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.