They may not post the fastest ‘north to 60’ times in automotive history, but the Citroen DS3 and the Honda CR-Z->ke3082 are two sports hatches that have their own redeeming qualities. For starters, they’re more fuel-efficient than sports coupes, they’re both aesthetically pleasing to the eye, and in the case of the CR-Z, it’s a hybrid. Everybody loves hybrids these days so the CR-Z has that going for it, even though Honda is now creating a petrol version of the vehicle to increase sales..

Having said that, Fifth Gear’s Tiff Needell decided to give the two sports hatches a nice little shakedown around the track to determine which of the two hatches has the leg up over its competitor.

After their own individual lap times, Needell came to a number of conclusions. First, if you’re looking for a car that’s packed with power and speed, these two cars aren’t going to satisfy your lust for thrills. Second, where they lack in speed they make up for in efficiency, especially the CR-Z, which has an electrical motor that adds 14 horsepower to the car’s gas engine that produces 112 horsepower.

Third, the Citroen DS3 eventually proved to be a better ride than the CR-Z, proving that despite the times we are living in, old school technology can still one-up its more high-tech counterpart.

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