WHEELS MAGAZINE: HONDA CR-Z

It’s a hybrid with spirit, and the 2011 Wheels Car of the Year.

Expertly engineered, impressively efficient, and with strong safety credentials, the Honda CR-Z is also a genuine joy to drive. The little petrol-electric coupe may not be blindingly quick, but it is eye-openingly agile. Endowed with the kind of handling and steering that invites involvement, the Honda puts a smile on the face of any driver who accepts the invitation. And this, it hardly need be said, is a first for a hybrid…

It’s hard to dispute the Honda’s efficiency, nor the excellent safety credentials. Equipped standard with six airbags, the Honda already had an Australian NCAP five-star safety rating in the bag at launch.

Especially in town, the CR-Z’s hybrid drivetrain makes good sense. That thin electric motor sandwiched between engine and transmission adds ....