Endeavours to Update Next Year's CR-Z from Honda

Honda plans to present a facelift variant of its hatchback in MY 2016.

Innovations are going to be implemented majorly in the domain of appearance: CR-Z will be provided with more pronounced ends. Radiator grille of this 4WD hatchback is going to “smile” wider in the front. Some lighting size changes are also to be introduced. The Japanese carmaker also managed to boost aggressiveness from the inside with the help of pushing out wheel arches. Coupled with updated brakes and wheels plus a slight palette extension, it sums up the exterior changes.

The so-called sports hybrid is, to the great disappointment of Honda fans, not going to be boosted under the hood. The total output of the gas engine with the displacement of 1.5 litres and the electric counterpart presents modest 130 hp. Difference between the manual gearbox and continuously variable transmission totals 13 hp to the favour of the former.

The requirement to stay in low-volume cost domain made the designers give up LED lighting, which is going to be a discrepancy from the JDM variant to be viewed in 2016 US market premiere.

Home-country release is planned for late October with the stateside to follow not long after that. Honda really hopes for updates of its CR-Z to boost the current poor sales.