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Tom Heath
Tom Heath Webmaster
8/24/10 11:18 a.m.

You don't want to miss this one. More accurately, you don't want to miss the November issue of Grassroots Motorsports, but the teaser video is pretty sweet too.

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/CR-Z/

Look for a proper new car review next week once the keys make their way to a few more drivers. Early reports are very positive.

Matt B
Matt B HalfDork
8/24/10 11:33 a.m.

Awesome. I'm glad you guys are doing this review. I can't say I'm ready to love the CR-Z, but I don't seem to have the ready-made disdain for it that I hear so often. I'll admit the numbers aren't that impressive on paper (mostly the weight - I guess giant batteries don't help), but I'm still curious as to how the car behaves when pushed.

It would also be cool to see the CR-Z go up against some of it's modern "peers" like the Fiesta and Mazda2. I know they're not exactly the same category, but if I were in the market for a brand-new-miserly-but-fun car they'd all be on the radar.

bravenrace
bravenrace Dork
8/24/10 11:33 a.m.

I was searching for CRX's for sale just before reading this post. Crap.

bravenrace
bravenrace Dork
8/24/10 11:37 a.m.

In reply to Tom Heath:

I'm holding out for the si version (hopefully). I really wish this thing wasn't a hybrid though. I was surprised when I saw them together how close they are in size and shape.

friedgreencorrado
friedgreencorrado SuperDork
8/24/10 11:57 a.m.

Okay, camped out by the mailbox. I'm seriously interested in seeing this.

DukeOfUndersteer
DukeOfUndersteer SuperDork
8/24/10 11:59 a.m.

cant wait to read the article! Watching that makes me want a CRX now...

Fletch1
Fletch1 Reader
8/24/10 12:20 p.m.

Ooooh boy. That Crx is just like mine...except without the rust. A few days ago I took mine off the "For Sale" market, before I even saw this. This video confirms my decision was the correct one. I've located the rust-free door I need for mine and have plans for new paint someday. I stopped by Honda on sunday and they had one parked in the back, teal looking color. I'm trying my best to be excited about it. They had to make it a hybrid to get 37 mpg out of a two-seater? Anyway, I can't wait for this article.

JohnGalt
JohnGalt Reader
8/24/10 12:23 p.m.

i don't understand how you can mess up an idea this badly. Honda already has the drive-train that would make this car a hit. Just put the k20 6speed w/LSD out of the civic SI (or R) in this car and watch them fly off the lots.

Fletch1
Fletch1 Reader
8/24/10 12:27 p.m.

This is awesome. Get the "Green" people out of the way and make a true Si soon!

oldsaw
oldsaw SuperDork
8/24/10 12:29 p.m.
JohnGalt wrote: i don't understand how you can mess up an idea this badly. Honda already has the drive-train that would make this car a hit. Just put the k20 6speed w/LSD out of the civic SI (or R) in this car and watch them fly off the lots.

Honda could do the same thing with the Fit drive-train and call it a DX. It would still fly off the lots, but at a lower price with even higher purchase numbers.

Fletch1
Fletch1 Reader
8/24/10 12:30 p.m.

In reply to bravenrace:

One in Galena for sale. 1991 Si in white. $800 o.b.o. Looks good in the picture but who knows.

Tom Heath
Tom Heath Webmaster
8/24/10 12:33 p.m.
Matt B wrote: I'll admit the numbers aren't that impressive on paper (mostly the weight - I guess giant batteries don't help), but I'm still curious as to how the car behaves when pushed.

Don't trust manufacturer generated specs. I was surprised and impressed with the numbers we got, both on track and on the scales.

Stay tuned...

JohnGalt
JohnGalt Reader
8/24/10 12:42 p.m.
Tom Heath wrote:
Matt B wrote: I'll admit the numbers aren't that impressive on paper (mostly the weight - I guess giant batteries don't help), but I'm still curious as to how the car behaves when pushed.
Don't trust manufacturer generated specs. I was surprised and impressed with the numbers we got, both on track and on the scales. Stay tuned...

even if its a good car, not putting a good drive-train in the car is like asking Barry Bonds to bunt with bases loaded.

3Door4G
3Door4G Reader
8/24/10 12:42 p.m.

I really want to like this car. I really do.

VanillaSky
VanillaSky HalfDork
8/24/10 12:49 p.m.

This just shows how much I haven't been keeping up with Honda. Last I knew, this was still a prototype.

I want one.

Fletch1
Fletch1 Reader
8/24/10 12:53 p.m.

One things strikes me. Crx Si's I read had roadhandling g's of only .78 and they are praised. The Cr-z I read had .83g's and people knock it.

Oh yeah, this is mine http://s836.photobucket.com/albums/zz288/crxnut/

Scott Lear
Scott Lear Production Editor
8/24/10 1:16 p.m.

As the lucky jerk who got to bomb around in the CRZ all weekend--including an autocross and our CRX comparison test--I gotta say, the CRZ has done nothing but impress and surprise me. I won't spoil our upcoming story with too many details, but know this: It's lighter than you think, it shifts like a Honda should, and its hybrid-ness is just one cool perk of its design, not the sum total.

Powar
Powar Dork
8/24/10 1:28 p.m.

All hybrid and model bloat comments aside... holy E36 M3. That thing is ugly. I'm really looking forward to the comparison article, though.

Fletch1
Fletch1 Reader
8/24/10 1:31 p.m.

In reply to Powar:

That's what I thought Sunday win I saw the "teal" one at the dealership. I thought it was worse in person in my opinion. Honda's styling is really turning me off. It looked like some mini spaceship. And people thought the ep3 was bad. I'll keep my Crx as a reminder of when Honda made simpler cars.

aircooled
aircooled SuperDork
8/24/10 1:36 p.m.
Fletch1 wrote: One things strikes me. Crx Si's I read had roadhandling g's of only .78 and they are praised. The Cr-z I read had .83g's and people knock it.

True, but when you bought a CRX si's you could go to other car lots and see things like this:

Keith
Keith GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
8/24/10 1:41 p.m.
Fletch1 wrote: One things strikes me. Crx Si's I read had roadhandling g's of only .78 and they are praised. The Cr-z I read had .83g's and people knock it. Oh yeah, this is mine http://s836.photobucket.com/albums/zz288/crxnut/

I'll bet that if the 1988 CRX Si were in showrooms today as a new car, it would get all sorts of criticism! New cars have come a long, long way.

Fletch1
Fletch1 Reader
8/24/10 1:46 p.m.

http://books.google.com/books?id=ZuQDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA53&lpg=PA53&dq=1988+crx+si+%2B+road+and+track+test&source=bl&ots=p58uEjZ7dl&sig=wPbM8lLKOAYkcoQPcRlLNsHAJ7g&hl=en&ei=WRN0TLu9H8apngf6zqS7CQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CBcQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=1988%20crx%20si%20%20%20road%20and%20track%20test&f=false

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?3959365

I'm a sucker for old magazine articles.

Vigo
Vigo HalfDork
8/24/10 2:20 p.m.
True, but when you bought a CRX si's you could go to other car lots and see things like this:

That's one of my MUST-OWN cars. A CRX is NOT on that list. What's the point of being light, noisy, bouncy, and all that if it ONLY gets 37 mpg like an old CRX? My 01 insight gets 50-60 out of the same weight and compromises.

They had to make it a hybrid to get 37 mpg out of a two-seater?

No, they had to LEAVE it a hybrid to avoid completely re-engineering the platform they derived it from. I have complaints with honda's IMA but i think anyone who actually drives one will find that it does have nice benefits that other same-mpg hondas dont have, like the amount of torque between 1-3k rpm.

I still think it's a bit unfair to compare the CR-Z to a crx si rather than a lower-spec civic hatch. I think people are being fooled by the name here. IF (or when) honda makes a CR-Z si, this whole comparison would be framed differently. I think the current CR-Z should be viewed as what it is: a completely sensical and well-executed middle ground between the hyper-miler 1g Insight, and the more performance-oriented but less practical SI's of both the olden days (i.e. 89 crx si) and the present and everything in between. It may not crank any one person's WANT-meter to the max, but it appeals VERY broadly for what is still essentially a 2-dr hatchback.

Having said that, im one of the people that probably WONT be surprised by the results of the article and would just like to see all the old crx nutswingers get a little bit more perspective and recognize the car for what it is, on its own merits, and not look at it as simply being a wrong answer to a question they never actually asked Honda to begin with!! So i AM still looking forward to this article.

Fletch1
Fletch1 Reader
8/24/10 2:44 p.m.

Sport and Economy Modes. Shouldn't that be how your right foot reacts? Anyway, everything is now on the Honda site, including accessories.

http://automobiles.honda.com/cr-z/

The base manual weighs 2637 lbs

VanillaSky
VanillaSky HalfDork
8/24/10 3:47 p.m.

I used their car builder, and mine was like $24,000. Not bad for a hybrid with nav. Of course, I'm not interested because it's a hybrid. I'm just hoping it has half of the fun of the old CRX with all of the wife's approval of any other brand new car.

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