Honda’s CR-Z might lose the hybrid, get a turbo engine and a full sport makeover for in 2018

By Alexander Kalogianni March 12, 2015

honda cr z may lose hybrid due to a sporty overhaul for 2018 hpd crz 001 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

As excited as we were to see Honda’s Civic Type R finally revealed at the Geneva Auto Show this year, those of us watching from the U.S. couldn’t shake the fact that the super sporty hatchback wasn’t making its way over on our side of the world. The only thing that’s been placating us is the rumor that the new 2.0-liter VTEC slotted in the Type R will be used in a different stateside Civic, but we may also see it powering something we never expected: the CR-Z.

According to a source close to Car and Driver, the American market might get a completely revamped CR-Z that ditches the lackluster hybrid and instead straps in the new 2.0-Liter VTEC turbocharged four-cylinder engine, along with a massive nose-to-tail overhaul. The engine probably won’t pump out the full 305 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque as it does in the Type R, but will instead get a still substantial 280 hp.

HPD_CRZ_006 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Body-wise, the new CR-Z will no longer be built on the Fit platform, but will instead be developed on the one used in the new civic with four inches shaved off. Its look will be more in line with the current design language, with a few of the design elements mirroring the new NSX and a few from the Civic Type R as well, giving it a much more aggressive look over its could’ve-been-sporty-but-ultimately-dopey current styling.

No matter how reliable the source is, nothing is for certain in these cases, but we’re certainly excited for the prospect of Honda reworking a lackluster hybrid into an affordable performance car with street cred. If what we’re hearing has any truth, then we’ll most likely see a concept of some sort of announcement around this time next year.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Alexander Kalogianni

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Alex K is an automotive writer based in New York. When not at his keyboard or behind the wheel of a car, Alex spends a lot of…

Cars

Tesla’s fix for faulty Cybertruck pedal is simpler than you might think

Tesla Cybertruck

Less than five months after handing over the first Cybertrucks to customers, Tesla has had to recall the electric pickup to fix an issue with the accelerator.

In a notice issued on Friday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said that the recall impacts Cybertruck vehicles manufactured from November 13, 2023, to April 4, 2024. This suggests that all -- or almost all -- of the 3,878 Cybertrucks being recalled are those that have been manufactured to date.

Cars

Ford Mustang Mach-E 2024 vs. Mach-E 2023: What’s new in Ford’s electric Mustang?

Blue Ford Mustang Mach-E on a rooftop

The Ford Mustang Mach-E is easily one of the best EVs for the price, offering a solid range, sleek design, and pretty good tech on the inside. In recent years, it has gotten even cheaper -- thanks in large part to a price war between it and the Tesla Model 3. And, the company just took the wraps off of the latest and greatest version of the Mach-E, labeled as the 2024 model.

The 2024 Mustang Mach-E is notably different from the 2023 iteration in some meaningful ways. So much so that we decided to take a look at the two head-to-head -- to see if it was better to pay for the 2024 model or save some cash on any remaining 2023 stock.
Design
The Mustang Mach-E looks relatively unique -- in a good way. And thankfully, Ford has largely kept the overall design the same for the 2024 model, at least when it comes to the more consumer-focused models. The car retains the slatted taillights and crossover size. It also offers a large selection of colors, including the very blue Grabber Blue Metallic, as well as Rapid Red Metallic. It's a good selection of colors, and there should be an option for most buyers.

Cars

Tesla to begin production on new, more affordable models

Tesla Model 3

With competition increasing from Chinese and other automakers, Tesla boss Elon Musk revealed on Tuesday that his company is planning to begin production of new, more affordable models in “early 2025, if not late this year.” Notably, that's earlier than the previously stated date of late 2025, though whether Musk actually succeeds in meeting the earlier production time frame is another question entirely.

The news came as Tesla released its latest quarterly figures. Revenue for the electric vehicle maker came in at $21.3 billion, down from the $23.3 billion it reported for the same three-month period a year earlier and also down from the $25.2 billion reported in the previous quarter. Profit reached $1.1 billion, marking a 55% fall compared to the same period a year ago.