Honda loaned us a 6-speed CR-Z this week and yesterday I took it over to Dynolab in Marietta, GA for one of our customary dyno test sessions. Packing a 1.5L 4-cylinder SOHC engine with 13hp of maximum IMA boost, Honda rates the CR-Z's peak power at 122hp@6000. I was a little surprised when our little black test car laid down 3 nearly identical passes showing 118hp and 130lb-ft at the wheels.

I will note that the vehicle we tested is an experienced sample, showing over 5200 miles on the odometer at the time of the dyno test. Also, this particular car is an early pre-production build, so we're not sure whether or not the ECU flash is fully production spec. As you'll see in another video that we'll be posting later, our test vehicle does not seem to be hindered by any sort of top speed limiter.

Overall, you can see that the IMA assist of the electric motor lends a big boost to low rpm torque. The IMA continues to boost the total output throughout the rev range. At around 6200 rpms, the 'assist' gauge blanks out and you can see the resulting 10hp drop over the final 300rpms of the rev range.

We tested the CR-Z in the 3 different modes (Normal, Sport, and Eco) and confirmed that there is no difference in peak output or even the shape of the torque curve. The only difference is the throttle response.

Continue to the next page to see the videos.