Honda CR-Z Hybrid

Shifting to smaller and lighter-weight vehicles is about the quickest and easiest way to reduce the environmental impact of our cars. But compact cars have never been big sellers in the United States. Could Americans be seduced to downsize their vehicles with an attractive and sporty compact hybrid?

First unveiled two years ago at the Tokyo Motor Show, the sporty two-passenger Honda CR-Z Hybrid is back again in Tokyo in 2009. This time, Honda is closer to a production modelÑabout "95 percent" of the way according to company officials. Honda has committed to introducing a range of small hybrids, with both the CR-Z Hybrid and Honda Fit Hybrid due out in 2010. It's too early for mileage or pricing info, but we expect mpg in the high-30s and a price tag in the low $20,000s.

The Honda CR-Z's 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine is mated to Honda's proprietary Integrated Motor Assist technology and a six-speed manual gearbox. That would make the CR-Z the only hybrid on the market with a manual transmission.

Light, sporty and futuristic are the keywords. The design features an oversized front grille with small openings on each side of the front panel. The CR-Z clearly borrows its overall shape from the Honda CRX sports car, a version of the Civic that was produced from 1984 to 1991. The CRX used a small and light profile to translate directly into sporty and speedy. "CR-Z" stands for "Compact Renaissance Zero," which is meant to signify the company's desire to give birth to a new era for compact highly efficient vehicles.