Honda CR-Z Review

That said the CR-Z is as different a car to the CR-X as a zebra is to a horse. Standing in the cold chill of an approaching Japanese winter, the blood-red CR-Z basked in the warm sun and showed off its curves in splendid galore. The basic body style harks back to the original car from the 80s with its low bonnet-high boot config, but that was just about it. The best part is that Honda’s designers haven’t attempted a CR-X redux, but started afresh with heavy 21st century technology injected in its DNA. Modern-day norms have dictated the CR-Z’s styling quite a bit as can be noticed in the absence of a sharp front end or even the missing flared wheel arches - all sacrificed in the name of increased pedestrian safety, but none of that takes away from the fact that the CR-Z is a super-hot I’d-exchange-one-for-my-girlfriend kind of car. All the way from the horizontal slats on the massive front grille to the split-window rear, it's as if the CR-Z is just tempting you to take it for a drive, and that we did. Strapped into the driver's seat you immediately notice how the CR-Z has been designed around the driver with all the necessary controls centered towards making life behind the wheel as less of a stretch as possible. The small-diameter steering wheel and the funky three-pod instrument cluster that changes colour depending on what mode you’re driving in and how efficiently you’re using your right foot extends the sporty feel that the car's styling starts out with on the outside. The air-con controls are all next to the cluster mound and even the optional sat-nav screen is ever-so-slightly biased towards the driver's view. Then you slot the 6-speed manual transmission into gear and your life changes.

The boffins at Honda's R&D centre have been spending quite some time around researching for advanced engine technology and alternate propulsion systems. We’ve had a taste of their hybrid drive technology right here in India as well in the form of the Civic Hybrid. They call it Integrated Motor Assist or IMA for short and what it does is mate an electric motor to a gasoline engine to help with acceleration and heavy-traffic situations - basically driving conditions that tend to burn up a lot more fuel in a gasoline-only setup thereby bringing emissions down and efficiency up. While the Civic Hybrid may have left yours truly a tad disappointed with the complete lack of performance compared to the normal Civic (going hybrid shouldn't mean sacrificing on driving pleasure now, right?), and the likes of Ferrari and Porsche's hybrid programmes may well be within out of reach, what the CR-Z has attempted to do is bring the performance-hybrid genre within the reach of the more common man.

An estimated 0-100 km/h time of sub-10 seconds is testimony to that fact. I know what you're thinking, but even though the CR-Z isn’t as quick off the line as we enthusiasts would want our rides to be, it still brings about a great balance between going fast, saving the earth and being able to afford doing so. The trick lies not only in the 1.5 litre petrol engine making 124 PS @ 6000rpm and 174 Nm between 1000-1750 rpm but also in the electric motor that is capable of making 13 horsepower and 79 Nm all on its own. With growing environmental responsibilities, this setup has enabled Honda to reduce the driving component of CO2 emissions as far as possible through the life cycle of the CR-Z.

CR-Z

• 122-hp, 1.5-Liter, 16-Valve i-VTEC^® Engine with Integrated Motor Assist IMA^®
• 160-Watt AM/FM/CD Audio System with 6 Speakers and USB Audio Interface[2]
• 3-mode drive system (ECON, NORMAL, SPORT)
• Eco Assist™[3]
• Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA^®) with Traction Control[4]
• Side Curtain Airbags
• Security System with Remote Entry
• Air-Conditioning with Air-Filtration System
• Daytime Running Lights (DRL)
• LED brake lights

Technical Features

• 122-hp, 1.5-Liter, 16-Valve, i-VTEC^® 4-Cylinder Engine with Integrated Motor Assist IMA^®
• 3-Mode Drive System (Sport/Normal/ECON)
• AT-PZEV CARB Emissions Rating[7] 
• 100.8-volt nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) battery pack
• Drive-by-Wire™ Throttle System
• Cruise control
• Unit-Body Construction
• MacPherson strut front suspension
• Torsion-beam rear suspension
• Front and rear stabilizer bars
• Electric power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering (EPS)
• Power-assisted 4-wheel disc brakes

Safety Features

• Driver's and front passenger's seat-belt reminder
• Dual-stage, multiple-threshold front airbags (SRS)
• Front side airbags with passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS)
• Side curtain airbags
• Driver's and passenger's active head restraints
• Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure
• Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
• Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA^®) with traction control[4] 
• Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD)
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)[8] 
• Side-impact door beams

Interior Features

• Automatic climate control with air-filtration
• Power windows with auto-up/down driver's window
• Driver's illuminated window switch
• Power door locks
• Tilt and telescopic steering column
• Illuminated steering wheel-mounted MID and audio controls
• 3 beverage holders
• Door-pocket storage bins
• 12-volt power outlet
• Rear window defroster
• Driver's seat with manual height adjustment
• Reclining seatbacks
• Ambient console lighting
• Rear cargo console
• Cargo area light
• Cargo cover
• 160-watt AM/FM/CD audio system with 6 speakers
• Radio Data System (RDS) (Not available on EX with Navigation)
• MP3/auxiliary input jack
• USB Audio Interface[2] 
• Windows Media^® Audio (WMA) playback capability[9] 
• Speed-Sensitive Volume Control (SVC)
• Backlit gauges
• IMA charge and assist indicator
• Multi-Information Display (MID)
• Exterior temperature indicator
• Maintenance Minder™ System

Exterior Features

• 16" alloy wheels
• P195/55/16 86V all-season tires
• Fin-type roof-mounted antenna
• Security system with remote entry
• Body-colored, heated folding power side mirrors with integrated turn indicators
• Variable intermittent windshield wipers
• Rear window wiper/washer
• Projector-beam halogen headlights
• LED brake lights

Source Specification Honda CR-Z from http://automobiles.honda.com

Mazda 6 Luxury Review

The Mazda 6 team started with a sporty looking exterior. They wrapped the frame with tight sheet metal and added sharp creases that give the car a sexy look especially when viewed from the side or the rear. I was not fond of the big, blunt bumper that did not seem to fit the tight lines found on the rest of the car. I was also a little bothered by the rather big side view mirrors; they look like a pair of big ears. They cause a good amount of wind noise and are prone to a constant barrage of insects on the interstate. Contradictory to what you would think, the actual mirror inside the side view case was so little it left huge blind spots that will certainly make any driver practice his blind spot check routine, that he learned in driver’s education, on a daily basis. I was also a little disparaged that Mazda added another pair of red reflectors to the rear bumper; it is an attempt to make the rear look cool but it only makes it look busy.

There are several reasons for the inspired confidence. The MPS, which stands for Mazda Performance Series, is based on the standard saloon but with a few key differences. For a start, the bodyshell has been reinforced increasing the torsional stiffness by 50 per cent and the chassis has been ‘race-tuned’ for sportiness without the sacrifice of ride comfort.

In addition, the MPS features an Active Torque Split All-wheel-drive system, which uses sensors to monitor steering angle, lateral forces, yaw rate and engine status. Depending on the information received, the system can electronically control the torque distribution and has presets for Sport, Normal and Stability.

There is little point in producing a fast car unless you can also stop in a hurry. To this end the MPS has disc-brakes all round. Those at the front are ventilated and the rear discs are solid. They are larger in diameter than those on the standard car and are complimented by heftier brake calipers. The braking system is also backed up by ABS with EBD and Emergency Brake Assist (EBA). There is also Dynamic Stability Control and Traction Control to help keep the car on the straight and narrow while the passive safety system includes six airbags as standard and a brake pedal that doesn’t intrude into the footwell in the event of a collision.

The idea behind using the 2.3i DISI (Direct Injection Spark Ignition) engine and turbocharger rather than a bigger engine is to get better low and mid-range torque while keeping the fuel consumption at a reasonable level. The official figures are 20.0mpg, 35.3mpg and 27.7mpg for the urban, extra-urban and combined respectively, while CO2 emissions are posted as 245g/km putting the MPS in VED band F.

The MPS differs visually from the standard Mazda6 in that it has a unique front grille, sports bumpers and side skirts, a discrete rear spoiler on the boot lid and dual exhaust pipes. Also, the bonnet has been raised by 40mm for a more aggressive appearance.

Inside the Mazda 6, it feels like every other midsize family sedan. The interior is a comfortable place for your daily commute. The combination of grays, blacks and chrome gave the interior a nice, modern look. It is a big cabin with plenty of leg and headroom. The driver and passenger seat look a little cumbersome with their overstuffed chairs but they were cozy with solid side bolsters to hold you in place for any sporty driving. I have never personally used the small pockets on the back of the front seats that some cars come equipped with; however, I am pretty sure it is in the best interest of the driver to have one located on the back of the passenger seat instead of the only one being located on the back of the driver’s seat like in the Mazda 6. 

The center dash layout is a little cluttered although the buttons are easily decipherable. The air conditioner always seemed to blow at a low speed, even at its highest setting, and made cooling down the car on a hot summer day a long affair. To cut costs Mazda obviously uses the same center console for automatic and manual equipped cars, unfortunately, that puts any cups right in the way of the driver’s arm in the manual equipped cars. The steering wheel has a nice thick rim, with easily accessible radio control buttons, and the whole thing has a small circumference that reminded me of something you might find in a go-kart. The controls to adjust the driver seat were made big so they could be easy to find while driving, however I think Mazda went overboard with this idea. The first thing you notice as you look inside the cabin with the door open is the enormous pulls that rest along the door side of the driver’s and passenger’s seats. Even Andre the Giant’s hands would look small next to these levers! The back seat has enough room even for people over six feet. The middle of the backseat fold down to act as a center armrest and even includes a pair of small cup holders for child-sized drinks, but is useless with anything over a medium-sized cup. The trunk is deep with a nice sized opening; the back seats also fold flat to accommodate any larger items making the storage potential huge.


Putting the key in the ignition is made a little easier at night because of the small ignition light that comes on. The engine starts up with a barely audible purr and rests at a silent idle. The shifter is a little loose yet has positive, short throws. First gear is tall and makes any driver suddenly feel like a novice the initial time they try to come out of first. You have to feather the clutch and rev up the engine coming out of first or else you will bog the engine down with the lower rpms. Once up and running you could not ask for a smoother transmission. The rest of the gears ratios are so perfect it makes shift shock nonexistent. The engine spools up like a sewing machine with only had a hint of roughness at the higher Rpms. The sound of the intake and sporty dual exhaust is a sweet symphony and combined with the smooth operation of the transmission causes any driver to feel like a professional race car driver; rowing through the gears has never been so much fun!


The car’s steering feedback and neutral handling make any turn a joy that you look forward to doing again and again. Everything you want to know is told through that steering wheel while everything you don’t want to feel, like harsh road bumps, is isolated out. The suspension offers a great combination of sporty handling with a smooth ride and takes full advantage of the iron rims and good sized 205/60R 16s. Take a hard turn and the suspension and tires reassure you with constant grip although there is some moderate body roll with some at the limit understeer.

Mazda 6 Luxury

• Engine 2,488 cc
• Max Power 125 Kw @ 6,000 Rpm
• Max Torque 226 Nm @ 4,000 Rpm
• Fuel Consumption 8.7 Liters per 100 km
  

Technical Features

• Engine type  2.5 litre in-line 4 cylinder 16 valve DOHC S-VT
• Throttle control Electronic (drive-by-wire)
• Fuel system  Fuel system 
• Fuel tank capacity  64 litres

Safety Features

•  Active head restraints (front) 
• Airbags SRS: front (driver and passenger)
• Airbags SRS: side (front)
• Airbags SRS: curtain (front and rear)
• Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) 
• Child restraint anchor points  
• Childproof rear door locks 
• Day/night rear vision mirror  
• 'Double lock' door deadlock function 
• Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)  
• Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) 
• Emergency Brake Assist (EBA)  
• Engine immobiliser 
• High mount stop lamp  
• Intrusion-minimising brake pedal 
• Left-hand-side convex (wide angle) exterior mirror  
• One touch (up and down) power window (driver) 
• Parking sensors (front & rear)  
• Remote central locking (2 transmitters with retractable key) 
• Seat-belt warning audible and visual (front)  
• Seat-belts 3-point lap-sash (all seats) 
• Seat-belts (front) with pretensioners, load-limiters and height adjustable shoulder anchorages  
• Side impact door beams 
• Traction Control System (TCS)  
• Traction Control System (TCS)

Interior Features

• 12 volt power outlet  
• Air-conditioning (dual-zone climate control) 
• Ambient temperature display 
• Blackout instrument cluster 
• Centre armrest console (sliding)  
• Critical function warning lights/chimes 
• Cupholders  
• Digital clock 
• Door courtesy lamps (front)  
• Door map pockets (front) 
• Driver's left footrest  
• Glasses storage compartment 
• Glove box (lockable and illuminated)  
• Headlamps auto on/off function 
• etc

 Exterior Features

• Aerial printed into rear glass 
• Body kit comprising: aero bumper (front)
• Body kit comprising: aero bumper (rear)
• Body kit comprising: integrated side skirts
• Exhaust extensions (chrome) 
• Fog-lamps (front)  
• Front and rear bumpers (body coloured) 
• Green-tinted windscreen, side and rear windows  
• Headlamps (Halogen) 
• Headlamps (Xenon low beam)
• Metallic/Mica paint 
• Power mirrors (body coloured)  
• Power sliding and tilt glass sun-roof 
• Power windows  
• Roof rack mounting points 
• Tail-lamps (LED)  

Source Specification Mazda 6 Luxury from http://mazda.com.au