Serious Question: What's so Bad About the CR-Z?

"AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC" (addictedtom3s) 04/28/2016 at 23:54 • Filed to: None

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While looking at !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ’ post, I was struck with curiosity. What’s so bad about the Honda CR-Z? It gets a lot of hate for not being like the CRX and being a hybrid. Other than that though, why else does nobody seem to like it?

Blondude > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 04/28/2016 at 23:57

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Nothing else, that’s exactly why people hate it.

Urambo Tauro > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 04/29/2016 at 00:00

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I think the styling is fantastic.

Mechanically, I don’t know enough about it to have an opinion. Gonna go check Wikipedia now...

RazoE > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 04/29/2016 at 00:00

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It’s not a very good hybrid (crappy mpg for a hybrid), and despite what the name suggests, it’s not like a CRX (heavy and relatively big). Instead of being the best of both worlds, it’s the worst of both.

JR1 > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 04/29/2016 at 00:01

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It looks good but it isn’t exactly sporty I didn’t think

Übel > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 04/29/2016 at 00:01

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Basically it was over-hyped and it under-performed.

Weirdly, it’s one of the only Hondas I really like.

d15b > Urambo Tauro 04/29/2016 at 00:02

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It should have came with a K-Series engine, like the RSX, TSX, any modern Honda/Acura.

d15b > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 04/29/2016 at 00:02

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It should have came with a K-Series engine, like the RSX, TSX, any modern Honda/Acura.

AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC > Urambo Tauro 04/29/2016 at 00:02

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As do I. I’ve sat in one and it was a pretty decent seating position. Other than that I’m like you. No idea about the mechanicals and how it handles.

glemon > RazoE 04/29/2016 at 00:02

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Nothing more to add, you nailed it.

AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC > Übel 04/29/2016 at 00:06

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So it’s essentially a victim of the hype train? I mean from the common complaints it sounds like your average Honda civic. Similar gas mileage, hybrid, and FWD.

ranwhenparked > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 04/29/2016 at 00:06

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1) Fuel economy is quite poor for a hybrid, worse than many internal combustion-only cars in it’s size class

2) Weight of aforementioned hybrid drivetrain prevents it from being as fun to drive as the CRX it’s supposed to emulate

So, basically, it does a poor job of doing what hybrids are supposed to do, and does a poor job of doing what sport compacts are supposed to do, which is bad for something that is supposed to be the world’s first sport compact hybrid.

Alex Zapata > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 04/29/2016 at 00:10

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It’s reaaaaaaaaaaalllyyyyyy slooooooowwwwwwwwwww.

It looks fucking incredible, but for something sporty looking you’d think it could at least outrun a Fit, but it doesn’t, also it’s heavy, understeery and not really gratifying to drive at all, not to mention expensive considering the performance.

interstate366, now In The Industry > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 04/29/2016 at 00:14

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It looks good, just slow. There’s an HPD kit for it now, which includes a supercharger and other performance parts, but it’s staggeringly expensive.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 04/29/2016 at 00:14

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They’re awesome.(for once photo cred goes to me!!)

sn4cktimes > glemon 04/29/2016 at 00:16

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Agreed. Was super excited when I originally learned about the CRZ... Then read it was a hybrid, and heavy, and underpowered and all my interest evaporated.

whoarder is tellurium > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 04/29/2016 at 00:18

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Hybrid. It never should’ve been a damn hybrid. Honda’s 2nd gen Insight (Fit XL) wasn’t even doing that well IIRC.

HammerheadFistpunch > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 04/29/2016 at 00:25

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Its a carmel covered onion; great looks that conciel bitter dissapointment.

Textured Soy Protein > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 04/29/2016 at 00:32

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The problem with the CR-Z is its styling says “I’m a modern-day CRX!” but underneath, it’s a hybrid Fit, without any real improvements to the driving experience. Even though it’s a hybrid it only gets 2 mpg more than the regular gasoline Fit and isn’t any faster. It’s 100 lbs heavier than a Fit. So you have the same basic performance as a Fit, way less practicality, and no additional sportiness.

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 04/29/2016 at 00:37

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It has a hybrid drive train.

If they had literally did a heart transplant with the 8th gen Si and put it in the CRZ, it would’ve been a HUGE hit

96Formula6spd > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 04/29/2016 at 00:40

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I looked at one when I was looking for a S2000. But the hate was that it never did anything good. I drove one and it was SLOW. Handling was meh and felt very heavy as it was because of the hybrid system. That along with the horrible mpg it just was a meh car. That and when you had a msrp of $1000 more than the civic si next to it why would buy it. I mean the civic got the same mpg and at least had an ok motor.

Most of the problems can be fixed by ditching the whole drivetrain for a k20 even tho that motor is pretty meh. That is a personal opinion from driving a 09 civic si. The 2012 was not much better even with the k24. It also lacked the good old Honda suspension and got the new stuff that makes new Hondas suck. I am not a Honda fan and will never be even after owning a 90 Crx Si and a 92 Da Integra.

So to recap, horrible motor, horrible suspension, heavy and overpriced. What killed what could have been a good car....well maybe for a Honda.

glemon > sn4cktimes 04/29/2016 at 00:47

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Yup

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 04/29/2016 at 00:50

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I’ve always really liked them, they’re the only current Honda I’d drive.

This color is awesome.

Tapas > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 04/29/2016 at 00:54

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Small, not really fast, not really economical.

- Everyone I’ve heard

Berang > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 04/29/2016 at 00:59

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I’ve never understood the hype behind the CR-X, so I have no idea what the CR-Z failed to live up to. In most (if not all) ways it’s better than the CR-X was.

AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch 04/29/2016 at 01:02

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I’ve always been curious about them. That is an awesome color. Although based on what everyone else has said, I’d rather a BRZ for the same price.

My bird IS the word > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 04/29/2016 at 01:05

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When I first saw these (the hybrid ones) i was super excited, then I found out it wasn’t that sporty.

Kinda lost interest after that.

Sam > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch 04/29/2016 at 01:11

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The new Civic tho. It’s a really nice car.

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch > Sam 04/29/2016 at 01:13

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I respect the engineering, but the CRZ styling is just right.

CallMeTURBO > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 04/29/2016 at 01:15

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I don’t know why they got so much hate. I would have loved to get one, pull out all the hybrid nonsense and drop in a k20, or a supercharged b16, but I don’t have that kinda play money.

But I have ridden in one and while they aren’t exactly the quickest, I found it to be a pretty fun ride.

While slightly lukewarm as far as public reception goes, if they had taken a leaf out of infiniti (future) book and used the hybrid for more performance instead of more economy it would have been a home run. However I am sure there are some tuning options available for that, I know you can buy a supercharger from Mugen to slap on the crz as is.

Source: I know my way around fun Hondas. my dad has been a Honda tech for 30 years. I’ve driven a few stock s2k, one with 30k dumped into a full on monster build, integra gsr, Turbo civics, Acura rsx, had a few drives in a bone stock CRX-Si, my dads friends SCCA lightly modified CRX, full stripped and caged SCCA racer late 80s civic, and dailyed a 99 Civic SI for 2 years.

Basically the only fun Honda I haven't driven is the NSX

Twism > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 04/29/2016 at 01:15

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I really loved the styling, I went for a test-drive and was really disappointed:

It tries to be a sport car, but the weight of the batteries makes it slow and unresponsive.

It tries to be a fuel-efficient vehicle, but if you drive it like a sport car it will guzzle fuel.

Fitted with a set of good tires (not the shitty fuel-savers they came with) it could be a decent little car, but there is so many better options that are either a better sport car, a better fuel-efficient car or a better hybrid.

The CR-Z is just an average mix of the 3.

Amoore100 > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch 04/29/2016 at 01:40

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I hate the facelift though. It looked elegant before, now it’s just overstyled.

Aaron James > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 04/29/2016 at 02:08

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I think a lot of it has to do with the nostalga factor which makes us remember the CRX as way better than it actually was. they’re great cars but not some mythical creature. As soon as it was announced that the CR-Z was going to be a hybrid everyone decided they hated it because it wasn’t a 1985 CRX with 60HP. Also because the first gens got way better mileage than the new ones with hybrid power train. The most common thing i remember reading when they came out was how stupid it was to buy a hybrid that got less mpg than the original.

AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC > Aaron James 04/29/2016 at 02:14

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That’s how I feel the Civics and CRXs from back then are put on a pedestal. Yes, they were fun and able to be tossed into a corner for some spirited driving. That’s it though. They were economy cars of their time.

Aaron James > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 04/29/2016 at 02:23

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The older I get the more I realize how much the nostalgia factor really creeps in. I can remember driving a 4 cyl fiero back in 95 or 96 and thinking it was the greatest thing i’d ever been in. Well I drove one a few years ago and while I had such fond memories I had to admit to myself that they kind of suck. I still love them though just because they connect me to such a wonderful time in my life.

David Baker > ranwhenparked 04/29/2016 at 03:36

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The one, and only credit I will give the CRZ is that it was available with a row your own transmission. Has any other modern hybrid offered a manual trans?

That One Kid in HS > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 04/29/2016 at 06:35

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I loved how they looked. Almost got one over my 2013Civic LX.

Well, my civic got better gas mileage. And it was nearly as nimble (crz weighs way too much)

Also, its one of the few honda cars that holds no resale value.

And im too young to be comparing it to the CRX. The car just became irrelevant by their best seller.

fourvalleys > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 04/29/2016 at 08:32

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I loved mine, and I might still be driving it if I hadn’t been t-boned.

It was a great little car... cheap, fun in the city, incredibly comfortable, and somehow has nicer interior materials than the $30k+ top-trim Accord. The 6-speed transmission is fantastic. Have you seen how it looks?!

Seriously, if you don’t expect a full-on sports car, it’s a wonderful car. People saw “sports hybrid” in the marketing materials and thought it should be a sports car with the mileage of a hybrid. It wasn’t a superstar in either category, but it did pretty well in both. It was a nice balance, which is more than most cars in 2010/2011. I beat on mine pretty hard - all city driving - and got about 35mpg. That isn’t bad.

Of course, as time goes on it’ll probably be looked back upon unfavorably - almost every sports car will be a hybrid, and the performance won’t age well. Too bad.

Having said all that, a lot of the people who criticize them have never driven one.

Here’s mine. I miss it.

fourvalleys > David Baker 04/29/2016 at 08:33

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The original Insight, but that’s not really “modern.”

The CR-Z was pretty much an evolution of the Insight.

fourvalleys > ranwhenparked 04/29/2016 at 08:35

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It did a “good” job at both. It wasn’t an Si, and it wasn’t supposed to be. Victim of marketing, sure - but it was a nice balance. Everything gets 40 mpg higway these days, but 35/39mpg was nothing to sneeze at in 2010. They’re surprisingly fun to toss around, too.

There’s lots out there that says the IMA system adds around 150lb total, including the battery. Not that bad.

What did you think when you drove it?

RazoE > David Baker 04/29/2016 at 09:28

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1st gen Insight is the only thing that comes to mind.

ranwhenparked > fourvalleys 04/29/2016 at 09:56

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I felt like I had to keep my foot planted the whole time to get decent acceleration, and the steering felt numb. Maybe numb isn’t the word, can’t put my finger on it, but let’s say, different.

BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 04/29/2016 at 09:58

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Front wheel drive, it’s heavy, and doesn’t even get good fuel economy. Also there’s very little space inside.

AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC > fourvalleys 04/29/2016 at 12:11

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That does look quite good. I wish it were faster though. I might have to try and drive one for shits and giggles and see if it’s as slow as everyone is saying. Honestly 35 mpg sounds fucking fantastic. My car gets 20 city, 29 highway mpg.

brianbrannon > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 04/29/2016 at 13:21

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Just drive one and you’ll understand the hate

Nauraushaun > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 05/03/2016 at 08:34

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It’s precisely because of the CRX, and with good reason. The CRX was a good looking car that handled well and could be had with a decent amount of power. The CR-Z was ugly, heavier and slower.

When you revive a beloved old name for a new car, you do it right or suffer the wrath.