Review: 2014 Honda CR-Z Mugen CVT

Photos by Ulysses Ang

First-timers will find the Honda CR-Z a mesmerizing, if not, confusing sports car considering all the tech shoved into it. Start it up and the instrument cluster alone has 11, yes, 11 separate clusters and gauges displaying all sorts of information. Add to that the 3-Mode Drive system to the left and the climate control to the right and it becomes apparent that the CR-Z’s made for the Gran Turismo generation. However, as you get used to it, operating the CR-Z becomes second nature; like a well-worn pair of Adidas running shoes (we’ve tested it in Modulo CVT trim and even pitted the MT versus the Toyota 86). Yes, this is one complex machine, but it’s completely understandable too. But what happens when Honda sprinkles a bit of their motorsports magic onto the CR-Z? The resulting sports hybrid is something that’s equally familiar and mysterious—meet the CR-Z Mugen.
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