Honda CR-Z CVT

These days many cars have a button that activates some of 'Sport' mode to spice things up a little and some cars with this nifty feature linger in our memories longer than most. For a certain Japanese  chap by the name of Norio Tomobe, the special one is the BMW Z4.

Why does Tomabe-san matter and what has the Bavarian brute that captured his heart have to do with any of this? Norio Tomabe is the Large Project Leader of the new CR-Z which looks pretty much unchanged from the previous one but is really a much transformed vehicle underneath. Thank to Tomabe's love of the Bimmer, we now have a sporty Honda Hybrid that's grittier than ever.

Apart from some minor nip and tuck to the exterior and new cabin upholstery, the new CR-Z offers very few clues that is an updated model.Nevertheless, the big changes are real and effective. For one, the new car boasts a secret weapon in its compart frame: a new lithium-ion battery that is both smaller and lighter than the previous nickel metal hydride unit. The new battery produces 44 per cent more voltage and power, and boosts the electric motor's output from 14bhp to 20bhp while returning an estimated extra 0.2km per litre.

The new hardware also shaves 0.7 seconds off the CR-Z's century sprint, with the new car doing 0-100 in nice seconds flat. Let's be honest, nice seconds is not exactly something to boast about nowadays but given Honda's grenn approach with the CR-Z's hybrid underpinnings it is still a sporty and fun car, even it is far from being a true sportscar.

This brings us to the new CR-Z's other secret weapon. The 'S'+ button.Tomobe-san enjoyed the Sports button in the Z4 so much that he made it a point for the new CR-Z to carry something similar. The original CR-Z had three driving modes, Sports,Normal and Econ.The new one has 'S'+ added to it. Where the Sports mode increases throttle response notably,Plus Sport mode goes one better by letting a momentary electric boost to kick in once activated via the steering-mounted button. The result: a sudden surge of electrically- induced torque and power. This is especially useful when the petrol engine starts playing an exhausted note. Indeed,it's a big kick. In Tomobe's words, engaging the Plus Sport mode while doing 100kmph will allow you to hit 180kmph in just seven seconds.Fun? Bet on it. We found absolutely no reason to doubt it after happily fiddling with the new button on a drive from Kuala Lumpur to Penang.

There's a slight catch. Because such a feature demands so much from the electric motor, it can only be activated if the battery is at least half full. It will switch off automatically once the driver eases off the throttle or once the battery runs out of juice. Like all hybrids, the battery will be recharged via either the alternator or regenerative braking.

While we are on the topicof hybrids and batteries, it is worth noting that despite it being a sports-inclined vehicle, we still managed to sqeeze out a healthy 15km per litre from the CR-Z.We achieved this by keeping the car in Econ mode most of the time and only resorted to the magic button for some extra oomph - which we did rather often. This proved more efficient than driving the CR-Z mainly in Sport mode.

The test unit came with a CVT gearbox. Naturally, the cheaper six- speed manual variant will prove more enticing to the proper petrolhead. However, the ease of operating one pedal less is raking in the bookings for Honda.This is because the CR-Z is still thoroughly enjoyable even in CVT guise. The automatic gear changes may lack excitement but are smooth and spot-on nonetheless while the dreaded rubberband effect is pleasantly non-existent. Additionally, gear  shifts are almost always more efficient with a CVT gearbox than human input, which translates to better fuel economy.

If there is one thing we remember vividly about the old CR-Z, it is its superb ride and handling. This is again apparent in the new model. The well-balanced chassis and nicely damped suspension make it a joy to chuck around the bends. We wished we had a stick shift for corner- infested roads to fully enjoy this trait. Nevertheless, the paddleshifts combined with the CVT to make things a little more bearable.

In its latest from, the CR-Z may carry a higher price tag but it does come with noticeable improvement, especially in the performance department. It is neither the most sensiblenhybrid nor the most serious driver's car around but it fits in well between both worlds,exposing the driver to the thrills of driving with its sterling ride and new Plus Sport system while offering the option to go green with its IMA hybrid setup.Who says you can't have it all?