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Call me middle age crazy, I guess, but as I tool down my ideal, if long, commute (60 miles one way, rural, flat, 4 lane) I sometimes wish for a little more pizzazz in my ride. My '08 Civic hybrid has great utility and mileage (depending on the wind, temperature, road surface, rain, etc), but is a plain, jane, vanilla car. Sometimes I wish for some of that elan I see in the Mini's and other BMW's that zoom by. The CRZ at least looks fast. The cvt I drove didn't impress me as being all that much quicker, regardless of mode, than my car. The bar across the tailend was right in the way of seeing out the rear view mirror. By the numbers, the cvt has a slightly higher overall gear ratio than the mt version, so I suppose that could equate to lower rpm and marginally bettter mileage. My car is just getting broke in good at 88000 miles, but I keep thinking about something else to drive: maybe the hybrid Camry? CRZ?

Can be a bit pricey, but a lot of reviews are saying the Golf TDI is both somewhat sporty and frugal. Comes in both 3-door and 5-door trim and can be made to look very similar to a GTI.

Hi red928;

In my humble opinion, I find the CVT version of the CR-Z to be the best of the two for the average city dweller. It is much quieter, more refined and measurably more fuel efficient.

The MT has what I would call "the best Honda MT" I have ever experienced. Its is smooth and delicious but a chore and very frustrating to live with in an predominantly urban setting.

Despite my initial prejudices I did not find the CVT model to be any slower or less responsive that the MT model... and believe me on this one, I had a chance to actually live with both cars for more than a full week. In the end, I had to give a resounding thumbs up to the CVT model as it offered the best mileage, lowest emissions, smoothest commuter experience while not preventing you from showing your youth and flair on the weekends.

Which ever transmission type, the car simply looks fast even when not moving and it is LOADS of nimble fun whether you are driving it more vigorously or hypermiling it. :D


<I'll post a few pics of the two CR-Z's (MT6 & CVT) from my review later on>

Cheers;

MSantos

??? You have a Mini Cooper S for sporty and the HCH for the long commute. Why mess that combo up with a car that's neither fish nor fowl? You'll take an immediate $5,000 depreciation hit when the tires of the CR-Z reach the street. It doesn't make any sense at all.

Ah, but the Mini is my wife's car and she is very protective of it. I might get to drive it to service if she can't, but hardly any other time. Especially not on my long commute. I used to have a Golf TDI. It got good mileage, was sporty with its five speed, but required a timing belt change every 80-100k @ $800 per plus it helped to add a little power service in the winter to bolster the cetane rating of the available fuel and the stealer/dealer was not very consumer friendly. When I bought that car, diesel was still cheaper than gas, but within six months it flopped over the other way and has never returned. So, more expensive fuel, frequent timing belt service (see-I put 40k miles on per year), snooty dealers, where is the love?

Hi Red928:

I will take a little different track.

Since you live in Kansas, I "suspect" you have a somewhat open commute. Driving a Honda Hybrid with a CVT is about as boring as it gets when it comes to user input. Sure there is the SHM mode and soft Gliding but that rev up before things really start happening can be a bit disconcerting. The CR-Z with a stick however removes that rev up and with a hand shaker, it really does bring you back into the game unlike any hybrid other than the HCH-I/Insight-I w/ sticks in the past. If I were to buy a CR-Z, it would be with a stick simply because your maximum capabilities and around town numbers can be so much higher with it.

As of this writing, there is nothing new available in North America that can do this:

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/2011_CR-Z_-_Comp_P_G_-_113_5_mpg.jpg

And when driven appropriately, (no A/C, momentum conservation at every turn while using the “Why’s and How’s”), can still offer a decent highway number as well?

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/65_0_after_431_miles.jpg

And even when running A/C for the drive home, the little coupe still provided decent FE.

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/2011_Honda_CR-Z_-_53_3_mpg_over_378_6_miles_with_AC.jpg

The CVT will offer more out on a suburban cruise/highway run but I was pretty darn happy with the above results.

You know the CR-Z’s limitations in terms of room, utility and blind spots but it sure is more fun to drive than any other Honda or Toyota w/ HSD currently.

Honda Is Entrusting CleanMPG With the 6-speed CR-Z For A Week :D ( http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33372)

“Small Towns” - Honda’s 2011 CR-Z Takes Me on a Ride into The Past (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33575)

Good Luck

Wayne