Schomp Honda

Safety

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the CR-Z deploy with different levels of force or don't deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The CR-Z's side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Prius' side airbags don't have smart features and will always deploy full force.

 

The Honda CR-Z has Daytime Running Lights to help keep it more visible under all conditions. Canadian government studies show that driving with lights during the day reduces accidents by 11% by making vehicles more conspicuous. The Prius doesn't offer Daytime Running Lights.

 

Both the CR-Z and the Prius have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front-wheel drive, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control and electronic stability systems to prevent skidding.

 

Reliability

 

The engine in the CR-Z has a single overhead cam for simplicity. The engine in the Prius has dual overhead cams, which add to the number of moving parts and the complexity of the cylinder heads.

 

J.D. Power and Associates' 2010 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda 6th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 22 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked 21st, below the industry average.

 

Transmission

 

The CR-Z offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and fuel economy. The Prius doesn't offer a manual transmission.

 

Brakes and Stopping

 

For better stopping power the CR-Z's brake rotors are larger than those on the Prius:

	CR-Z	Prius
Front Rotors	10.3 inches	10 inches

 

The CR-Z stops shorter than the Prius:

	CR-Z	Prius
60 to 0 MPH	122 feet	123 feet	Motor Trend

 

Tires and Wheels

 

The CR-Z's standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Prius' standard 65 series tires.

 

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the CR-Z has standard 16-inch wheels. Smaller 15-inch wheels are standard on the Prius.

 

Suspension and Handling

 

The CR-Z has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the CR-Z flat and controlled during cornering. The Prius' suspension doesn't offer a rear stabilizer bar.

 

The CR-Z handles at .84 G's, while the Prius pulls only .78 G's of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

 

Chassis

 

The Honda CR-Z may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 400 pounds less than the Toyota Prius.

 

The CR-Z is 1 foot, 3 inches shorter than the Prius, making the CR-Z easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

 

Servicing Ease

 

A Maintenance Minder is standard on the CR-Z to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for oil changes, spark plug replacement, air filter replacement, tire rotation, radiator flush and transmission fluid replacement based on actual driving conditions. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Toyota doesn't offer a maintenance reminder on the Prius.

 

Ergonomics

The CR-Z has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The Prius doesn't offer automatic headlights.

* [1]  Based on 2011 EPA mileage estimates. Use for comparison purposes only. Do not compare to models before 2008. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle.