The styling of the new hybrid Honda CR-Z (arriving in August), on the other hand, screams for fast curves and road-hugging driving, but according to Stephen Williams at The New York Times "Wheels" blog, the CR-Z's 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine pumps out only 122 horses and 128 lb-ft of torque -- and that's in Sport mode. (Shudder to think the limitations of Normal mode or, worse, Economy.) Whenever you see the phrase, "It'll get you up that hill" in a review that's not talking about an off-road vehicle, it can't be a good sign.

Not to mention that the hybrid puts up good, but decidedly not great fuel-economy numbers: 31 mpg city/37 mpg highway -- a far cry from the segment-leading Toyota Prius' 51/48.

One thing the CR-Z does have going for it, besides its somewhat misleading styling, is price. Although no specifics have been released yet, it's expected that the base model will start at less than $20,000, with the upgraded EX trim running about $22,000 (add a navigation system-enabled EX trim for an additional two grand.)

It's hard to argue that the CR-Z is nice to look at, but considering it's a hybrid -- with barely hybrid mileage -- and a sporty-looking 2-seater that doesn't deliver the sport, it's small wonder that Honda expects to sell no more than 15,000 units per year.