At the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show opening today, Honda has unveiled the first affordable hybrid car built with driving enthusiasts in mind. The 2011 Honda CR-Z is a long way from the practical-but-sluggish Prius. This thing even comes with a six-speed manual transmission.
Edmunds Inside Line reports, "Compact and sleek, the 161-inch coupe, which has been two years in the making, is now reportedly ‘95 percent' representative of the final production product which is set to be unveiled at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show in January." The hatchback will be "powered by a 1.5-liter i-VTEC + IMA hybrid powertrain," larger and more powerful than that found in the Honda Insight, "tied to a six-speed manual shifter, the first time Honda's offered such a sporty combo in the hybrid class." Horsepower figures are not yet available.
Honda used to offer sporty, affordable little hatchbacks that made commuting fun for driving enthusiasts on a budget...but it's been 17 years since the last of those left the market. Autoblog, however, sees that car in this one. The CR-Z, they write, is "good news for fans of the much-loved 1983-1991 Civic CR-X."
It may be just a year from showrooms. Jalopnik reports, "The preternaturally lovable two-seater will be making a return by the fall of 2010."
Pricing has not been announced, but it Honda wants to capitalize on the early buzz about this car among those who miss the compact pocket rockets the brand made years ago, it can't place the CR-Z's price much beyond that of the Insight, which is already the least-expensive hybrid available in the U.S. this year.
If you're in the market for a new car, check out the U.S. News rankings of this year's best cars as well as this month's best car deals.
