Addiction of Honda is rising in the automobile world in the premium segments. The perfection and power offered by Honda is just an awesome in all their wonderful machines. Honda Civic, CR-V, City, Ridgeline, Accord, pick any and there will be an admiration to it. Honda is adding one more option for Honda Lovers in the segment of premium small car as Honda CR-Z. It sounds similar to that of CR-V, but is a lot different.

Honda CRZ Front

Admiring the exterior won’t stop you till you’ll get seated inside to feel the classy interiors. The shape is very new and it is already catching the market even before the launch. Carrying a big bunch of features, this car will surely resist you from buying any other car, say in any segment. The car will be launched in 2011 as a hybrid model to resist pollution and will be available in 2 variants; first will be basic Honda CR-Z and second will be Honda CR-Z EX and both will come in 6-speed manual transmission as standard but can be switched to CVT (Continuous Variable Transmission) with paddle shifters.

Engine

With a power of 122hp@ 600rpm (including 13 hp of electric motor), this car churns the roads quite well. The engine used is in-line-4-cylinder, 1497cc that produces a maximum torque of 128 @ 1000 – 1750rpm in manual transmission model whereas 123 @ 1000 – 2000rpm in CVT model. The car is built for inside city purposes or smaller outside journeys. It’s not for major outdoor purposes and that’s why the company has not made any option for 4WD. Front wheel drive is standard in both basic and EX.

The steering is mounted with all the major controls required while driving. The paddle shifters are there, audio controls are there for easy reach. There is a Hill Assist System along with the manual transmission model which keeps the pressure on brakes for 1.5 seconds whenever your foot is moved from brake to accelerator pedal while climbing sloped area, so that car doesn’t reverses unconditionally.

Interior

Honda CRZ comes all power-packed with features but just for 2 people. The seating is just for two and there is a large cargo space in the rear.

Honda CRZ Interior

The hi-tech dashboard is very smartly placed and eye catching illumination adds a sporty look to it. The steering is very smartly mounted with paddle shifters, audio controls and mobile controls and obviously there is a horn button too. The automatic climate control A/C is a standard in both basic and EX versions. The controls are beautifully placed on the right side of the digital meter console.

Honda CRZ Boot Space

The audio system is also an impressive feature which has a built in support for USB and Aux. The basic model comes with 160W audio output and the EX model comes with 360W high definition output. The satellite navigation is currently available in United States only in the EX models only.

There are many other features that are admirable which include power folding mirrors, sun-glass holder, smart cargo storage, cruise control, power door locks, map lights, power outlet, illuminated vanity mirrors(EX) and a few more.

The sports seats offer a very comfortable seating but lacks the electric controls. The seats are to be adjusted manually even in the EX model. This is one thing that should be upgraded to electric ones.

Exterior

HondaCRZ Rear

There is nothing to say about the car exteriors. Its one look shows it all. Additionally, things that can be told are, LED daytime running headlights, High Intensity Discharge Headlights, LED brake lights and halogen lights are standard. The rear windshield is a lot different and is not placed as conventional type. The looks of car are a lot differ by this change. Moreover, the 16” alloy wheels come as a standard and can be upgraded to 17” at showroom. The front large grille is a very new thing by Honda that makes it look like a bold boy on road.

Safety

Sufficient airbags for 2 passengers, 3 point seat belts with automatic pretension, ABS, Vehicle Stability Control and that’s not all. There are things like Brake Assist, EBD, Seatbelt reminder and tire pressure monitoring system that are present to help you out in avoiding unwanted situations.

Overall, it’s a new step of Honda towards small cars and has never been launched by this company, only for 2 persons car. The expected price of this car for the basic version is $19200 with all standard features whereas you have to pay around $20760 for the EX model. Do check the official site for Honda CRZ to know more.