The longer I own it, the more I realise that the Honda CR-Z fits my needs perfectly. Cars with a good ol’ manual gearbox are hard enough to find in Malaysia, so a stick shift that’s this slick is a rare opportunity. One with duty-exemption and more kit than a CR-V 2.0 too, so yours truly is glad he took it.
The dinky little coupe seats just two adults, which is enough for me in six out of seven days. It’s not just space efficient, but frugal with fuel, too. My ‘Trip B’ that has never been reset since Day 1 (eight months ago) is reading 16.5 km/l now, which I believe is a pretty decent return for a manual, IMA Honda hybrid.
My recent target in the FC journey was 17 km/l over a week’s driving, a marker I’ve been hitting occasionally. Unlike many CR-Z drivers, this one upshifts ASAP, coasts a lot, preserves momentum and uses ECON mode whenever conducive, such as on the highway, where my cruising speed is between 80 to 100 km/h. Sounds like torture, but it’s second nature.
Then along came something to break my glass ceiling. We were offered a set of Toyo NanoEnergy 3 tyres to sample, and my humble ride was deemed the most suitable host car. Pretty obvious in a stable that includes two turbocharged Euro hatchbacks wearing 18-inch ultra high performance tyres, a Japanese rally special and one classic car.
Now, the CR-Z may be a hybrid, but it’s spicier than your average eco-warrior. That’s why it comes with a stick shift and sticky Bridgestone Potenza RE050A tyres from the factory. The RE050A isn’t the newest kid on the block, but it’s still an ultra high performance (UHP) class tyre designed with specific priorities in mind. Low rolling resistance and comfort weren’t on the list, for sure.
The Toyo NanoEnergy 3 is the complete opposite, touting fuel savings, long life and comfort as main selling points. The image of a Prius on the brochure should leave no doubt about the tyre’s positioning. Since I don’t live on the edge of grip very often, eco tyres would suit my CR-Z’s slow-paced life more than sports tyres, with benefits that outweigh the sacrifces.
That’s the theory, and to put it to test, I had to purchase a set of used 16-inch Civic FD 1.8 rims to fit the Toyos. This was neccessary because at the time of fitment, Toyo didn’t have the 195/55 R16 size that would have made it a straight swap, and offered us 205/55 R16 tyres instead. The CR-Z’s 16-inch stock wheels were too narrow to accomodate the wider rubber.
The new look is less sporty (CR-Z Touring Edition anyone?) and the taller sidewalls make the wheels look slightly smaller than before, although both are 16 inchers. The extra width fills the CR-Z’s considerable arches a little better, though. The original 195/55 tyres had an overall diameter of 620.9 mm, and this new setup is just 1.8% taller, so difference in speed and mileage readings aren’t significant.
Toyo Tires may be famous for their sporty Proxes range, but the 70-year old Japanese company makes eco tyres as well. Some might be surprised to know that the NanoEnergy 3 rolls out from Toyo’s factory in Kamunting, Perak. The 148-acre facility near Taiping has been producing tyres for more than a year now.
The NanoEnergy 3 uses what Toyo calls Nano Balance Technology, which takes tyre design back to its very origins – the material, at molecular level. Analysis, simulation, design and production at nano levels help develop a compound with increased amounts of silica and active polymer, giving you rubber that strikes a balance between low rolling resistance, wet grip and wear life.
NanoEnergy 3 also features a new technology known as Silent Wall, where tiny serrations in the tyre tread groove walls disturb air flow, reducing pipe resonance and resulting in a quieter ride. 3D Multi Wave Sipes on the outer edges reduce pattern noise.
Development and manufacturing is equally high-tech. An advanced simulation technology called T-Mode is used to simulate virtually every variable of vehicle dynamics, surface and driving conditions, including slalom, braking, aquaplaning, vibration or even roll-over.
The role tyres play in how a car performs is often overlooked, and I got a timely reminder. It wouldn’t be exaggerating to say that the CR-Z, with new shoes on, felt like a different car altogether. Hondas have never been synonymous with good NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) and the Potenzas didn’t do anything to help the cause, but it’s so much quieter now.
I ply the NKVE daily, and the highway’s coarse concrete surface isn’t a tyre’s best friend. Here, the NanoEnergy 3 emits a lower key hum (as opposed to high pitched), that blends in better with general noise, which is also more subdued. At my regular (low) cruising speed, wind noise isn’t a factor, and my air-con fan speed rarely goes past two bars, so the newfound silence is noticable and much appreciated.
Sealing the deal for me is, you’ve guessed it, improved fuel economy. With the same driving style, I’ve been hitting 17.5 km/l over the last few fills, and while there could be a wee bit of extra determination on the driver’s part in play, credit goes to the Toyos. On a highway downhill stretch where I always coast on neutral (old habits die hard), the NanoEnergy 3 goes further thanks to lower rolling resistance.
Nothing comes for free and this set of eco tyres is less grippy than my old Bridgestones. One hairy moment came the day after fitment, where the CR-Z’s tail went loose on a slippery slip road – damn those leaking garbage trucks! The tyres weren’t run in yet then; now that they are, they provide me with enough grip for regular driving. The taller, softer sidewalls can be felt through the seat of my pants though, so the CR-Z doesn’t just look less sporty.
For this writer’s driving pattern and priorities, the NanoEnergy 3’s benefits clearly outweigh the drawbacks. It was always going to be quieter and less resistant than UHP rubber, but the quantum suprised me nonetheless, and I will be backing it to do well against mid-range OEM tyres on B and C-segment cars.
They are made in Thailand now … Not the quality you get before
Well i rather use thailand made tyre than indonesia or malaysia’s made tyre.. feel the rubber quality yourself b4 u speaks!
Oooh finally a reviewer who has similar driving pattern as me. We even use the same road LOL. The NKVE’s retarded surface is an excellent way to test tires such as these.
While i am aware that suspension also plays a part in comfort/handling, trust me when i say that tires play the BIGGEST factor here.
i disagree on the tyre fitment. I just changed a set of 205/55/16 Michelins on my CRZ and it fits nicely.
Good review for CRZ tyres..
What is the price range..
So it can’t fit the original CRZ sportrims..
It can fit. It is just that your ride height will be a bit higher than original.
You can use your stock wheels. The author has to change wheels because they didn’t have 195/55-R15 at the time.
So, there is an improvement of 0.5km/l over a same journey compared to the Potenzas. Is this mostly highway driving or some town driving involved?
Pulling neutral when coasting downhill? Hehe. Really becoming hypermiler now, eh. Its been proven that one can get better fuel consumption by following directly behind a lorry or bus on the highway. But not very safe practice.
To me, the biggest gain seemed to be the reduced NVH levels in the cabin. 0.5km/l improvement is good but less noise, vibration and harshness is even better.
In a modern manual, coasting in neutral requires the engine to burn fuel to keep the revs going. Not the best way to save fuel.
If you are having the intention to hypermile, just stick the transmission into the top gear and coast away. Sure, engine braking will take away some speed but if you are at low speeds such as 80-100 there shouldn’t be much impact.
I somehow never liked eco tyres for one thing, the lack of grip. My daily drive comes with Goodyear Eagle NCT5, which are eco tyres. Problem is, after about 10k kms, in the wet, it was superbly easy to have a wheelspin when pulling out of a U turn. Pair that to the part where the car doesn’t have ESC (it’s not that new), it can get very hairy.
Unfortunately my next set of tyres were also of the same brand too, as the fitment they used for my car (165/60R14), which unfortunately is the worst spec for tyres I have ever seen as only Goodyear and Kumho (if I am not mistaken) bring them in. And Kumhos are quite tough to get too…
i changed all 4 tyres with toyo nano energy on my FD2.
so much queiter after that.
the ride also feel soft.
fc about the same.
overall better the previous goodyear nct 5
Among all foreign brand tyre, NCT5 is the lousiest. So you definitely feel better with your new Nano3.
NCT5 is indeed lousy and it is not cheap either. Most people use NCT5 because it comes as standard on some new cars. ContiComfort5 is a much better option and priced more or less like NCT5. My sister currently running 3 contis and 1 nct5 (front left, changed at mileage 5000km) on her myvi 1.5. Now reaching 49kKM, all the tyres has almost the same tyre thread depth. While the conti’s rubber compound still retain some softness, the NCT5’s compound is really hard.
It is very impressive these tyres survived till now for its value. Hopefully this nanoenergy3 could give us bang for buck.
An alternative to acceleration or braking is coasting, i.e. gliding along without propulsion. Coasting dissipates stored energy (kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy) against aerodynamic drag and rolling resistance which must always be overcome by the vehicle during travel. If coasting uphill, stored energy is also expended by grade resistance, but this energy is not dissipated since it becomes stored as gravitational potential energy which might be used later on. Using stored energy (via coasting) for these purposes is obviously more efficient than dissipating it in friction braking.
When coasting with the engine running and manual transmission in neutral, or clutch depressed, there will still be some fuel consumption due to the engine needing to maintain idle engine speed. While coasting with the engine running and the transmission in gear, most cars’ engine control unit with fuel injection will cut off fuel supply, and the engine will continue running, being driven by the wheels. Compared to coasting in neutral, this has an increased drag, but has the added safety benefit of being able to react in any sudden change in a potential dangerous traffic situation, and being in the right gear when acceleration is required.[citation needed]
Coasting with a vehicle not in gear is prohibited by law in most US states. An example is Maine Revised Statues Title 29-A, Chapter 19, §2064 “An operator, when traveling on a downgrade, may not coast with the gears of the vehicle in neutral”.
1211 – ur first paragraph totally alien. dont understand a thing ur trying to say. simple layman terms pls?
anyway, i think you just copy paste from somewhere.
Automotive physics, man.
Let me try paraphrasing…
–
In addition to accelerating and braking, a vehicle can also coast, which means gliding along without any energy being sent from the engine to the wheels (so the vehicle only keeps moving due to its existing momentum [kinetic energy]).
The kinetic energy existing in a moving car will gradually be used up to overcome air resistance and rolling resistance (from the tires, wheel hub, differential and any other part of the rolling chassis that is involved in allowing the car to move) to keep the car moving. If coasting downhill, the existing kinetic energy will be supplemented by gravity while coasting uphill will expend the kinetic energy.
Using the available energy in stored in your moving car is more efficient than wasting it when you brake. Using conventional brakes will quickly reduce your car’s existing kinetic energy by applying a lot of friction and the kinetic energy is converted into heat energy (that’s why when you brake a lot, your brakes will become hot) which most cars cannot make use of.
–
Added my thoughts into the paraphrase as well.
And why do you think he copy and pasted?
LOL the pasted [citation needed] tag is a dead giveaway that it was nicked off Wikipedia..
Agreed. Coasting in neutral is not a very good habit as it offers us less control over the vehicle.
But considering his aim towards the desired FC, it is understood.
However thanks to 1211, new lesson I learnt today regarding the fuel-injected newer cars that cuts off fuel supply during coasting.
Coasting in gear rather than neutral (manual g/b) saves more fuel than in neutral. When in gear, your fuel injectors would stop injecting fuel into the cylinders while in neutral, minimal fuel is still injected to keep the engine running. You can try by selecting the highest gear during the downslope and then tap the accelerator lightly if you want to maintain the speed. Hit the pedal light enough, the engine will only let your electric motor kick in only without fuel being injected.
Can even prolong the life span of your brake pads as there’ll be engine braking during braking.
Agreed. Experienced before when my car exhaust tertanggal so it was super super loud. While coasting in gear, the whole engine like shut off, became quiet. Fuel was cut off. Restarted when I pressed accelerator
why buy a crz for fuel economy? crz it’s all about fun. whenever i’m on the highway it’s sports mode and on normal road also sport mode. i drove mine to cameron highlands and it was pure heaven. BTW I still get 13.5KM/L
the most memorable time for me was at the jelutong interchange i took the corner after passing the toll booth and heading to more like a 270 degree corner heading to shah alam, i overtook a bmw m5 at the apex of the corner. maybe the driver of the m5 doesn’t what his car can do.
That sounds rather dangerous. The person who was driving the M5 probably wasn’t in the mood. Not everyone is crazy about driving on the edge every day, you know?
M5 driver was like “#$%^.. not another irritating honda ah beng..”
crz is a car to be enjoy. the handling is fantastic although i could use a bit more power. this car is something like madza mx5. i just wish honda did not put in 3 driving modes and only just one “sports”. if you want economy, just go for the insight. mine is a manual and even at 6 gear sports mode, just a little jab at the pedal brings the car alive. but the most impressive thing is that, the car is like jekyll and hyde, you can be a lamb or a tiger at the same time.
Enjoy the car, i push my car very hard and i still get a respectable 13.5 Km/L
Everyone enjoys different things. I’m sure Danny enjoys his CR-Z very much even though you think he’s wasting the car’s potential. Are you egging him to race everywhere he goes? He has his rights to drive however he likes. Honda put in 3 modes for flexibility, and the CR-Z looks like a very flexible car…for 2 persons.
I prefer the one made in Malaysia.
@Danny
Welp, NKVE’s surface is now of much higher quality than the rest of the roads in KL. We’re gonna have to look for a new badly surfaced road to benchmark comfort and silence :/
I hate those tire shops who can’t put the wheel caps back in place correctly.