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danielgr
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I apologize already for the long post, but anyway, for anyone interested here is not a review, but an "ownership report" of my experience with my car. If you just want to see the pics, scroll all the way down to the bottom, or watch them full-screen with some comments here
:) :) :)
(sorry also about the redundancy of some pics, but sometimes it was too hard to choose...)
The car:
- JDM CR-Z alfa MT (~ EUDM GT or USDM EX + some extras)
- Price I paid: 2.7M JPY (~35k USD)
- Options over base trim
Factory Navi (including 3G link with internet services)
Metal trim pedals
ArmRest
About me:
- Male, 30yold, married w/o kids, CR-Z is my first personally owned car (before I've only personally owned motorbikes)
- Previous family-owned cars can be found on TOV (link)
About my driving:
- Where?:
Mostly (I'd say about 90%) on Japanese freeways, crossing Japan East-West and back on ~700km trips across the Japan Alps (goes up&down for about 4000m or 12000 ft).
The rest on country roads - small cities.
- How?
Speed limits in JP are maximum 100kmph (62mph) on freeways, 50kmph outside. I drive rather close to the limit on the freeways, don't ask me outside them...
Cruise Control is factory-limited to 110kmph (68mph) so I almost never drive faster than that over long distances.
Use ECON most of the time, SPORT whenever I get into less crowded country roads and highway ramps/junctions, NORMAL when cruising in the highway without cruise control.
Ownership experience
- Maintenance
So far only oil and filter
- Wear:
So far every single part of the car but the painting (in typical Honda fashion, though I don't really care and feel is a decent compromise for using eco-friendly water-based stuff) still feels like new.
Trying hard I could say the plastic bits around the gauge cluster got some gratings here and there.
- Rattles:
Only one, small sound coming from the trunk in the back where the battery cooling opening is found. Not annoying enough for me to ask my dealer to check it so far.
- Accident:
See the photos in the gallery. For whatever some may think in here, I do like the fact one can make a mistake when driving and still come out of it with no major health effects, even if that means driving a heavier car.
Being 100% responsible of my accident, I also felt good knowing that if I had been driving a tall SUV without ACE I may have hurt badly the driver of the 660cc-car I hit in front of me. Instead I was driving a CR-Z with ACE, and the lower front subframe perfectly aligned with the rear of the tiny micro-car without any major consequences.
- Fuel Efficiency:
So far my lifetime average including every single mile I've driven in the car since I bought it is 47.5 mpg - 4.95 L/100km - 20.2km/L
You can see all the details here
For the skeptics that believe I would lie about it, here is my record as registered by the ECU and uploaded to Honda servers through the 3G internet connexion without any intervention from me (have no way to cheat on it...);
* Total km driven on top,
* right column myself,
* center column what a car averaging 38mpg would get,
* and left column what I saved when compared with such car.
You can notice that ECU's estimate is 0.2km/L (about 1%) optimistic on my own measurements at the pump; good enough for me...
What has exceeded my expectations the most?:
- The drivetrain altogether (engine/motor/gearbox/3-modes):
it's simply an amazing little powerplant, based on the specs I wasn't expecting it neither to be as fun nor as efficient as it turned out to be in real life.
The gearbox is nowhere near that of a Civic TypeR / S2000, but it remains a real pleasure to operate when compared with similarly powered cars of any maker (including Honda).
The 3-modes seemed a gimmick at first, but they really make a good contribution to making this car something special. I do feel those that drive it in SPORT all the time miss over half of the fun, because the ECON tamed response is simply that much better to drive around town and congested roads, and the SPORT feels so much better when coming from ECON. Similarly, ECON makes cruise-control a much better experience by smoothing the acceleration when resuming a previous setting (and in crowded JP freeways one has to cancel-resume quite often)
What I like the most (I cannot write everything I like about the car because I would never finish, so here is a selection):
- The drivetrain (see above)
- The chassis: The car really feels both light and stiff; it's a pleasure to drive it around curvy roads while it remains decently stable on the freeway. Compared with both the Fit and Insight it feels like a much more expensive car despite sharing overall the same suspension geometry.
- The gauge-cluster / controls layout.
It is simply the best I've ever seen on any car, both beautifully styled and truly astounding ergonomics. Every single control comes at hand, while being both useful and simple to operate. I simply can't think of any possible better arrangement for a driver, and every time I drive any other car (including other Honda's) I can't help by think I wished I was in my car. Just have a look at the (clearly CR-X inspired) gauge cluster:
Rev & speed info combined together in the center, one gaze full info right where you want it.
Right-top side gets you fuel tank & instant FE (which is always visible, not hidden behind some menu)
Left-top side battery level and instant assist/regen gauge. The later with blue/green differentiator and in horizontal segment display, so much easier to follow than other Honda hybrids gauge going up and down.
Left-bottom regroups most car status indicators
Right-bottom the MiD with all the typical menus and info.
Now look at it, think about it, and you've see what makes using this car so pleasant in everyday life, because everything is simply perfectly structured and thought of.
- The climate control / HVAC
Japan weather is truly extreme and quickly changing, goes from extremely hot in summer to extremely cold in winter, humidity is high year long, etc. Now, I really love the HVAC system in the CR-Z because well, I simply need doing nothing but setting the temperature and everything else is dealt with in a smart way.
humidity and sunshine sensors work great
it'd never blow out cold air in winter (or warm air in summer) but instead wait until the proper temperature is reached to start blowing.
ECON mode saves you fuel without affecting cabin comfort in any noticeable way.
Warm air goes through your feet, cold one from upper vents, in summer automatically switches to inside recirculation to save fuel, in winter keeps it open to reduce humidity, etc.
All in all, when getting in other cars I've owned/driven I have a hard time finding a setting I can live comfortable with, have to make constant corrections during any journey. The CR-Z really makes a beautiful job keeping the cabin comfortable regardless of the conditions and with minimum intervention.
- The navi.
I won't go into details because it's a long story, but you can read them on a post I wrote some time ago (link).
- Keyless entry/start:
Wrote about it in more details elsewhere (link) but to me Honda's current system is truly convenient, and I do feel I'm going to miss it now that they seems to be falling to the "push-button" fashion. I have buttons in 3 Toyota's at home and, really, I hate them. Knobs (with multiple positions) are simply so much better to start/stop a car... that is really not where an engineer would put a ON/OFF button...
Standard features I couldn't care less about:
- LED DRLs (in Japan there is no use for DRLs to begin with...)
All my gripes (really, all of them)
- Navi related:
Impossibility for the passenger to operate the navi/music stuff. I understand makers liabilities and so on, I understand it's not safe to operate when driving and that voice commands are really nice, but com'on, there should be a way to activate controls when there is a passenger on-board. Specially having 40GB HDD with a music library, it's simply stupid that my wife cannot browse it to choose the music she likes while I'm driving...
Impossibility to copy music from a USB flash memory into the HDD, and having both libraries separated and no voice support for the USB one. Nowadays I have so much music in digital format instead of CD's that is really a big miss.
No bluetooth-audio (Honda believes I have to get an i-phone to get music from my phone...)
Holding next/previous button on wheel-mounted controls doesn't change the folder/play-list. Instead I have to use voice controls, which work fine, but shouldn't be needed for such a simple task.
- Rear Camera positioning
makes it getting dirty constantly in Japanese weather; should be better protected.
- Rear 3/4 visibility
makes it hard to get into local roads from local shops parkings. Basically rear visibility is plenty good, lateral ok, but rear 3/4 you can't see anything.
- Mirrors won't fold down if you the car is turn off.
I always forget, then have to turn the key again and push the button again... Cumbersome...
The big misses (what I wished more my car had but couldn't get even as an option)
- Lack of auto-wipers.
Now on that I really felt cheated, because coming from Europe all top of the line cars have them (including a Fit/Jazz), and I really thought they were in, but not even an option. Now, in Japan it rains an awful lot, with constant intensity variations, and tunnels everywhere. So yes, I never felt I wanted those auto-wipers more than here and at 2.7M JPY they are a big miss for me.
- Lack of passenger seat hanger over the door.
For the passenger there is simply nowhere to hold oneself when driving spiritedly around turns, and my wife feels scared because of it. So basically missing that simple thing kills my driving fun whenever she is around, which is a pity.
What I would like in the future (other than solving my current gripes; would sell me on a new one):
- Ability to personalize the 3 modes
or at least one extra "custom". Fact is one should be able to choose among the different patterns offered by the car (including DBW/steering assist/gearbox logic/A/C behaviour/etc.) in a more flexible way. Two examples:
Some people may enjoy the SPORT mode steering feel even when driving in ECON
Some people may want to keep the A/C saving fuel even when driving in NORMAL/SPORT modes.
- Improved FE and a larger battery pack with greater charge/discharge power.
For me performance is already good enough, don't need any more where I live.
- Use GPS info on my driving plan to optimize IMA charging/use settings.
Example, do not charge the battery on a flat road if you know that little afterwards there is a sharp downhill that will fill it up.
- Improve SmartPhone connectivity, and don't make it limited to i-phones, but with some kind of standard protocol.
- Make the Navi software updatable, and provide me updates during my ownership with improved interface/features, just as SmartPhones OS improves every year.
- Better all-around visibility, specially rear 3/4
- Give me the following options already offered in other Honda models:
CMBS (would have prevented my accident...) and side airbags / sky-roof (without forcing me to get leather seats)
And that's about it. If you have any questions It'd be my pleasure to answer.
Otherwise enjoy the pics; it's been a hell of a year (18 months) at the wheel of my tiny Z. Again, if you wish to watch them full-screen with comments you can go here (where you'll also find a few more photos than on the board).
CR-Z van - bringing supplies North after the 3/11 quake
Last edited by danielgr on 03-08-2012 22:48
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longhorn
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I am glad you survived your accident unscathed. Did you get the car fixed? With airbag deployment,that an automatic totaled car here in the states.
Nice color by the way, but I have to disagree with you on the quality of paint. I could care less if Honda swiches to water based paint, the quality of paint should not suffer.
The CRZ would be probably sell better here in the states if it had a backseat. Some insurances add a surcharge for two seaters since they are considered sportcars. And the fuel mileage will surely climb when the CRZ gets ED tech at its next MMC.
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Nick GravesX
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Good report - pleased you liked it so much.
Pleased you survived the accident OK & weren't too deafened by the airbags.
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FiSH-Chan
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Glad you're alright, the accident doesn't look TOO bad, compared to what I have seen and experience..
Anyway, don't apologise about the pics, the scenery you set up your CR-Z in is very beautiful.
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hondadude
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Your CR-Z is absolutely beautiful! Excellent pics with superb scenery! Great color choice, also. Thank you for sharing your ownership experience and the pics.
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P54
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Don't see a single picture, only a small square with multiple colors??
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Potenza
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Great ownership report, Daniel. Nice to read some real-world feedback.
What is the instant FE gauge like? Just a bar graph? You say it's always present - can it be hidden? I drove a current Fit when it came out, and the instant FE gauge bothered me. To me it wasn't very informative but ultimately just a bar that went down when you accelerated. Well I already know that acceleration uses more fuel than steady-state driving... no need to make me feel bad about it. And in truth, as old-lady-like as I drove, the bar graph would dip and make me feel bad! As a "feature," it really turned me off.
I like your thoughts on the customizable modes. I personally would prefer the sharp steering always and the A/C on fuel-saving model always. I would prefer to switch to ECON for the decreased throttle sensitivity and cruise control benefits.
And yes, I too would like the Skyroof (and never leather seats - in fact, black cloth seats in the two-tone interior). But we also don't get the LED DRL in the States, which is something I would appreciate (simply for the cool factor, though supposedly they serve a purpose as well).
Also, I didn't see any mention from you concerning the back seat. Does it ever get any use? By people or for storage? I think I would prefer seats/belts for reserve use - just in case - but it's hardly a deal-breaker. People are quick here to say they want the rear seats, but most reviews have called them simply pathetic. One report even stated, "Ditch the ridiculous rear seats and offer a big and accessible lockable luggage box." The grass is always greener...
The CR-Z is high up on my consideration list, mostly because as you suggest, it really seems like a premium built vehicle for its very reasonable price.
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danielgr
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longhorn wrote:
I am glad you survived your accident unscathed. Did you get the car fixed? With airbag deployment,that an automatic totaled car here in the states. |
longhorn wrote:
Nice color by the way, but I have to disagree with you on the quality of paint. I could care less if Honda swiches to water based paint, the quality of paint should not suffer. |
longhorn wrote:
The CRZ would be probably sell better here in the states if it had a backseat. Some insurances add a surcharge for two seaters since they are considered sportcars. And the fuel mileage will surely climb when the CRZ gets ED tech at its next MMC. |
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danielgr
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P54 wrote:
Don't see a single picture, only a small square with multiple colors??
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- some ad-blocker plug-in is cutting them
- your browser doesn't support https (strange)
- you are using a mobile phone and the page is over-riding its memory capacity for browser
- you are using some browser's InPrivate browsing features
Have you tried to open the external gallery (I posted the link twice). It also doesn't work? If nothing works let me know and I'll try to fix it when I have some time...
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NealX
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I was able to view all the images this morning and a couple hours later they show as small blue squares with a question mark in the middle.
But the review is fantastic and the car within the JP landscape was very beautiful!
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danielgr
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Thanks for your compliments, glad to see some appreciate the effort to write it down. Answering your questions
Potenza wrote:What is the instant FE gauge like? Just a bar graph? You say it's always present - can it be hidden? I drove a current Fit when it came out, and the instant FE gauge bothered me. To me it wasn't very informative but ultimately just a bar that went down when you accelerated. Well I already know that acceleration uses more fuel than steady-state driving... no need to make me feel bad about it. And in truth, as old-lady-like as I drove, the bar graph would dip and make me feel bad! As a "feature," it really turned me off.
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| Potenza wrote:Also, I didn't see any mention from you concerning the back seat. Does it ever get any use? By people or for storage? I think I would prefer seats/belts for reserve use - just in case - but it's hardly a deal-breaker. People are quick here to say they want the rear seats, but most reviews have called them simply pathetic. One report even stated, "Ditch the ridiculous rear seats and offer a big and accessible lockable luggage box." The grass is always greener... |
- Did I use them?
Maybe all in all 5 times as an extreme solution with a Japanese adult (~5.2ft tall) seating monkey-style in short city outings (less than 20min driving), and once carrying a 4yold on a child-seat for about 1h30min (which it did surprisingly well).
- Would I have changed my buying decission if they were not available?
Maybe at the time, but now I can tell you that would have been dumb, because I really have so little use for those... What I would really like is Honda making a car this good with a real 5-passenger configuration. Because yes, I do miss having "real" rear seats more often than I'd like to.
Potenza wrote:
The CR-Z is high up on my consideration list, mostly because as you suggest, it really seems like a premium built vehicle for its very reasonable price. |
PS: The DRL LEDs look cool in the brochure when buying the car, then you drive it and forget about them pretty fast. I never get to see my car with the lights on (because gladly they turn off automatically when I get turn it off). To me, unless someone promisses me they save IMA battery juice, it's a "showroom feature", not an "ownership feature".
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danielgr
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Neal wrote:
I was able to view all the images this morning and a couple hours later they show as small blue squares with a question mark in the middle.
But the review is fantastic and the car within the JP landscape was very beautiful!
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Last edited by danielgr on 03-07-2012 19:06
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xsr
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"Imho in the US the CR-Z is a steal... sure doubt anyone buying it knowing what it is could be disappointed"
Exactly right, danielgr. It feels much more expensive than it is.
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danielgr
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danielgr wrote:
Neal wrote:
I was able to view all the images this morning and a couple hours later they show as small blue squares with a question mark in the middle.
But the review is fantastic and the car within the JP landscape was very beautiful!
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Anyway, sorry about that, guess it may take some time for me to bring back the pics after all ...
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Midi_Amp
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Daniel, glad the car got fixed and you're all right. Thanks for the report and the pictures are absolutely gorgeous, what camera did you use? Kind of makes me wants to do an ownership report for my Freed too, but I have crappy photography skill, maybe a good camera can balance things out.
Maybe an "ownership report" should be a regular feature here on TOV, as well real life fuel economy report... Incidentally, which was your idea as well.
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Midi_Amp
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Potenza wrote:
Great ownership report, Daniel. Nice to read some real-world feedback.
What is the instant FE gauge like? Just a bar graph? You say it's always present - can it be hidden? I drove a current Fit when it came out, and the instant FE gauge bothered me. To me it wasn't very informative but ultimately just a bar that went down when you accelerated. Well I already know that acceleration uses more fuel than steady-state driving... no need to make me feel bad about it. And in truth, as old-lady-like as I drove, the bar graph would dip and make me feel bad! As a "feature," it really turned me off.
I like your thoughts on the customizable modes. I personally would prefer the sharp steering always and the A/C on fuel-saving model always. I would prefer to switch to ECON for the decreased throttle sensitivity and cruise control benefits.
And yes, I too would like the Skyroof (and never leather seats - in fact, black cloth seats in the two-tone interior). But we also don't get the LED DRL in the States, which is something I would appreciate (simply for the cool factor, though supposedly they serve a purpose as well).
Also, I didn't see any mention from you concerning the back seat. Does it ever get any use? By people or for storage? I think I would prefer seats/belts for reserve use - just in case - but it's hardly a deal-breaker. People are quick here to say they want the rear seats, but most reviews have called them simply pathetic. One report even stated, "Ditch the ridiculous rear seats and offer a big and accessible lockable luggage box." The grass is always greener...
The CR-Z is high up on my consideration list, mostly because as you suggest, it really seems like a premium built vehicle for its very reasonable price.
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Concerning the instant FE gauge, I find it very useful for all Honda compacts. I always drive and take a quick glance on the FE gauge to see how is my driving affects the fuel consumption. On straight less car roads (there's no such thing as straight empty road in my country) I maintain speed and monitors the FE gauge, if the speed dips, I message the throttle so much not to dip the FE gauge down the 1L/10Km range. On inclines and declines, I monitors the FE gauge when should I start opens up the throttle when the momentum starts to diminish since I always do mild hypermiling.
If the CR-Z in US/Europe is the same in Japan (minus the entertainment unit), it's quite a steal. I always take a good and thorough look whenever a CR-Z is on display by a local importer... And It's simply breathtaking. The curves, the lines, the dash design, the ergonomics, the seats, oh my... Then the price kind of kick me in the nuts several times and then stabbed it with US$68K worth of rusty knife covered with tetanus disease.
You should definitely get it if your daily driving needs only involves you and the occasional extra passenger, the cargo bay is enough for urban living. The fuel efficiency is not great, but basically according to Honda anyway, it's a 2.0L worth of coupe with very good efficiency... Kind of correct me on this one, but I think when Honda launched the car it said something about acceleration comparable to 2.0L engine car.
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danielgr
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Midi_Amp wrote:
Daniel, glad the car got fixed and you're all right. Thanks for the report and the pictures are absolutely gorgeous, what camera did you use? Kind of makes me wants to do an ownership report for my Freed too, but I have crappy photography skill, maybe a good camera can balance things out.[...] |
This is my 4th or 5th DSLR and, though I believe the camera sure doesn't make the photographer, having a good one sure helps normal people like me with no particular photographic skills to take nice photos.
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Midi_Amp
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danielgr wrote:
Midi_Amp wrote:
Daniel, glad the car got fixed and you're all right. Thanks for the report and the pictures are absolutely gorgeous, what camera did you use? Kind of makes me wants to do an ownership report for my Freed too, but I have crappy photography skill, maybe a good camera can balance things out.[...] |
This is my 4th or 5th DSLR and, though I believe the camera sure doesn't make the photographer, having a good one sure helps normal people like me with no particular photographic skills to take nice photos.
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Don't be modest, your rule of thirds use is spot on, and the scene composition is great. I've been wanting to buy an SLR camera, but never liked the size of it. Might jump into the SLR bandwagon when I had enough with the crappy pocket camera picture quality. Thanks for the camera model.
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danielgr
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Midi_Amp wrote:
danielgr wrote:
Midi_Amp wrote:
Daniel, glad the car got fixed and you're all right. Thanks for the report and the pictures are absolutely gorgeous, what camera did you use? Kind of makes me wants to do an ownership report for my Freed too, but I have crappy photography skill, maybe a good camera can balance things out.[...] |
This is my 4th or 5th DSLR and, though I believe the camera sure doesn't make the photographer, having a good one sure helps normal people like me with no particular photographic skills to take nice photos.
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Don't be modest, your rule of thirds use is spot on, and the scene composition is great. I've been wanting to buy an SLR camera, but never liked the size of it. Might jump into the SLR bandwagon when I had enough with the crappy pocket camera picture quality. Thanks for the camera model.
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I don't know in the rest of the world but in japan such cameras are quickly finding their way to the top of the salescharts. Here is the top selling model now:
http://kakaku.com/item/K0000311222/
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P54
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Nice pictures! What part of Japan are you in where the pictures are taken? A couple of pictures, one on the rice-field and one on a parking lot have a small shed behind the car, is that an outhouse? (Or a telephone booth like the Amish use in USA?)
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6SPDTL
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Midi_Amp wrote:
danielgr wrote:
Midi_Amp wrote:
Daniel, glad the car got fixed and you're all right. Thanks for the report and the pictures are absolutely gorgeous, what camera did you use? Kind of makes me wants to do an ownership report for my Freed too, but I have crappy photography skill, maybe a good camera can balance things out.[...] |
This is my 4th or 5th DSLR and, though I believe the camera sure doesn't make the photographer, having a good one sure helps normal people like me with no particular photographic skills to take nice photos.
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Don't be modest, your rule of thirds use is spot on, and the scene composition is great. I've been wanting to buy an SLR camera, but never liked the size of it. Might jump into the SLR bandwagon when I had enough with the crappy pocket camera picture quality. Thanks for the camera model.
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If you want a compact camera with SLR quality images simply buy a cannon S95. The picture quality is stupendous even in low light, the only minus is the small form factor (fiddly for big hands), rather small zoom range and of course its non instantaneous operation. I own a Nikon 300S and the cannon S95. The cannon's pictures have nothing to envy to the Nikons. The colors are a little saturated (the cannon color default is akin to nikons vivid setting) but in all other parameters picture quality is a wash. Note that I'm comparing a 400 buck camera to a 3000 (with lens) dollar one! Not a small feat for a compact point and shoot.
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Powered by Honda
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hehehe the CR-Z looks so like Goofy with the buck-tooth license plate hahaha. Take it off now and risk getting a ticket. I do it all the time. Its worth it.
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danielgr
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danielgr wrote:
Neal wrote:
I was able to view all the images this morning and a couple hours later they show as small blue squares with a question mark in the middle.
But the review is fantastic and the car within the JP landscape was very beautiful!
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danielgr
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P54 wrote:
Nice pictures! What part of Japan are you in where the pictures are taken? A couple of pictures, one on the rice-field and one on a parking lot have a small shed behind the car, is that an outhouse? (Or a telephone booth like the Amish use in USA?) |
I couldn't tell you exactly what are those small storage houses, but I'm sure they are not telephone booths :)
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Fan Koni
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Nice scenery and funny to see the relation in size to those box shaped mini cars.
Under 5L/100km is great, especially looking at all that snow!
Thanks also on your honest opinion that Honda should make something like that with a bit more space.
I was back and forth about buying a MT CRZ, was great fun driving it, but at the end the issue with the rear space killed it.
On suspension and power I would have spent a bit, but no way to get by the missing seats/storage.
An MT hybrid hatch, even only four seats would be great for me, similar to Neals newest design and with the new promising 1.8 engine.
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NealX
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I'm certain I would have a CR-Z if we got the rear bench for "emergency" purposes. Alas...
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Varmint
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Great report! I only have 10K on mine, but most of my opinions line up with yours.
Agrees:
- Perfectly adequate power for a commuter car. Remapping the throttle and IMA output in sport mode is enough to give the car some zest. It won't steal the heart of a Mustang fan, but it's surprising and fun. Driving around in sport mode all the time dumbs down the experience.
- Gear box is good. It's clean and easy, just not quite good enough to call "buttery smooth". The throw is fine, but I may install a short-shifter kit just to give it a little extra something.
- Fuel efficiency is great. 10% of my daily commute are places where I can play. 50% allows me to feather the throttle and practice a few mild hypermiler tricks. The other 40% is me keeping up with traffic and driving like a responsible CotR. My average for the life of the car is 44+ mpg.
- The design of the dash is handsome. (In fact, it's award-winning.) The use of it is easy. I do wish the MID allowed for a default screen. I always have to thumb the button once to get back to my preferred display. Also, the empty tank warnings are obnoxious.
- I also wish the modes were programmable.
Disagrees:
- The styling of the car is the strongest selling point here in the USA. I can't see it translating to a five-seater (from the follow-up comments).
- The design of the air vents causes considerable turbulence, and therefore quite a bit of noise. I wish the auto HVAC were a bit less aggressive about the fan speed.
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Midi_Amp
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6SPDTL wrote:
Midi_Amp wrote:
danielgr wrote:
Midi_Amp wrote:
Daniel, glad the car got fixed and you're all right. Thanks for the report and the pictures are absolutely gorgeous, what camera did you use? Kind of makes me wants to do an ownership report for my Freed too, but I have crappy photography skill, maybe a good camera can balance things out.[...] |
This is my 4th or 5th DSLR and, though I believe the camera sure doesn't make the photographer, having a good one sure helps normal people like me with no particular photographic skills to take nice photos.
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Don't be modest, your rule of thirds use is spot on, and the scene composition is great. I've been wanting to buy an SLR camera, but never liked the size of it. Might jump into the SLR bandwagon when I had enough with the crappy pocket camera picture quality. Thanks for the camera model.
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If you want a compact camera with SLR quality images simply buy a cannon S95. The picture quality is stupendous even in low light, the only minus is the small form factor (fiddly for big hands), rather small zoom range and of course its non instantaneous operation. I own a Nikon 300S and the cannon S95. The cannon's pictures have nothing to envy to the Nikons. The colors are a little saturated (the cannon color default is akin to nikons vivid setting) but in all other parameters picture quality is a wash. Note that I'm comparing a 400 buck camera to a 3000 (with lens) dollar one! Not a small feat for a compact point and shoot.
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I had my eye for the S95 once, and despite having a big hand the camera is pocket/backpack friendly which is always a go in my book since I'm very mobile. But I was on the fence for fear it captures shallow depth of field. I think I will look into the micro four thirds or just go straight for SLR.
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P54
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Danielgr, did you read THIS? I think when the nuclear disaster in Chernobyl, Russia, hit, the safe level in meat in Norway was about 400 becquerel, however in order to avoid discarding all the sheep meat infected the government raised the bar to 6000 becquerel. They put the meat in special freezers that over time lowered the reading to less than 6000 so they could put it on the market.
Not related to cars, however you living there I thought maybe you would find this interesting.
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danielgr
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Some asked about roominess. Truth is for sure the rear seats are a joke for passengers, but as a 2-seater the CR-Z offers some serious roominess that has allowed me to do all kinds of activities this year (mainly mountain-related, but have also sleped in there being 6.2ft tall, and used it to move 2 times carrying washing machines, TVs, etc.).
Here is a pic I took when bringing supplies to my family living in the North after the 3/11 quake. Truth is I really bought as much as I wanted to, including over 200L of gasoline, and it all fitted in there.
Last edited by danielgr on 03-08-2012 22:54
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