How much is car insurance for the Honda CR-Z?

The 2012 Honda CR-Z is designed for drivers who are in the market for a fuel efficient car that doesn’t skimp on performance. Unfortunately, some reviewers say the CR-Z doesn’t do well enough in either area to attract many consumers.

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The base model 2012 CR-Z has a 35 city mpg rating and a 39 highway mpg rating, which is lower than the ratings for the Ford Fusion Hybrid, the Honda Insight, the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, and the Chevrolet Volt. Even some non-hybrid cars, like the Hyundai Elantra and the Ford Fiesta, get better highway fuel economy than the CR-Z.

Honda emphasizes that the CR-Z is the first hybrid on the market to offer a 6-speed manual transmission, and it also points out that the CR-Z’s 3-mode drive system features a Sport setting. However, reviewers say that it’s just not a sports car.

The auto press acknowledges that the Honda CR-Z is more fun to drive than, say, the Toyota Prius or the Honda Insight, but Consumer Guide calls it “a bit disappointing” as a performance car.

You’ll get more power if you choose a Ford Fusion Hybrid, which delivers 191 horsepower to the CR-Z’s 122.

Honda CR-Z Car Insurance Rates

It’s too soon for 2012 Honda CR-Z car insurance rate estimates to be released, but they should be similar to the rates for the 2011 CR-Z. NADA projects annual car insurance rates averaging $1,258 for the CR-Z. Over five years, drivers will pay nearly $6,300 to insure this car, and its average monthly premium will be $105.

Newer drivers with just three to six years’ experience will pay almost $12,000 over five years, and your 5-year rates could top $18,000 if you have less than three years’ experience on the road.

To insure a 2012 Camry Hybrid for five years, the NADA projects that the average driver will pay $5,769, which is over $500 less than the typical 5-year rate for the CR-Z.

However, most hybrid owners pay more for car insurance. For instance, an average Nissan Altima Hybrid owner will pay a 5-year premium of $6,340, and 5-year rates can climb to $6,865 for the Chevrolet Volt.

The most recent NADA estimate of average 5-year Ford Fusion Hybrid car insurance rates is $6,360.

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Honda CR-Z Maintenance Costs

For maintenance, average 2011 CR-Z drivers should pay about $1,707 over five years, and rates for the 2012 model should be similar. Over those five years, the first and last bills should be just $67, reports the NADA.

The highest routine maintenance bill of $755 will come during the fourth year of ownership, and the second- and third-year maintenance bills are expected to cost $208 and $611, respectively.

The Honda CR-Z has some of the lower maintenance costs in the hybrid category. For example, maintaining a CR-Z for five years costs over $1,000 less than maintaining a Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, and the cost of maintaining a Nissan Altima Hybrid for five years is over $2,600.

The NADA estimates that it will cost almost $2,400 to maintain a 2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid for five years, and routine maintenance expenses for the Chevy Volt will total roughly $2,300.

The typical Honda Civic Hybrid owner will pay around $2,000 in maintenance costs. The 5-year maintenance expenses for the Toyota Camry Hybrid will be similar to the CR-Z’s, at $1,713.

Honda CR-Z Warranty and Repairs

The 2012 Honda CR-Z includes a 3-year/36,000 basic warranty as well as a 5-year/60,000 powertrain. This warranty coverage is the same as what you’ll get if you purchase a Ford or Toyota hybrid, but the Ford Fusion Hybrid includes an additional 8-year/100,000 mile warranty on its hybrid powertrain components.

The Hyundai Sonata Hybrid comes with a 5-year/60,000 mile limited warranty and a 10-year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty, which is the longest warranty currently available for a hybrid.

The Honda CR-Z’s warranty usually expires near the beginning of the third year of ownership, at which point there’s typically a repair bill of about $343. For years four and five of ownership, most drivers pay around $571 for repairs annually, for a 5-year grand total in the neighborhood of $1,485.

By way of comparison, the 2012 Camry Hybrid’s repair bills are projected to be slightly less, at $1,400 over five years, while the 2012 Fusion Hybrid’s repair expenses could total over $1,700.

Honda CR-Z Crash Test Results

The 2012 Honda CR-Z hasn’t undergone any crash testing yet, but its safety scores should be very similar to the 2011 CR-Z’s, since its mechanical structure is similar. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded the CR-Z the best possible ratings in front, side, and rear impact tests, but this hybrid only got the second-highest “Average” rating on the IIHS’ rollover test.

On the federal government’s rollover test, the CR-Z actually earned the highest possible score of five stars. This difference is explained by the fact that the federal government’s test measures the vehicle’s probability of rolling, while the IIHS’ test assesses the vehicle’s ability to protect passengers in such an event.

Though the Honda CR-Z is unlikely to roll over, it is less able to protect its passengers in rollovers than most other small cars are.

In the federal government’s front and side impact tests, the Honda CR-Z only earned three stars out of five. Hybrid options with stronger safety ratings include the Toyota Prius, the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, the Chevy Volt, the Fusion Hybrid, and the Civic Hybrid.

All five were chosen by the IIHS as Top Safety Picks.

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