[taikahn]

I was just as surprised. By the seat of the pants both cars feel about the same with regard to power. But when lined up side by side rolling along at 20 mph, and flooring both cars simultaneously, the Fit literally walks away from the CRZ in 2nd and 3rd gears. I did not test in 4th, but the results in 2nd and 3rd were so dramatic, there was no need for any further testing. Acceleration off the line would depend on your launch and skill, so I eliminated this in my testing by starting from a rolling start.

There are other factors affecting acceleration, besides weight and power, and they are gearing and the effect of the electric motor. The CRZ has longer gearing and that hurts acceleration, and it is further hampered by it's lower redline. The additional power from the electric motor is primarily below 2000 rpms and this is not an area of the power band you ever spend much time in.

Bottom line the Fit is a quicker car than the CRZ, but not so much that it is notably in daily driving, but don't go racing for titles, or you'll be walking home.

However, I am more bothered by the fact that my 6MT CRZ is only achieving 2.7 more MPGs than my 5MT Fit under the same conditions. You would think the hybrid stuff would result in more of a difference than that.

Tires and/or driver IMO. I too have owned both.