By Steve & Tamami Laser
We were ready to turn out the lights and call it a night when we received word from Japan that Honda will discontinue the CR-Z Hybrid at the end of this year. The official word was issued in a press release from Honda Motor Co. Ltd. that also announces a new “Final Label” special edition for Japan.
The press release says that CR-Z was launched in February 2010, offering sporty driving performance and excellent fuel efficiency as a hybrid car. Since then, the automaker says that 4 million units have been sold worldwide. However, it has been decided to end production at the end of the year.
The Final Label special edition includes cosmetic touches with “CR-Z Final Label” logo embroidered in the setbacks trimmed with Black Combi Lux Suede® fabric, 17-inch lightweight alloy wheels, and a “CR-Z Final Label” logo aluminum console plate.
Honda says it will offer a choice of five exterior colors: Brilliant Blue Metallic, Premium White Pearl, and Premium Yellow Pearl, with two-tone combinations of Yellow/Black and Blue/Black.
The unchanged 1.5-liter i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine with Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist drives the front wheels via a 6-speed manual or Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).
There’s no word regarding plans for the U.S. market CR-Z, but we would guess that if production is ending in Japan, it will likely be phased out here as well to make room for new models.
Note: Features and specifications apply to Japanese market vehicles and are subject to change without notice.
News source and photos courtesy of Honda Motor Co. Ltd.
Story (commentary) © 2016 CarNichiWa.com