Honda CR-Z Concept marks return of CR-X

Highly-anticipated by the Honda community, the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show in October will mark the debut of the Honda CR-Z hybrid concept again, except this time it is a near-production version. The sporty-but-slow CR-Z, slated for Japanese production early next year, is a revival of the Honda CR-X from the 1980s. Based on the Civic of that time, with a puny engine and decent suspension, it became somewhat popular among budget-minded car enthusiasts. The new CR-Z is expected to be exclusively hybrid.

The front-wheel-drive CR-Z is powered by a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder engine mated to Honda’s proprietary Integrated Motor Assist hybrid technology, with a 6-speed manual gearbox and possibly a CVT automatic option.

While Honda is still calling this show-car a concept, it is expected that the production version will debut with minimal changes inside and out. However, a UAE release is unlikely, given its hybrid nature as well as Honda’s aversion to sporty models in the GCC.