2011 Honda CR-Z Details Leaked

The details of the 2011 Honda CR-Z have made their way to the Internet via a Japanese sales brochure, giving everyone a glimpse of exactly what we can expect when the 2-door hits dealerships sometime next year. The CR-Z is designed to be a hybrid that’s focused on driving enjoyment -- a goal that nearly every other battery-equipped eco-fighter out there hasn’t even bothered to attempt. So how does it stack up next to its competition? The CR-Z will face heat from the likes of the Toyota Prius, corporate brothers Insight and Civic Hybrid as well as the Lexus HS 250h.

According to the leaked brochure, the CR-Z will arrive in the Japanese market with a 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine paired with a small electric motor. Combined output is expected to be around 126 horsepower and 164 lb-ft of torque; drivers will have their choice of a continuously variable transmission or a 6-speed manual transmission. Right now, the reigning sales champion of the hybrid market, the Toyota Prius, packs a 1.8-liter 4-cylinder/electric motor combo good for around 134 horsepower and 154 lb-ft of torque, while the Honda Insight ships with a 1.3-liter 4-cylinder engine and electric motor with 111 horsepower.

The really heavy hitters are the Honda Civic Hybrid with its 130 horsepower and 176 lb-ft of torque and the 2010 Lexus HS with its 2.4-liter 4-cylinder and electric motor capable of a combined 187 horsepower. At first glance, it would appear Honda’s “sport” hybrid is seriously outgunned, but it’s important to remember the CR-Z is a coupe. While the rest of the hybrid offerings out there have to lug around three extra seats and two extra doors, the CR-Z should get away with considerably less weight -- making the car a little bit quicker relative to its power.

Even more notable, Honda has made it clear the CR-Z will be available with an honest-to-goodness 6-speed manual transmission, which should be more entertaining to operate than the CVTs found on most hybrids. The brochure didn’t mention price, but we’ve been told in the past to expect an MSRP in the neighborhood of the Civic Hybrid, or around $24,000. That puts the CR-Z smack in the middle of the hybrid market with the Insight, at $19,800, on the low end and the Lexus HS up top at $34,200.

Of course, no one buys a hybrid to be a sports car -- they buy it for the fuel economy. Unfortunately, the leaked brochure didn’t mention the CR-Z’s EPA numbers, but judging from the hardware onboard, it wouldn’t surprise us to see the car manage slightly better than the Civic Hybrid’s 40 mpg city/45 mpg highway. Those figures should be good enough to keep the CR-Z competitive, even against the 50/48 from the mighty Prius.

(Source: ToV)

(Photo courtesy of Honda.)