intrusion. Wind noise is minimal, though, and of course, as one can tell by the body style, visibility is rather poor.
Is the CR-Z the ultimate hybrid and gas sipper? No, it is not, but that is not its intended purpose. Honda claims it is a look at the future of sports cars — hybrid sports cars. In this way, the CR-Z not an oxymoron at all, from what I can tell.
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