Ever since the November 2011 launch of the Honda CR-Z hybrid in Malaysia, it has garnered a tremendous amount of popularity, and demand for it is ever growing; prompting Honda Malaysia to react by adding a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) and a 7-speed gearbox with paddle-shifts to the CR-Z’s current line-up in order to further extend the appeal of the CR-Z to a wider audience – even to ladies.
<!--more-->Honda Malaysia assures that the CR-Z’s CVT will be able to provide a smoother yet quieter drive from it’s responsive 1.5L i-VTEC engine that’s coupled to the Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) Hybrid System that gives a combined power of 122bhp at 6,000rpm. While horsepower remains the same, torque figures have been reduced to by 7Nm to 167Nm as compared to the 6-speed manual’s 174Nm of torque.
Although the CVT gets a bump down in torque, it’s torque figure still a class leader within the 1.5L class and adding a paddle shifter will certainly add a larger pair of naughty horns to those who already love the CR-Z’s performance.
There’s still a trio of switchable driving modes in the CVT-equipped CR-Z: Eco, normal and the wonderful Sport, which undoubtedly provides much versatility to this hot-hatch, though many of us would admit that if given the chance, it’d be permanently on Sport. However, with growing issues of global warming becoming ever increasingly present these days, being as environmentally friendly as possible certainly does help to slow the rate of our polar ice-caps melting.
Hence forth, Honda Malaysia expects to sell roughly 1,800 units of the CVT-equipped CR-Z by the end of 2012, and they look quite confident in doing so since they’ve received more than 1,500 bookings for the 6-speed manual and current CVT CR-Z.
According to Honda Malaysia Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Yoichiro Ueno, the CR-Z with CVT will come with a 5-year or 140,000km warranty (whichever comes first) for the IMA battery and new owners will be able to allowed to choose one of four colours for which to drape their exciting hot-hatch hybrid in:
- Premium White Pearl
- Storm Silver Metallic
- Milano Red
- Crystal Black Pearl.
For the sake of possessing the Honda CR-Z with CVT and a 7-speed paddle shift, new buyers will need to shell out an additional RM4,000 more for a final On-The-Road (OTR) price of RM119,000.
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