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One day in the future, when we’re all travelling with personal jet-packs strapped to our backs, the definitive story of the motor car will be written. And it’s to be hoped that history remembers it was the clever people at Honda who were the innovators that pioneered hybrid technology. The concept of a petrol engine and electric motor working in tandem first appeared on the Honda Insight, launched in America in 1999 a full seven months before the Toyota Prius.
So it’s fitting that Honda is behind the world’s first sporty hybrid, the stunningly designed Honda CR-Z coupé. The sloping roofline and chopped-off rear mean it’s inevitably being labelled a successor to the CR-X, but bosses are keen to play that down. They want it to make headlines of its own – and there’s no reason why it shouldn’t. For starters it’s got a six-speed manual transmission, rather than the automatic gearbox every other hybrid has. A second unique feature is no ‘electric-only’ drive mode for low-speed urban use. It’s a controversial omission because it’s an easy way for hybrids to boost their official fuel economy figure.
The first thing you notice about the Honda CR-Z is the start-up. Push the dashboard button and the traditional sound of an engine turning over isn’t there. It’s more like a stopped hybrid humming gently back into life. The Honda CR-Z is powered by a 1.5-litre 114bhp petrol engine, with an additional 14bhp coming from the electric motor. Amazingly, peak torque is almost identical to a 1.8-litre Honda Civic.
There are three driving modes, and buttons to the right of the steering wheel allow you to swap between them on the go. Normal is the default setting, while Sport alters the behaviour of the powertrain, sharpens the throttle response so you don’t have to push the pedal so far to get maximum acceleration, and increases the weight of the steering. Eco is for around town when you want to prioritise fuel economy. Officially the combined figure is 56.5mpg, a very respectable total for a car of this size and type. But the most impressive element of the CR-Z is its CO2 emissions, an amazing 117g/km.
