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482 – CR-Z is a striking car – for all the right reasons

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17 August 2010

THIS striking Honda CR-Z turned up outside the Business Car Manager offices yesterday (pictured left). I’ve got it for three days to road test.

It’s an intriguing car – a spitirual successor to the Honda Civic-based roller skate CRX (not that horrible targa top abomination Honda foisted on us later), which was a complete hoot to drive (pictured below left). Except that this CR-Z is different: it’s a hybrid.

Which is important. It’s the first time we’ve seen a hybrid wrapped up in a body shape that’s attractively rakish rather than purposefully dull in a serious green-thinking way – as if, until now, those of us who were interested in hybrids weren’t interested in design.

Due to parking restrictions, I popped it around the corner. When I went to collect the car later yesterday evening, one of the neighbours came over to question me about it.

“I’ve been admiring that Honda, it’s a great colour,” she said (which it is, incidentally, Horizon Tourquoise Pearl for those of you who are interested). “I’ve got a Prelude, oh it’s about 10 years old,” she continued. “But it’s been so reliable. I’ve ‘converted’ two other people in the road to Hondas – and they’ve all been reliable, too. So what’s this one then?”

I explained that it was the new CR-Z. A coupe with a hybrid powertrain. Which then led me into a conversation about hybrids – what they were and how batteries assisted the engine for improved economy (over 50mpg) and lower CO2 emissions. For company car drivers this means a company car tax band of 10%, rising to 14% in 2012/13 – in other words, very little tax.

It was an interesting meeting. Not least because of the lady’s enthusiasm and more importantly the reaction the CR-Z engenders. It’s a striking car, love it or loathe it.

That was the reaction of my son, Matt. He liked the CR-Z because it was visually provocative – both outside and inside the cockpit.

I’ll let you know more about the car when I’ve had longer behind the wheel. But first impressions are good – there’s a solidity to the car, a wonderfully engineered firmness to the gearlever action, and meaty steering that makes you feel very comfortable behind the wheel. I shall enjoy unearthing more of the Honda CR-Z’s character later.

Business Car Manager: Editor’s Blog

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Ralph Morton

Ralph Morton

Ralph Morton is an award-winning journalist and the founder of Business Car Manager (now renamed Business Motoring). Ralph writes extensively about the car and van leasing industry as well as wider fleet and company car issues. A former editor of What Car?, Ralph is a vastly experienced writer and editor and has been writing about the automotive sector for over 35 years.

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