Prospective CRZ owner question about acceleration from zero - Honda CRZ Forum: Honda CR-Z Hybrid Car Forums

Optimist · 12-01-2011, 03:09 PM

It's time to replace my 2001 manual Accord and I read that the CRZ is
the only manual transmission hybrid out there. I was lucky enough to
find one for a test drive and found it to be fun to drive. It seems to
have quite a bit of acceleration at several speeds, including from zero.
But its power rating is only 122 hp and its 0-60 is over 8 sec, 2 sec slower
than an Accord. But it must be different in the different driving modes, right?

On my daily commute, I enter a 2-lane highway in a valley between two
steep hills and the oncoming traffic comes around a blind curve about 300 ft
away. So I need to get up the hill fast sometimes. How should I expect the
CRZ to compare to the stately but powerful Accord? Will the electric assist
in sport mode get me to 40-50 mph faster? Can I assume that the battery will
not complain about such a fast acceleration on winter mornings 5 minutes into
a 30 minute commute? And that it will recharge in econ mode during the remaining
25 minutes? Thanks!

Cam720 · 12-01-2011, 03:22 PM

I guess when doing the test drive you didn't have a chance to find a hill. I've had mine for 6 months and find the car just as peppy on any hill as it is on the flats. No acceleration problems for hills here on the west coast. Battery will be depleats quite quickly hill climbing and mine charges over the next 5 mins of regular driving. If my battery becomes depleted while climbing a hill I usually switch over to sport mode. 90% of my driving is done in econ. Hope this helps.

Optimist · 12-01-2011, 03:30 PM

The test drive was instructive for acceleration going up a hill, but I only had hills with sharp turns! So I never got over 25 mph. It was great for feeling the handling
(impressive) but the hill on my commute it straight uphill for about a quarter mile and I'd like to get to 50 mph asap. I just don't know how a cold battery will deal with it on
a regular basis.

oldchap14 · 12-01-2011, 05:33 PM

Just north of Bishop, CA is a NINE mile very steep straight hill that starts at 4,500 ft. and peaks at 7,200ft. The CR-Z six speed has to use 4th and 5th gears to maintain 65-70 mph. There is still one bar of battery indicated upon reaching the top of "THE GRADE."

Incidentally, living in the mountains can mean getting up to 75 mpg...lots of downhills @ 100+ mpg to offset the 25mpg uphill sections. I get 50-75 mpg on most of my mountain trips.

Willard · 12-01-2011, 05:48 PM

Funny, I just came down the 395 through Bishop and the grade. Beautiful area. /hijak

Optimist · 12-01-2011, 06:05 PM

That is just so incredibly cool I can hardly deal with it.
Nine miles steep uphill at 65 mph in 4th gear and getting
50-75 mpg on average? Even the 25mpg uphill is better
than the accord city rating. Is this the coolest car ever
made or what? So I am guessing you can see the electric
assist during the whole 9-mile climb?

SCH · 12-01-2011, 06:10 PM

I'm sure the electric assist will run out long before the end of a 9-mile climb. However, all you have to do is use a lower gear. Usually 5th is enough, but if the grade is steep enough, you may have to resort to 4th.

wicked1 · 12-01-2011, 06:11 PM

Like oldchap said, you'll likely run out of battery and have to downshift. The first time I ran out of battery going up a hill I didn't downshift and began slowing down.. I was mad and came here complaining. But, once I learned to downshift a few gears I can keep the speed up w/ no problem. I think that was just bad manual transmission skills on my part.
Use sport mode for the entire hill, and it will put more stress on the engine and less on the motor.

rjjensen · 12-01-2011, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Optimist

The test drive was instructive for acceleration going up a hill, but I only had hills with sharp turns! So I never got over 25 mph. It was great for feeling the handling
(impressive) but the hill on my commute it straight uphill for about a quarter mile and I'd like to get to 50 mph asap. I just don't know how a cold battery will deal with it on
a regular basis.

a quarter of a mile is not very long

Optimist · 12-01-2011, 06:18 PM

exactly. so the 9 mile climb didn't exactly answer my question.
but it's a hard question because I am trying to compare to
my accord, which actually doesn't quite fill the bill, despite
the 168 hp (or whatever it is). I always feel just a little slow
compared to the dodge ram pickup bearing down on me.

12-01-2011, 03:09 PM	#1 (permalink)
Optimist Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Ithaca, NY Posts: 38	Prospective CRZ owner question about acceleration from zero It's time to replace my 2001 manual Accord and I read that the CRZ is the only manual transmission hybrid out there. I was lucky enough to find one for a test drive and found it to be fun to drive. It seems to have quite a bit of acceleration at several speeds, including from zero. But its power rating is only 122 hp and its 0-60 is over 8 sec, 2 sec slower than an Accord. But it must be different in the different driving modes, right? On my daily commute, I enter a 2-lane highway in a valley between two steep hills and the oncoming traffic comes around a blind curve about 300 ft away. So I need to get up the hill fast sometimes. How should I expect the CRZ to compare to the stately but powerful Accord? Will the electric assist in sport mode get me to 40-50 mph faster? Can I assume that the battery will not complain about such a fast acceleration on winter mornings 5 minutes into a 30 minute commute? And that it will recharge in econ mode during the remaining 25 minutes? Thanks!

12-01-2011, 05:33 PM	#4 (permalink)
oldchap14 Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Bishop, CA Posts: 133	Just north of Bishop, CA is a NINE mile very steep straight hill that starts at 4,500 ft. and peaks at 7,200ft. The CR-Z six speed has to use 4th and 5th gears to maintain 65-70 mph. There is still one bar of battery indicated upon reaching the top of "THE GRADE." Incidentally, living in the mountains can mean getting up to 75 mpg...lots of downhills @ 100+ mpg to offset the 25mpg uphill sections. I get 50-75 mpg on most of my mountain trips. Last edited by oldchap14; 12-01-2011 at 05:35 PM. Reason: Changed "mph" to "mpg"

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12-01-2011, 03:22 PM	#2 (permalink)
Cam720 Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Maple Ridge, BC, Canada Posts: 31	I guess when doing the test drive you didn't have a chance to find a hill. I've had mine for 6 months and find the car just as peppy on any hill as it is on the flats. No acceleration problems for hills here on the west coast. Battery will be depleats quite quickly hill climbing and mine charges over the next 5 mins of regular driving. If my battery becomes depleted while climbing a hill I usually switch over to sport mode. 90% of my driving is done in econ. Hope this helps.

12-01-2011, 03:30 PM	#3 (permalink)
Optimist Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Ithaca, NY Posts: 38	The test drive was instructive for acceleration going up a hill, but I only had hills with sharp turns! So I never got over 25 mph. It was great for feeling the handling (impressive) but the hill on my commute it straight uphill for about a quarter mile and I'd like to get to 50 mph asap. I just don't know how a cold battery will deal with it on a regular basis.

12-01-2011, 06:05 PM	#6 (permalink)
Optimist Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Ithaca, NY Posts: 38	That is just so incredibly cool I can hardly deal with it. Nine miles steep uphill at 65 mph in 4th gear and getting 50-75 mpg on average? Even the 25mpg uphill is better than the accord city rating. Is this the coolest car ever made or what? So I am guessing you can see the electric assist during the whole 9-mile climb?

12-01-2011, 06:11 PM	#8 (permalink)
wicked1 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Midwest US Posts: 767	Like oldchap said, you'll likely run out of battery and have to downshift. The first time I ran out of battery going up a hill I didn't downshift and began slowing down.. I was mad and came here complaining. But, once I learned to downshift a few gears I can keep the speed up w/ no problem. I think that was just bad manual transmission skills on my part. Use sport mode for the entire hill, and it will put more stress on the engine and less on the motor.

12-01-2011, 06:18 PM	#10 (permalink)
Optimist Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Ithaca, NY Posts: 38	exactly. so the 9 mile climb didn't exactly answer my question. but it's a hard question because I am trying to compare to my accord, which actually doesn't quite fill the bill, despite the 168 hp (or whatever it is). I always feel just a little slow compared to the dodge ram pickup bearing down on me.