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SAFETY | 8 out of 10
Expert Quotes:
Overall rating, 4 stars; frontal crash, 4 stars; side crash, 3 stars; rollover, 5 stars.
NHTSA
Top Safety Pick
IIHS
…Rear vision is badly hampered by that dramatic, sloping roof line, especially into the blind spots over your shoulders.
Inside Line
…You'll wish the CR-Z was available with a backup camera-the D-pillars could block an entire neighborhood.
Automobile
Put your head on a swivel in traffic. CR-Z has considerable blind spots. Fat rear roof pillars and triangular rear side windows rob glance-ability.
USA Today
The 2013 Honda CR-Z received the highest rating of "Good" for frontal offset and side-impact crash tests, as well as for roof strength, from the the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). It's worth noting that the earlier 2011 model, however, was rated by the IIHS only as "Acceptable" for roof strength. The CR-Z hasn't yet been rated by the IIHS on its new Small Overlap Front crash test.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), however, gives the 2013 CR-Z an overall four-star safety rating. It gets five stars for rollover, four stars for frontal crash, but only three stars for side impact. Both the overall and frontal crash ratings were one star lower for the 2011 CR-Z model, however.
One place the 2013 CR-Z falls down safety-wise is its lack of outward visibility. The roof pillars are thick, the quarter windows are tiny, and the scene in the rear-view mirror is split by the bar connecting the two slit-like tailgate windows--one short and vertical, the other long but almost horizontal. That means the rear three-quarter view is almost non-existent; there are no good angles to show the driver what's to the side and rear. While the little Honda can slot into the most minimal parking space, the process of getting it in won't be any fun.
The CR-Z has a feature we particularly like, known as hill assist, which keeps the brakes engaged on manual-transmission cars when they are stopped on a slope. It comes standard with dual front, side, and side-curtain airbags, along with active head restraints for the seats. And the 2013 CR-Z has the usual suite of electronic safety systems, including anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control, and tire-pressure warning sensors.
Conclusion
The 2013 Honda CR-Z doesn't have the highest crash-test scores, and rear visibility is severely compromised.
