Honda has introduced this week the 2013 CR-Z facelift in the United States where it can be yours for a starting price of $19,975, not taking into account the $790 destination charge. It comes with a new lithium-ion battery that has increased the power of the electric motor from 10 kW to 15 kW. As a consequence, the combined output obtained from the conventional 1.5-liter gasoline engine and the electric motor has reached 130 hp at 6,000 rpm and 140 lb-ft of torque, representing an 8 hp and 12 lb-ft increase compared to the 2012MY. There’s also a bigger clutch, while the manual model gets a new lower final drive ratio.
The 2013 Honda CR-Z comes with a Plus Sport System that can be activated when the battery is at least half full and the car is travelling at a speed of more than 19 mph. The Japanese brand says that once this is activated by pushing the S+ on the steering wheel, it provides an electric boost that improves acceleration for as long as 5 seconds.
When fitted with the manual gearbox, the new CR-Z returns 31 mpg city / 39 mpg highway / 34 mpg combined, while the CVT-equipped variant can do 36 / 39 / 37. Honda is offering the facelifted CR-Z in two trim levels and with two new colors: Polished Metal Metallic and Passion Berry Pearl.
