2012 on local dealer lot

[chaos]

Our dealer has a 2012 EX sitting in the front of their lot. $22+, only dealer installed accessories were mud flaps ($197). After seeing them, I am going to have them installed on my car.

The salesman didn't know if it was a hybrid or not, I told him that "yes, that is a hybrid".

The CR-Z is now featured on one of the college graduate incentive tents (small fold up card) and the booklet, though on the booklet, the Fit is on the cover and the CR-Z is on the inside folds.

Still couldn't find a pamphlet or book on the CR-Z in the showroom.

Yes, it did happen, I have pictures! Will post them once I move them from the phone this afternoon.

[chaos]

No CR-Z info on racks:

[VTEC Mini]

Yeah Honda's efforts on brochures and advertising has been beyond poor. It is almost like they wished they didn't want to make the car but did anyway and want it to fail.

[carlg1212]

This car is so different, they weren't sure it would work, so we are the beta-market. Honda's not sure who to market it to.

When I rolled into the dealer a few months ago, I had my mind set on an Accord (too pricey) and a Civic (ok, but just didn't do it for me). The CR-V and Ridgeline never appealed to me, I don't like the SUV- and pickup-type vehicles. Then I saw the CR-Z, and I said "WTF is that?!?!?". I never even heard of the CR-Z. I still don't see commercials on T.V.

I paid off my 2001 Honda for some time now and, well, since it's a Honda, it's still running (knock on wood). So I have my four-door transportation if/when I need it. Getting a 2-seater made sense, since I primarily drive alone, commuting back and forth to work. Maybe Honda factored this in. Who knows. Nothing pisses me off more than seeing the steady stream of SUV's and minivans on the road, with no one else in the vehicle but the driver. Thanks for the high gas prices, ya asses. But I diverge.

I'm left to believe the CR-Z was an experiment. Imagine Honda engineers saying to upper management, "Check this out". Or maybe it's the other way around: Honda's upper management told their engineers "Go crazy with this, make it work".

Either way, the result was a truly unique vehicle. When I test drove her, all these feelings came flooding back of how much fun it is to drive again. The last time that happened to me was 20 years ago, and I've had a lot of cars inbetween that time. I was smitten. I still am. The best part of my workweek is my drive to/from work.

So who does the CR-Z appeal to? Honda's just figuring that out, but you and I and everyone else here already knows the answer: low-cost, fuel efficient, comfortable, sporty, and damn sexy.

[VTEC Mini]

Originally Posted by carlg1212

This car is so different, they weren't sure it would work, so we are the beta-market. Honda's not sure who to market it to.

When I rolled into the dealer a few months ago, I had my mind set on an Accord (too pricey) and a Civic (ok, but just didn't do it for me). The CR-V and Ridgeline never appealed to me, I don't like the SUV- and pickup-type vehicles. Then I saw the CR-Z, and I said "WTF is that?!?!?". I never even heard of the CR-Z. I still don't see commercials on T.V.

I paid off my 2001 Honda for some time now and, well, since it's a Honda, it's still running (knock on wood). So I have my four-door transportation if/when I need it. Getting a 2-seater made sense, since I primarily drive alone, commuting back and forth to work. Maybe Honda factored this in. Who knows. Nothing pisses me off more than seeing the steady stream of SUV's and minivans on the road, with no one else in the vehicle but the driver. Thanks for the high gas prices, ya asses. But I diverge.

I'm left to believe the CR-Z was an experiment. Imagine Honda engineers saying to upper management, "Check this out". Or maybe it's the other way around: Honda's upper management told their engineers "Go crazy with this, make it work".

Either way, the result was a truly unique vehicle. When I test drove her, all these feelings came flooding back of how much fun it is to drive again. The last time that happened to me was 20 years ago, and I've had a lot of cars inbetween that time. I was smitten. I still am. The best part of my workweek is my drive to/from work.

So who does the CR-Z appeal to? Honda's just figuring that out, but you and I and everyone else here already knows the answer: low-cost, fuel efficient, comfortable, sporty, and damn sexy.

Yes but at 380 sales last month Honda better do something. Even Fiat as much as it is in the crapper beat that by over twice as much. This is where a good marketing division comes in- throw it out there and then do research to see who is attracted to it. I mean a simple brochure, really?! That is just very basic advertising. Not having one is like hiding the picture of crazy cousin Eddie in the family photo hallway when someone comes to visit.

[atteSmythe]

% of stock moved would be a more interesting stat than the raw number, IMO. Edmunds shows one CR-Z in stock within 50 miles of me. Can't move many cars that way!

[carlg1212]

Originally Posted by VTEC Mini

Yes but at 380 sales last month Honda better do something. Even Fiat as much as it is in the crapper beat that by over twice as much. This is where a good marketing division comes in- throw it out there and then do research to see who is attracted to it. I mean a simple brochure, really?! That is just very basic advertising. Not having one is like hiding the picture of crazy cousin Eddie in the family photo hallway when someone comes to visit.

Maybe, this is and similar forums are that brochure. I can't think of any other reason other than they can't keep up demand so they don't want to advertise it. There were 2 at the dealer I went to, stuck between hundreds of Civics and Accords. I don't get it.

[gozoner]

Originally Posted by VTEC Mini

Yes but at 380 sales last month Honda better do something....

Honda has got way bigger worries than just our lowly CR-Z. Like, Honda was almost the only maker to see their year-to-year sales fall in this past November. We just need to hope that our CR-Z hangs on until Honda itself can recover.

[chaos]

We're the Crazy Eddie's of the Honda world.

That's ok with me. Carl said exactly what I think: "So who does the CR-Z appeal to? Honda's just figuring that out, but you and I and everyone else here already knows the answer: low-cost, fuel efficient, comfortable, sporty, and damn sexy."

[VTEC Mini]

Originally Posted by carlg1212

Maybe, this is and similar forums are that brochure. I can't think of any other reason other than they can't keep up demand so they don't want to advertise it. There were 2 at the dealer I went to, stuck between hundreds of Civics and Accords. I don't get it.

Let me hit this from another Angle. When I went to the L.A. auto Show all the manufactures has brochures on most of their models especially their new models and had someone there talking about them and showing them off- Honda had zip on the CR-Z.

Originally Posted by gozoner

Honda has got way bigger worries than just our lowly CR-Z. Like, Honda was almost the only maker to see their year-to-year sales fall in this past November. We just need to hope that our CR-Z hangs on until Honda itself can recover.

I agree. The Civic has always been the corner stone of their fleet. It is what has kept Honda alive for decades with the Accord second and Odyssey third. Honda's 2012 "redesign" of the Civic was an epic fail of biblical proportions. The Accord is lack luster in its class and the Odyssey lost some of it's quality. At the Auto show I sat in the Ford Flex, Toyota Sienna, and the Honda Odyssey. The Toyota I found was the best as far as comfort, egress, best trunk space with all the seats up and standard features and good build materials. Second was the Ford Flex with the best build materials, second best trunk space with seats up, good comfort. The knee room was lacking and I hate Microsoft so those where its negatives. The Odyssey- I had to duck to get in and out, cheap plastic and comfort was ok and it had the least amount of trunk space of the three.

Originally Posted by chaos

We're the Crazy Eddie's of the Honda world.

That's ok with me. Carl said exactly what I think: "So who does the CR-Z appeal to? Honda's just figuring that out, but you and I and everyone else here already knows the answer: low-cost, fuel efficient, comfortable, sporty, and damn sexy."

This is where Honda needs to get on the ball with it's marketing team. That's all I am trying to say. It seams they are not even trying to lift a finger to figure out "who?".