2010 in Review: New-for-2011 Car I Would Spend My Own Money to Buy

[svgallery name="2011_Honda_CRZ_hirez"] By John LeBlanc Nostalgia played a big role in picking a New-for-2011 Car I Would Spend My Own Money to Buy—phew!—this year. As a former 1990 Honda CR-X owner, the two-seater’s modern reincarnation as the new CR-Z Hybrid pulled at my heart strings like no other new car I drove in 2010. From an engineering standpoint, like a Porsche 911 or Tesla Roadster, Honda’s Zed car is a one-of-a-kind: a two-seat sports coupe powered by a gasoline-electric hybrid, for under $25k. With only 122 hp on hand, though, the CR-Z is no ball of fire in a straight line. And with an as-tested 6.3 L/100 km fuel economy, it’s no Prius. (You wonder why Honda didn’t just drop in the Civic’s 140 hp gas engine, or even better, the 197 hp 2.0 from the Civic Si). But Honda did nail its coupe’s ride and handling balance. Despite the short wheelbase, the CR-Z’s ride isn’t jarring. While its variable-assist electric steering rack is arguably the best-steering hybrid I’ve driven—fast, accurate, and with real feel. And the CR-Z looks sharp, in a futuristic kind of way. Plus its a hybrid with one of Honda’s slick-as-satin manual gearboxes. Bottom line: the new CR-Z Hybrid was the only car I drove this year that had me pulling out my wallet.

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