![]() 02/18/2014 at 18:02 • Filed to: TWOHOURS, 0-TO-120 | ![]() | ![]() |
This is a test drive I wrote for my own auto-blog which I am not going to link here. This is a 2010 Honda CR-Z with the CVT. Recently imported from Japan by a friend who was kind enough to let me have a go in it.
Now, I am not Jalopnik or Top Gear so I can't get cars for days to review them in full but I do look upto my stars and often wonder, that not many of us get that much time and so what would we make out of a car in such a short time because first impression is the last.
I didn't initially wrote it with respect to Jalopnik's crowd but I am still sharing hoping Two Hour Reviews my actually become something.
Time: 04:30:01 (Start)
If I had known the amount of attention I would be getting from all walks of life as I sat in the low back seated position of the loaned CR-Z, I would've shaved, settled my escaping hair, and dressed a bit better to match the exuberance of the car. f it fails at anything that we're about to write on, it sure is one hell of a head turner as it does look like kind of a space ship amidst all the Civic, Corollas, Land Cruiser and Suzukis in the traffic.
That made us also think what if we were in a Ferrari or a Lambo? From brand-spanking-new Land Cruisers to Corollas to Swifts to the poor people politicians no longer care about, it moved everyone heads like a supermodel in a mini-skirt on a windy day.
Cheers to the glorious traffic of Khalid Bin Waleed road, as good as the CR-Z may look, however it was shoved in the darkest corners of the show room and getting it out was one tough job when there were quite a few of lines of cars to be moved on to the road but the rush hour soon approaching, this wasn't an easy job which only meant our time spent with the car decreased as the car had to be delivered back by 8 PM and it was 4.30 already.
But it was out soon and we went out on the packed roads of Karachi to know how this is what it looks to be. A Sports Hybrid.
The dial looks a lot like the 458 and MP4 and turn on the ignition and you're welcomed by a chaos of bright lights who all come to life giving you a lively feel and the RPM touches the top of its band to greet you. Its all sort of awesome you know.
In my opinion, this is a Honda that tries too hard to impress the Prius party and as well as the sports hatchback enthusiasts. Its rather surprising Honda didn't lose it completely in the confusion.
It is an economical sports cars that suits two people rather perfectly. Two more can sit behind on the rear seats if a) they have no legs and, b) they have no heads as well, it's the perfect axe murderer vehicle for when you need to transport torsos fast. It is in essence a two-seater, two-door sports cars that shuts down when you come to a dead stop automatically.
Yup, the air-con shuts down as well as batteries fight their way back and take control of electronics single-handedly, as you sit out the red light or a traffic jam. However, the car has climate-control what would normally be referred to as A/C so when the climate control thinks its getting higher than the set temperature by the human, it kicks the engine back to work and the compressor kicks in. Though we must mention that when we increased the fan speed, the noise was worse than of Maruti 800's A/C on full speed.
Regardless, the air-con was great. It kept us cool as the CVT transmission made sure that we didn't feel any gear change at all in a sports car. Yeah, in your head, you're Vin Diesel, and this isn't Pakistan but this is Fast and Furious 69 and you have a contender for respect in town, you line up against them in your Sports Hybrid on the red light. You switch the car in the Sports mode and position your hands in 10-10 position on the steering as two of your fingers fix behind the flappy-paddle to shift and you launch! From first to second and the gear change is so smooth, I mean so smooth that you didn't feel the gear change while looking at the road for bikers and peasants, you forget to change gear and only found out at past 100 that you're in 5th gear!
The car has great grip and traction control whose effect we couldn't notice in a straight line but we did manage to take a curve or two at some speed and there was minimal body roll and no tyre squealing. If it wasn't a loaner and we actually owned, you might as well call us stupid for going against the laws of physics then.
But how did you came to 5th gear without changing? Because the CR-Z isn't as dumb as you racing on traffic lights. The CVT transmission doesn't actually have gears, partly because it is used in hybrid cars because it helps in fuel economy and is as smooth as Angelina Jolie's legs. The car's onboard computer shifts the gears for you beyond the redline if you don't shift up yourself soon even in manual sports mode. The manual mode I reckon is there to make you feel like a sports car but it isn't.
You can say that the car is actually quite clever, there are three modes in the car, one is Eco mode which I am sure you know what it does, than there's normal mode and finally, there's the sports mode for the fast and the furious.
Here's how the the speedo looks in different modes:
Green for Eco (Yeah, we somehow can't find the green pic), Blue for Normal and Red for Sports.
Coming on to the modes, even if you've selected say for example, Sports mode but you're too dumb to understand that you're in a bumper-to-bumper to traffic or a road like the sea view where there is a speed bump once after two steps. It decides that you were in the wrong mode according to your movement and the lights change to green is when you notice that the car is now in Eco mode by itself.
Since we have mentioned speed bumps, this car as low as it may look but it cleared the obnoxious speed bumps like a bird. There isn't a speed bump that can hug its underneath.
Moving on to the roads of Karachi, riddled with pot-holes, the roads of Karachi seem like the game of Mine Sweeper. You won't survive for too long and that's when we realized that regardless the mode you're in, this is car has a stiff suspension but because it's a Sports Hybrid. You know that feeling you get when you sit in a new car and you hear everything and feels soft or firm but you do feel everything, that's the feeling we got here so thinking over a period of time, you'll feel the roads like in any normal locally built car. Simply put; the ride is above average.
The car is surprisingly dim-witted to exploit those gaps found in Pakistani traffic which gets you ahead and home quickly because the power lies very high at 4,500 RPM, everything before it just noise. Pointless noise. You press the accelerator in hope then expectation frankly. Or, you have to switch to Sports mode and downshift feverishly to come in the right gear which is at 4,500 RPM to launch ahead.
But that doesn't mean it isn't powerful, it is quite powerful with manual mode having 7 forward gears or chances on which you can change to your liking but miss one shift and it'll do it for you.
The gear changes are smooth as I've said above, the car has tv/satnav/rear-cam/hdd/dvd/cd but not a dishwasher however the list goes on and on and you're dumb-founded to know that you were not even in the fully loaded model.
But the mileage was beyond terrific, I mean we're in a sports car and we don't have to worry about fuel. It's almost sorcery!
The street kid's face lit up when we arrived in the car park and whether we bought the flowers or not, he just wanted his picture taken with his dream spaceship.
Its a pretty good car and but after two and a half hours, I don't want to buy it. Sure I'll save fuel and in the process I'll get a bit of fun as well but I'll save less fuel and have a bit more fun in some small car like the GT-86 but that's the Jalop in me speaking.
If it has left me confused in two and a half hours, pretty sure the manual one will convince me if I drove it for a day to be my new DD.
End: 08:00:00
And I've written quite a lot in just driving two hours. eh!
![]() 02/18/2014 at 18:12 |
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I can't bring myself to like its looks. To me its as if they took this as their natural inspiration:
But then were like, "what about this?!?"
And then somebody was like "Or what about this? Except, bigger! Much bigger!"
![]() 02/18/2014 at 18:14 |
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You're right, that's how they began!
![]() 02/18/2014 at 18:15 |
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And sorry guys, I totally missed the watermarks. I'll have to develop new ones without them so I have swapped those I had without them. Cheers!
![]() 02/18/2014 at 18:26 |
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I think you should leave the watermarks...
![]() 02/18/2014 at 19:03 |
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I find the CR-Z to be quite adequate and a joy to drive.
My only real gripe on the car is the horrible outward visibility through the rear windshield and rear side glass...that is a show stopper to me
![]() 02/18/2014 at 19:05 |
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It's for your own good you know. all that extra bulk is how they make the crumple zones that keep you safe. you'll notice that even though the out side of the car has increased the inside stays just as small or even smaller. It's like the opposite of the Tardis.
![]() 02/19/2014 at 04:20 |
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Yeah that was a problem, but after getting out of it I said to my friend who was talking about the same thing, "So that's what it feels like to see through the rear-view mirror".
![]() 02/21/2014 at 13:57 |
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it is time you told your friend to purchase this.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 13:58 |
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Nice shot!
![]() 02/21/2014 at 13:58 |
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I don't care what anyone says, I like this car a lot, it's actually the only Honda that is currently in production that I like, Acura included. if I was in the market for a small hybrid, this is the only option as far as I'm concerned.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 13:58 |
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What's this (the 30 - what is it there for)?
![]() 02/21/2014 at 13:58 |
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I like the gadgets and doodads, but for the money, Fiesta ST, plz.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 14:01 |
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They already remade the first one.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 14:02 |
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You may want a disclaimer that certain markets (namely, North America) don't have a backseat.
Still, those back seats can't really be usable anyway, even if they're there...
e: it's obvious to most people reading this post but I'm sure some people will read it and think "Wow, I didn't realize this has a back seat!"
![]() 02/21/2014 at 14:04 |
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Cool writeup.
And of course everyone was looking at you! You were in one of the only CR-Zs in the country.
Oh, and if you were in a Ferrari or Lambo, you would have been mugged. At gunpoint. By a child. Ask me how I know.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 14:07 |
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I really like the aesthetics of the CR-Z. I just wished they sold an Si.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 14:09 |
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My '91 hatch rolled over to 367,000 miles this morning. I love it.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 14:10 |
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Hey Baber, great piece. I find it interesting that you can get so much out of a 2 hour jaunt in a car - I might need a tiny bit longer than that. I'm not sure if your blog is automotive related or not, but if you ever need a writer or a photographer let me know. I'm currently on the hunt for a new job!
Attached is some of my photo work, and if you're interested, you can see my writing through my Kinja.
In the meantime, I hope you get to spend some more time with the CR-Z, because after having driven one extensively like I did when I lived in Japan, I can tell you without a doubt that you tend to bore of it very quickly. It's (sadly) not the performance car it should be, as a predecessor to the almight CRX.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 14:14 |
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I do like the CR-Z with its looks and interior, but everything else seems to be lacking in the car. Its kind of numb and doesn't really exude performance like the original Si did. Also man, was that article hard to read. I like the concept though.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 14:17 |
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Easily, the Fiesta only gets 4 less mpg highway and has way more power.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 14:20 |
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Two more can sit behind on the rear seats if a) they have no legs and, b) they have no heads as well, it's the perfect axe murderer vehicle for when you need to transport torsos fast.
That made me chuckle.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 14:27 |
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Just a heads up, if you dont wanna be linking to personal site id be careful about republishing works on other sites, it look me less then 2 seconds to find your blog with google.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 14:41 |
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Good idea, shit execution. If they remade the CRX as a no frills hatch, it would have done decently. I think.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 14:41 |
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Yeah I was thinking WTF had no idea this car had even vestigial back seats. I've always wanted one as a DD and if we got back seats in NA I'd really want one.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 14:46 |
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Not really. Bulk can be disguised with clever use of aesthetic tricks. But the real problem is just bad design. The front end was almost there, but they got lazy and the rear end is just plain ugly.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 14:50 |
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I run my that website's blog. I just didn't wanted to look self-promoting that's I wanted to remove the website's watermarks. It was a lot of bother to actually remove and post new ones with my name.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 14:52 |
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I never knew they'll actually publish it on the FP. I have accepted your feedback and will try to improve. Cheers.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 14:53 |
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Incident free for the past five years. Ask me how to roam free. :)
![]() 02/21/2014 at 14:53 |
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It is some markings left by the area planners.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 14:55 |
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My friend didn't check the bag for the 18-22 and instead brought along the 70-200. I couldn't really made the frame I wanted because I had to move far and down. Thanks though.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 14:59 |
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Not as bad as every journalist made it out to be. Drive the hell out of it,, drive it like you stole it, still get 38mpg. Yeah, it is a bit slow, but she handles well for what it is,,
![]() 02/21/2014 at 15:01 |
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This is a very good first draft review of the wrong year and wrong model CR-Z. 2013-2014 model CR-Z's have a power pump (HP - 130 combined, TQ 140 combined with the 6spd manual) and better battery pack. Also, you need to test the manual if you want to criticize the sports car side of this car. I'm not sure if you're ESL or not, but your review would benefit from a peer edit. There is some sentences that seem to lose focus a bit. Either way, good review. I still haven't driven one, but maybe I'll put up my thoughts on here when I get a chance.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 15:05 |
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I didn't like the design until I saw a CR-Z in person. Every since I've been quite fond of the car. Without question, it's a million times better looking than the Civic. The drivetrain, however, is massively disappointing. Actually, the problem isn't that they offer a hybrid variant, it's that they don't offer a higher performance model that lives up to the promises of the styling.
It is unfortunate, however, that Honda has decided to add a cheap LED strip to the headlights.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 15:07 |
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Thanks for the feedback. Will definitely help me in the future. Anyways, it was a 2010 model on the paper, what do you mean by wrong year and wrong model?
Also, do nudge me when you write your thoughts on it. It'll help me improve and understand better.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 15:11 |
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Very nice review, Baber. Also good to see you're still active on here. The power delivery issue sounds a lot like what I've experienced in my mother's automatic RSX. The first time I drove it, it was a huge let down. The next time, I put it in "manual" mode and it was a lot better. Still a lot of noise before the power showed up though, but I think Hondas and Acuras are just like that if you're used to something with a lot of low end torque.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 15:11 |
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Interesting... Back in 1988, I bought a new Prelude Si-4WS which was a wonderful car for 8 years and 187,000 miles (until I traded it for a new '95 Stealth R/T).
When I bought the Prelude, I'd seriously considered getting a CR-X. Being a 2-seater, the insurance would have been prohibitive in NJ. My insurance quote for the CR-X was no different than if I'd purchased a Porsche 911 or a Corvette. It HAD to have a back seat or it would be considered a high-risk sports car. Ridiculous!
So, whether the back seat is usable or not doesn't matter (at least here) as long as it's there. Sometimes I wish they could infuse some common sense into the actuarial analysts and get them to realize that two seats doesn't automatically mean it's a high-performance model.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 15:13 |
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It is a good car there's no denying it but different strokes for different folks.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 15:19 |
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Hey! Thanks for the feedback. We do have a compensation policy for freelance writers and are looking for an assistant to me in Lahore, Pakistan. But I am guessing you wouldn't move and would be a dumb move I think.
But the freelance compensation is also a bit of a letdown for foriegn writers you know. I mean Pakistan's currency is next to dog-shit and if we deliver our standard rate which is although upto standard local market rates and yet you'd only receive pennies. But continue writing, you will find yourself a job that you wish to have.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 15:25 |
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I gotcha I understand, figured you had other reasoning for not wanting to link to it but ya I follow you.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 15:25 |
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They're a fantastic car. I had one for just under 30 months (before I was involved in a hit & run), and I really enjoyed it. Here's a comment I made recently regarding the CR-Z:
The 6-speed is ridiculously fun to drive. The electric motor gives it enough of a push in the low end so it doesn't feel all that much like a hybrid, and it is a very very composed little car. It's the most solid feeling car I've found in the price range, for sure. Most things under $25k don't come close. The cluster is phenomenal, the fit and finish is great, and overall the materials feel quality. The leather on the seats and steering wheel feels considerably nicer than the Accord, and that's saying something.
Most of the people who knock them have never driven one, and those that have were only disappointed because they still want it to be a CR-X. It should be, but for what they built it is a nice car!
Shame about the stock wheels they have on them now, though. Yikes.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 15:29 |
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I've had one since they first came out. Test drove it against a fit and chose it over the fit even though it was 3-4k more expensive. I also drove 6 hours roundtrip to pick one up in the color I wanted, a manual, and minus the exorbitant market price increase that dealers in metropolitan areas can get away with (I was offering to pay msrp with cash and they wouldn't budge!). I've loved the car since purchase. Could it have more power? Yes. Could it make better mileage? Yes. Would it be nice to be able to see out the back aside from mirrors when backing up? Hell yes. Apart from that though its a very fun car to drive. I've always been one to enjoy going fast in a slow car (though that may be a lack of experience in going fast in a fast car), and the CR-Z delivers that. Everybody tries to compare it to the crx of yesteryears, however its just not really feasible to produce such a car anymore. As for dropping the civic SI engine in, they wouldn't want inner brand competition.
Long story short, its a fun car and more than fits the bill for a single or couple not expecting kids. The hate that it gets is not justifiable, especially when its coming from people that never have driven it and only by what they read in an article.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 15:32 |
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True, I didn't keep any benchmarks for this while driving it or while writing this review.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 15:33 |
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Hey thanks! Been a while since I last saw you, probably because I don't visit Plus anymore. So thank you reading and dropping by.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 15:34 |
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Awesaome writeup.
US models don't get the back seat. Flappy paddles seem stupid in a CVT
![]() 02/21/2014 at 15:36 |
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No problem. Nice to talk to you. I'm still around here and there, but yes, mostly there.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 15:38 |
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I like the review, thanks!
Unlike some, I like the exterior look of the CRZ, and really like the cockpit. Sadly, it was let down by the powertrain. If they'd either picked super efficient like the original Insight, or made it appropriately sporty like the CRX it would have been a win, but they tried to do both, compromised and got a fail.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 15:42 |
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I'll try to show up every now and then over there. Cheers!
![]() 02/21/2014 at 15:56 |
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No worries, again, I really do think you have a good review here. I think I might make more time for writing my own thoughts on cars I've driven on here being an employee of Honda/Acura.
What I mean by wrong model and year is that the new CR-Z, specifically any 2013-2014 model, has been significantly improved. Reviewing a 2010 model without knowing the new version currently on sale is different puts it at a disadvantage. They increased the power, changed to a Lithium-Ion battery pack, and tweaked the styling. I would make a note in your current review stating the differences, so people don't think the new model is the same as the 2010 (my experience on the subject shows that not a lot of people knew there was changes made).
![]() 02/21/2014 at 16:11 |
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Cool piece Baber! I like reading stuff from other countries. It's fun to see how we can be so different yet still be the same. However, I've seen videos of Pakistan traffic and "shooting the gap" is something not often seen in California traffic.
Also, I'll have to check out pakwheels.com when I'm not at work. The piece on "The lifecycle of an ordinary Riksha" is pretty funny!
![]() 02/21/2014 at 16:19 |
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My only gripe about the CR-Z is that our USDM version did not come with the backseats. I know they are tiny, but so are my kids. If they had them, I would have bought two, as I just replaced both my and my wife's cars and we both love how it looks.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 16:21 |
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Can't they fit on special order? Its not a big thing to ask I reckon.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 16:45 |
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They are, as they're completely arbitrary. Instead of paddles, there should be a "throttle" like an airplane, which changes the gear ratio - less eco ("1st gear") at the bottom, with an analog push to most eco ("7th gear+"). This way, you could manually control power delivery in a gearless car - and likely maximize mpg.
But, I'm crazy, so...
![]() 02/21/2014 at 17:05 |
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Nope. They just put a shelf
![]() 02/21/2014 at 17:25 |
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Had way too many people I know killed or held up there.
Ever seen the Vice series on Karachi? Doesn't really make me want to visit again.
Plus everyone smells bad. lol.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 19:56 |
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Hey, I don't mean to be hard. I appreciate the effort that you put into it for sure, and like the concept too. Some of the sentence structures make it difficult, that's all. It may just be the voice that I read in too! Keep it up man, subb'd!
![]() 02/21/2014 at 20:29 |
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Good review, but shit car. I tried my best to look at it with a fresh point of view. It's just trash. It's not a good hybrid, and it's not a good sports car. People who buy the CR-Z are fools.
![]() 02/21/2014 at 20:50 |
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I bought a 2013 CRZ-EX 6 speed last year, and I use it for my business and absolutely love it. It get's a lot of looks and people call it a space ship, so when you said that in the review I got a good laugh. If I drive it in ECO mode I average 42-48 MPG and in sport mode it's around 36-38. Anyway I enjoyed reading the review.
Also thinking about that HPD package!
![]() 02/21/2014 at 21:05 |
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When he said it was the wrong model he was being funny. He meant you should have gotten and tested one of the later models, which he gave examples of.
![]() 02/22/2014 at 01:20 |
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get a used one for 12 grand with a stick shift, these things did not hold value well...
and it seems like most of the problems are related to the power being locked away at high RPMs....that's not really a problem in a manual, just slam into the gear you want to rev high and off you go
![]() 02/22/2014 at 05:44 |
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Honda here doesn't provide cars so we had to do with what we have. But you go ahead, we may actually learn something.
![]() 02/22/2014 at 07:01 |
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2013-2014 model CR-Z's have a power pump (HP - 130 combined, TQ 140 combined with the 6spd manual) and better battery pack.
Bit of a sales pitch? ;-)
![]() 02/22/2014 at 13:47 |
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actually looks pretty good/futuristic. too bad everything in this picture is classic honda hard plastic
![]() 02/22/2014 at 13:50 |
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Yeah, the plastic isn't that bad. It is I guess fine.
![]() 02/22/2014 at 16:28 |
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nice try, but needs more time editing, less bad cleverness.
![]() 02/23/2014 at 22:05 |
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I work for Acura, how would that benefit me? A simple statement of fact, one which sheds some light on the changes made to the car. Those changes help with the main criticisms of the car when it was first launched.
![]() 02/24/2014 at 19:33 |
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It was said mostly in jest, actually, since Acura and Honda are related.
![]() 02/25/2014 at 00:18 |
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I realized that after I replied, my apologies. As for the related part, all my Acura parts are in Honda boxes.
![]() 12/08/2015 at 10:21 |
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You must be a Subaru or Prius driver
![]() 02/09/2016 at 11:15 |
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It’s pretty funny, in Toronto where I live, this car gets barely any looks or dismissed completely, however when I drive to the states, I always get stares, glances and compliments. It depends on where I drive I guess.
![]() 02/09/2016 at 11:18 |
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yeah this is due to north american regulations about people actually need to have room to put in seats, but i’m thinking pets would be perfect in the small back seats than the shelves we got
![]() 02/09/2016 at 12:51 |
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Still agree even two years later. :)