Despite Honda’s recent announcement that the facelifted version of the CR-Z compact sports hybrid would make its premiere at the Paris Auto Show, the Japanese automaker pulled a fast one by unveiling the new car at the Indonesia International Motor Show in Jakarta today.
External changes include a redesigned front grille, which loses its vertical bars, revised front bumper, HID headlamps with LED daytime running lights, new fog lamps, reshaped door mirrors and rear diffuser, LED rear lights and new 17-inch alloy wheels.
Since the show car’s doors were locked, the only visible change in the cabin are the two-tone red and fabric for the seats.
One of the criticisms applied to the Compact Renaissance Zero (which is what CR-Z stands for) was that its hybrid powertrain lacked the oomph expected from a sports car.
The total combined output for the original CR-Z hybrid powertrain was 122HP with a peak torque 173 Nm (128 lb-ft). The hybrid model clearly placed an emphasis on fuel economy, with the car feeling barely lively only in the Sport setting, adequate in the Normal and…well, let’s just say not quite fast in the ECON mode.
According to PaulTan, that the revised CR-Z now delivers 134HP and 190 Nm (140.1 lb-ft) of torque for the six-speed manual model and 133HP and 172 Nm (126.8 lb-ft) respectively for the CVT-equipped variant.
Perhaps more interesting is the addition of a new Plus Sport System that is activated through an S+ button on the dash and more than likely, makes the hybrid powertrain sacrifice some of its “green” credentials in favor of extra performance.
We will find out more quite soon, as the Paris Auto Show opens next week.
By Andrew Tsaousis
Photo Credits: PaulTan
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