Honda CR-Z 2011 Review

A sporty hybrid? At first glance, the 2011 Honda CR-Z might seem a bit oxymoronic. After all, Americans expect their hybrid cars to be purely about fuel economy, with flowers, rainbows and unicorns coming out of the tailpipe. But Honda is hoping that people are ready for a car that not only gets very good fuel economy but also happens to be fun to drive -- a hybrid without the drive-induced narcolepsy, if you will.

Hard-core enthusiasts will likely be disappointed, but somebody just looking for a sporty two-door with good fuel economy will likely be pleased with the 2011 Honda CR-Z.

Pros, Nimble size and handling, quick steering, good fuel economy, sporty looks. Cons, Poor rearward visibility, most competitors have backseats, missing a few upscale feature

Infiniti M35h 2011

The Infiniti M35h, will introduce world-first steering and braking technologies when it goes on sale in the USA and Europe in 2011. Like the drivetrain, which marries a charismatic V6 petrol engine with 50 kW (68 PS) electric motor built in to the 7-speed automatic transmission, simplicity was a key tenet in the development of the steering and brakes of the high performance luxury sedan.

Yet when the driver demands it the Infiniti M35h responds like a true high performance machine, offering the linear acceleration and unsullied rear-drive handling of a true Infiniti – complete with all the charisma of one of the great V6 petrol engines. Like the 7-speed Adaptive Shift Control (ASC) automatic transmission that blips the throttle on downchanges, the new braking and steering technologies are integral to the Infiniti M35h’s positioning as the hybrid to please the most demanding of drivers.