IT MAY just be cynical product placement, but several recent Hollywood movies have suggested that hybrid cars can have as positive an effect on one’s love life as previously achieved through convertible sports cars.

, , Perhaps this was Honda’s thinking when it started planning the CR-Z, a softer-edged spiritual successor to the fondly remembered CRX coupe of the 1980s and the first affordable hybrid to offer – dare we say it – sex appeal.

, , Owing to a slow recovery from the GFC and having been dealt multiple blows by forces of nature, 2011 was a year Honda Australia would rather forget – but ending its annus horribilis on a positive note with a forward-looking hybrid coupe could be just the tonic it needs.

, , The Japanese brand admits the CR-Z will not sell in droves Down Under, but it will add a much-needed image leader to the line-up plus a little showroom sparkle into the bargain.

, , Will the CR-Z have to trade on its sporty looks and planet-friendly credentials alone or has Honda proved it is still in touch with its engineering genius?