2011 Honda CR-Z Sport Hybrid Coupe unveiled

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At the Detroit Auto Show Honda is finally showing their new production hybrid hatchback. According to Honda the CR-Z will bring back the kind of driving joy that hasn’t been felt since the CRX production ended in 1991.

The CR-Z sport hybrid coupe introduces sleek styling and sporty handling to the hybrid segment, which at the moment is dominated by 4 door sedans.

“The CR-Z is a personal sport hybrid coupe for people with a spirit of adventure and an elevated sense of responsibility toward the environment,” said John Mendel, executive vice president of sales for American Honda. “It’s the first hybrid designed to maximize style and fun, in addition to efficiency and economy.”

Sales will start later this summer in the U.S. Power comes from a 1.5-liter i-VTEC engine with Honda’s compact and lightweight Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid-electric system that produces 122 hp. The two-passenger CR-Z introduces a new three-mode drive system that allows the driver to select between Sport, Econ and Normal driving modes.

The two trim levels include the well-equipped CR-Z and the feature-rich CR-Z EX. A six-speed manual transmission is standard equipment and a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) is available. Estimated fuel economy is 36 city/38 highway miles per gallon on CVT-equipped models.