Honda Is Entrusting CleanMPG With the 6-speed CR-Z For A Week :D

Discussion in 'Honda Hybrids' started by xcel, Jul 6, 2010.

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  1. Right Lane Cruiser

    Right Lane Cruiser Penguin of Notagascar

    Interesting. I'm really curious to see what I could do with it on my route. I presume it would require something between my nuanced P&G and lean burn routine in the Insight and the all out P&G regimen in the Elantra.

    Too bad there wasn't time to see if a clutch switch would work to suppress assist. I know they "broke" that in '05 for the old 5spd hybrids but who knows what they've programmed into the CR-Z.
     
    Right Lane Cruiser, Jul 17, 2010
    #81
  2. xcel

    xcel PZEV, there's nothing like it :) Staff Member

    Hi Sean:

    You would not need a clutch swtich mod as you can control Assist by simply driving it. Best of the Honda IMA hybrids yet :)

    Good Luck

    Wayne
     
    xcel, Jul 18, 2010
    #82
  3. Right Lane Cruiser

    Right Lane Cruiser Penguin of Notagascar

    Perhaps so... but you know me. I'm all about the max mileage. ;)

    Your 115mpg segment used some battery... and I'm guessing that wasn't from key starts?
     
    Right Lane Cruiser, Jul 18, 2010
    #83
  4. xcel

    xcel PZEV, there's nothing like it :) Staff Member

    Hi Sean:

    It was the DRL's more than likely...

    Good Luck

    Wayne
     
    xcel, Jul 18, 2010
    #84
  5. jpleong

    jpleong Well-Known Member

    Wayne, I had someone on InsightCentral.net ask me if there's a lean-burn capability in the CR-Z.

    I don't even know what that is :)

    JP
     
    jpleong, Jul 20, 2010
    #85
  6. Harold

    Harold Well-Known Member

    Wayne mentioned that SHAM was at about 38 mph. Look back. H
     
    Harold, Jul 20, 2010
    #86
  7. Right Lane Cruiser

    Right Lane Cruiser Penguin of Notagascar

    I sincerely doubt the CR-Z has lean burn capability -- that requires a very expensive catalytic converter and is difficult to make clean enough to meet today's NOx emissions limits.

    SHAM is a very interesting mechanism for increasing fuel economy... but it isn't lean burn.
     
    Right Lane Cruiser, Jul 20, 2010
    #87
  8. Harold

    Harold Well-Known Member

    Its not a lean-burn mode? Sounds lean to me. H
     
    Harold, Jul 20, 2010
    #88
  9. msantos

    msantos Eco Accelerometrist

    Hi Harold;

    Sean is correct.

    SAHM is unique to the HCH-II because while it is operating in the low cam mode (stage 1 of 3 in the 3-stage IMA-VTEC), it "Atkinsonizes" the ICE operation to almost run on fumes. That is why when in this mode we can crack into the 70+MPG at steady state.

    SAHM is definitely not the classic "lean burn". If it was, then the HCH-II's Tier2/Bin2 rating would be almost impossible to achieve.

    Cheers;

    MSantos
     
    msantos, Jul 20, 2010
    #89
  10. xcel

    xcel PZEV, there's nothing like it :) Staff Member

    Hi Harold:

    SAHM is not leanburn, just a very fuel efficient area on the BMEP map that can be exploited through LOD and IGN timing. It is easy to mistake the two but they are two separate animals.

    The CR-Z does not have leanburn but it sure could use it... AND a 25% taller final too :)

    JP, that should help answer their question. Leanburn is running a super high A/F ratio (upwards of 23:1 and well beyond Stoich's 14.7:1). Great FE but high NOx and why the HI-I had a specialized cycling NOx CAT to put it into layman’s terms to correct this. Along with some precisely controlled combustion as well... The HCH-I (non PZEV variants) had leanburn as did the older CRX HF's as well and its like driving a diesel almost. Not nearly the power or torque available but you certainly received the FE increase :)

    All said, if I were a single guy, I would much rather own the CR-Z than any hybrid on the planet. It is ultra attractive, really fun to drive and has most of the amenities I would like to have in a car. The Center Armrest would be something I would need… Its FE proves it to be in the same league as any hybrid or diesel on the market (North America only) for an all-highway drive. The HCH-II and Prius using basic to intermediate techniques and TDI’s when driven to advanced levels can beat it but not by much! And when pushed, it is the most fuel efficient hybrid, non-hybrid or diesel we can buy in North America today as demonstrated in its Comp level P&G RT segment.

    Yet another story. I pulled into a McDonald’s in Prairie Du Chien, WI on Iowa/WI border (do not ask me to spell it correctly please ;)) and a biker came over to ask questions about the CR-Z. He was in his mid 30’s or thereabouts and said he had read some reviews that it was not sporty enough for a sports car or fuel efficient enough for a hybrid. He then added that it is just he and his wife and it has plenty of room for them.

    I told him he would be making a great choice because for a sports car, it has the 70% of the performance for ½ to ¾ the price of most and what good is a 140 + mph car anyway? For a hybrid, it has 80 to 90% of the FE of the Prius while actually looking like something we would all desire to drive day in and day out vs. the vehicles we actually do actually drive on a daily basis. If it were not in the low 90’s at the time, I would have given him the tour but he was overheating and needed to get into some cool air quickly.

    Good Luck

    Wayne
     
    xcel, Jul 20, 2010
    #90
  11. ALS

    ALS Super Moderator Staff Member

    I have to agree this car is targeted to the 18-25 year old segment of the population. But if you can get them in one of your cars early in life you have them as customers for years down the road. BTW that is one very good looking car.

    This is a definite commuter car for those who have daily 40-50-60 drives each way to work.

    Now if it had a trunk and I could fit one of my Chandlers in there I would seriously look at it as a replacement for my Volvo in three or four years. Because what ever I replace it with has to get 40+ mpg's at 65 mph.
     
    ALS, Jul 20, 2010
    #91
  12. Harold

    Harold Well-Known Member

    Thanks for the clarification fellows. H
     
    Harold, Jul 20, 2010
    #92
  13. xcel

    xcel PZEV, there's nothing like it :) Staff Member

    Hi Harold:

    No problem. I see Sean and Manuel jumped on as well. With all the talk of the 06 - 10 HCH-II not having leanburn, at sometimes, it sure does act like it does ;)

    Good Luck

    Wayne
     
    xcel, Jul 20, 2010
    #93
  14. bjaardker

    bjaardker New Member

    So I guess the ultimate question for me is what kind of FE can I expect as a conscious hybrid driver but not hypermiler.

    To give you an idea I'm getting 72-78MPG in the summer in my HI-I and 60-64 in the winter. I gave up on FAS'ing and things like that a while ago, so this is all just me being aware and keeping an egg under my foot.

    Also, any ideas on how this will handle in the winter? My HI-I is not very capable in the winter, and I'd really like to get something that can drive on some snowy roads on occasion since my commute is still 50 miles no matter what the weather is. Along those same lines, is the ground clearance any better on the CR-Z compared to the HI-I?

    Thanks in advance for helping me out. With 172K on my HI-I it's starting to get a bit long in the tooth and it doesn't looking like the Mini One D is coming to the states any time soon.
     
    bjaardker, Jul 20, 2010
    #94
  15. RobertSmalls

    RobertSmalls Ecodriver

    Like most cars, the Insight has six inches of ground clearance. With four snow tires (not all season) with good tread, I haven't had one issue up to a snow depth of six inches. That is unless you consider a 40mpg commute to be an issue.
     
    RobertSmalls, Jul 20, 2010
    #95
  16. Gairwyn

    Gairwyn think green

    I was driving past the local Honda dealership today and out of the corner of my eye I saw a CR-Z parked out front. I went up the road, and had to turn around and go back to take a look. There were actually 2 of them there, a silver one and a black one. Very attractive cars, which surprised me because whenever I saw a picture of one on the internet I thought the front end looked ugly. The black one was especially nice-looking. It was just a quick look, but judging by the sticker price (in the $23,000 range), they must have been the EX variant, the most expensive ones. The view out the rear has quite a blind spot, but I guess that's to be expected. I noticed that as soon as I left the lot, another fellow drove up specifically to take a look at the CR-Zs. If anything, they attract a lot of attention.
     
    Gairwyn, Aug 21, 2010
    #96
  17. ItsNotAboutTheMoney

    ItsNotAboutTheMoney Super Moderator Staff Member

    You know what, I passed by a Honda dealership yesterday and they may have had a CR-Z sitting by the road too. My brain immediately thought Insight-II but I have to admit I was distracted by the Smart next to it. :p
     
    ItsNotAboutTheMoney, Aug 21, 2010
    #97
  18. pcs0snq

    pcs0snq Well-Known Member

    Wayne,

    Have you summarized this some place?

    I saw 59mpg screen shot at the end of the longer run West, but never found the return run. What was the wind doing on that run?
    Also, I may of missed a description of how you drove the majority of that 59 run? Tire pressure methods used. I think you said 60mph CC??

    What the heck.... A/C lol
     
    pcs0snq, May 28, 2011
    #98
  19. xcel

    xcel PZEV, there's nothing like it :) Staff Member

    Hi Paul:

    It was all summarized here. It was 59.3 (60 mpg actual) for the RT. 66.x out and 53.x back. Inbound, it was reasonably calm other than the fact I used A/C sporadically and had the terrible storm for over 100-miles.

    All the Steady state numbers were done using CC. It is dumb driving but givers an idea as to what the thing is capable of on the open road. 60 psi as well.

    Wayne
     
    xcel, May 28, 2011
    #99
  20. pcs0snq

    pcs0snq Well-Known Member

    Wayne,

    I wonder what that car would do if I was driving like my Fit? P&G w/ FAS 45 to 55 on Interstate and DWoB on rural + P&G w/ FAS and 60psi?
    I can get 60 + like that
    CC at 55mph I can get 45mpg. Use to get 50 with worn OEM Dunlaps
    A/C lol
    Sounds like same eng as mine, but with way better gears. I'm almost 3000rpms if I did 60
    BTW You posted the FE in the GAS area.

    PS Have you tested a 5 speed Fit yet?
     
    pcs0snq, May 29, 2011
    #100
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