CR-Z targets eco-aware drivers

A hybrid is supposed to be practical and a good friend of Mother Earth. But sporty? Dear Mother, no.

That's about to change with the introduction of the Honda CR-Z, a car that would, at first blush, seem a little mixed up with its purpose in life. Or is it?

This nifty little sport coupe, which arrives in August, is Honda's attempt to target a younger, eco-aware demographic looking something fun and affordable to bop around in.

Compared to the four-door Honda Insight, the CR-Z certainly fits the bill and is also pretty darn cute, even if one San Franciscan side-walker thought it was a Mazda3. Although both disparate models feature similar wide-mouth grilles, the CR-Z's nosepiece is easily the car's most attractive visual element. At the opposite end, the dramatically truncated tail ending barely aft of the rear wheels makes the entire design appear a bit lopsided.

The CR-Z actually bears some resemblance to the ancient CRX, Honda's fondly remembered Civic-based runabout that was available from the mid-1980s to the early '90s. And like the CRX, North American CR-Zs seat two passengers.

Lifting the mostly glass rear hatch reveals an abundance of cargo room as well as a hidden console directly behind the passenger seat that's ideal for storing valuables.

The twin bucket seats are comfortable and supportive and certainly feel sporty, by they're covered in a clashing dear-old-dad-tweedlike material. Fortunately, the dashboard's intuitive layout is one of Honda's better efforts and conveys a proper sense of quality. And since the CR-Z borrows from the four-door hybrid Insight's architecture, the wide cabin has plenty of elbow room, something the skinny CRX (and original two-seat Insight, for that matter) lacked.

The CR-Z has a 1.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine combined with a helper electric motor/generator that makes 122 horsepower, 24 more than the current Insight's powertrain with its smaller 1.3-liter gas engine.

Transmission picks consist of a six-speed manual (currently the only one available on any hybrid), or optional continuously variable (CVT) unit with paddle shifters. The six-speed isn't as fuel-efficient as the CVT (31/37 city/highway miles per gallon versus 35/39), but the stick makes the CR-Z more fun to drive. As well, the buttery smooth shifter will turn even the clumsiest gear changer into a pro. Hill Start Assist -- that briefly holds the car while you let out the clutch pedal to prevent rolling backward -- eliminates the stress of launching the car on an incline.

Both transmissions provide the driver with a selection of operating modes: Normal for everyday city/highway activities; Sport, which provides noticeably more zip and steering effort; and Econ for maximizing fuel economy. Selecting either the Normal or Econ activates either a blue- or green-colored ring inside the tachometer/rev gauge to indicate your driving style. The more green displayed, the better your fuel economy.

On snaky San Francisco roads, the CR-Z is a competent cruiser that, with its front and rear wheels set relatively wide apart, handles all but the sharpest turns with ease. This is in sharp contrast to the four-door Insight. The CR-Z's cabin is also well insulated from road and wind noise, allowing mainly the throaty burble of the sport-tuned exhaust to invade the cabin.

Well-equipped base models feature climate control plus the usual power-operated controls, while the EX edition adds a premium audio system, Bluetooth wireless networking, high-intensity-discharge headlights, fog lights, heated seats and metal trim and pedals.

A navigation system is optional, but buyers looking for a sunroof or leather-interior upgrade are out of luck.

Honda officials won't rule out an eventual power-upgrade option for the CR-Z, but for now the current package with its affordable $20,000 pricetag should satisfy a range of buyers wanting a sports-flavored vehicle that holds their carbon footprint to a minimum. Mother Nature had best trade her gardening gloves for driving gloves.