Tokyo Preview: Near-production Honda CR-Z "Concept" unveiled
by Jeremy Korzeniewski on Sep 30th 2009 at 12:20AM 
2009 Honda CR-Z Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery
One of the most highly anticipated new model releases scheduled to debut at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show would have to be the production version of Honda's CR-Z hybrid hatchback. First unveiled at the Tokyo show back in 2007 in concept form, the sporty two-passenger vehicle is slated for production early next year in Honda's home market of Japan. We expect the CR-Z to hit the States sometime thereafter.
Underhood will be a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine mated up to Honda's proprietary Integrated Motor Assist technology. Also on the menu will be a six-speed manual gearbox that will surely be a more entertaining partner for driving enthusiasts than the CVT automatic transmission used in the Insight hatchback.
While Honda is still calling the Tokyo-bound CR-Z a concept, don't expect the attractive sheetmetal to be altered before the car hits the showroom floor. That's fine by us – the car's wedge-shaped lines are very attractive and call to mind the seminal CRX from the early 1980s, though with a modern flavor reminiscent of the current Insight. See for yourself in our gallery below.
Gallery: 2009 Honda CR-Z Concept
[Source: Honda]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
eliot 1:05AM (9/30/2009)
Cant somebody make a cheap hybrid without the split glass in the rear- having a 6 inch black line across your vision is annoying as ****!
The Camry Hybrid is nice, but its boring to drive and doesnt have a 60/40 split bench in the back. The Fusion/Milan Hybrids are nice, theyre just way more expensive then a Prius/Insight wedge shaped hybrid.
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KK 12:57PM (9/30/2009)
The split rear window is for aerodynamics reasons. It's a Kammback (Kamm tail), which is basically a streamlined teardrop shape with the end cut off. That means a gently sloping roof that ends abruptly at a flat rear surface. You need a window on both the sloping section and the flat vertical section.
Some hybrids don't have this design, but those don't seem to be as fuel-efficient as ones that do. The Fusion hybrid only gets 36 mpg highway, I believe?
Baumm III 5:55AM (9/30/2009)
Why 2 seats only?
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Gordio 2:58PM (9/30/2009)
edmunds mentions it is 2+2 aragnement. I hope so. I rarely use the back seats of my fit but occasionally I need to bring people along.
Man...should i trade my fit in for this car. I am tempted, but I will miss the magic seats. No other car is like the Fit. I moved many-a-thing with my fit, from moving to my new apartment, to transporting lots stuff when my parents were remodeling their house; it was more useful than my dad's truck!
this car hoepfully is a good ocmback for honda after releasing the insight.
FitFan 3:16PM (9/30/2009)
It would be a tough call on whether or not to swap your Fit for this car. My wife owns a Fit and we love that car, and having the 4-seater car frees me up to pick up a fun 2-seater like this beautiful CR-Z.
If I were still single I'd probably hold on to the Fit for it's amazing versatility.
Gordio 4:36PM (10/06/2009)
http://vtec.net/forums/one-message?message_id=855782&news_item_id=855218
according to these photos it's definitely 2+2 seating arrangement. I"m happy the back seats create a flat surface with the trunk when folded down.
Snowdog 9:22AM (9/30/2009)
Not liking it at all. I expected them to make some styling concessions for practicality reasons. Slightly lower belt line for better visibility, more open rear quarter windows. Realistic wheels.
But no. That didn't happen. The rear quarters are even more useless, giving you massive blind spots. Belt line still too high, wheels still oversized.
Yet the design still lost all its flow and curves. It looks like the back of one car grafted to the front of another.
To compensate for the lost flowing curves. The tacked on a bunched of cheesy creases everywhere.
Ugly, awkward, poor visibility, economy car drivetrain. Bravo Honda... A car for no one.
I dub thee CR-aZtek.
IMO they should have saved a ton of money and just give us the drivetrain options in the Honda Fit, which is better looking, more practical car with massively better outward visibility.
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Mike!!ekiM 8:16PM (9/30/2009)
Yes, it looks like the loser in a switchblade fight.
I thought the concept was longer.
Invisible 9:23AM (9/30/2009)
HOT. Not give us a version with the Civic Si powertrain, 6 speed manual.
return of the CRX-Si.
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Laurens 11:07AM (9/30/2009)
This will go down well in Europe, it has been a while since the last good looking Honda. I like the IMA technology as well, ok, it's can't drive on E only, but who cares if the overall mileage is the same as "another hybrid".
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mike 11:08AM (9/30/2009)
Awesome !
Not just the car, which I like well enough.
But nothing could be better for hybrids than a serious little war between honda and toyota.
Should spell a big win for the consumer in classical market economics fashion.
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Throwback 11:39AM (9/30/2009)
At last a manual transmission in a hybrid, thanks again Honda. The interior certainly looks a step ahead of the Insight, I would not be surprised to see the DB migrate to the insight.
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Thunderbuck 5:54PM (9/30/2009)
I'm with you on this one. This looks cool, and I love having a stick.
I could totally do this car.
GK 2:42PM (9/30/2009)
Oh my. I'm a proud Honda owner but this design has major problems. The bulbous front looks to be borrowing design language from the most recent US Accord, which is a car that has gotten way too big and bloated. Like the new Accord, the exterior of this car doesn't even look like a Honda really. Especially the gaping maw grill in the front, what is up with that?
This design is a real pastiche-- actually, Snowdog's Aztek comparison is not that far off. It's a jumble of unrelated design elements. They need to clean this up in a hurry, it's overcomplicated and lacks the simple grace of the original and second gen CRX designs.
Love the idea of the car, but needs a serious makeover or else they will be faced with another disappointment on the heels of the Insight.
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Gordio 3:55PM (9/30/2009)
To each his own. On regular autoblog, where there are more opinions, you see people either love it or hate it. I LOVE It. I can't stop grinning about how nice this looks. I like this (inside and out) better than the concepts.
PS I'm especially glad they got rid of the "fish mouth" grill.
Snowdog 5:01PM (9/30/2009)
I agree. Overly busy and needs to be simpler like the CRX. It has grown on me since this morning, but I am still not a fan.
I really am more of function first kind of guy so the giant blind spots to the rear are a disappointment if this is the final form. You can excuse that in a Lamborghini, but a low end sporty hybrid still needs back windows.
GK 1:02AM (10/01/2009)
Agreed on the blind spots--I have a newer Civic Coupe, which has a giant greenhouse compared to this, and it has so-so visibility out the rear. This car as-is will have virtually no rear visibility--that's a major problem. Maybe they will put a rear-view camera on it (like the lambo??)
Freshair 4:12PM (9/30/2009)
I agree with Snowdog on this one! It seems many of the newer designs from manufacturers are delegating nice big blind spots at the C Pillars. That ought to create increased business for everyone in the autobody industry. Not only is this a mishmash design if it is priced in the $30,000 region I would be wanting something better in the looks as well as the mileage department. Love the concept just as I did the original CRX but come on take a hint from Kia keep it simple & inexpensive. My money would go to the Koup.
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Mike!!ekiM 8:45PM (9/30/2009)
It needs to be parked next to an Electric Motorbike.
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GK 1:04AM (10/01/2009)
Agreed on the blind spots--I have a newer Civic Coupe, which has a giant greenhouse compared to this, and it has so-so visibility out the rear. This car as-is will have virtually no rear visibility--that's a major problem. Maybe they will put a rear-view camera on it (like the lambo??)
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