Honda CR-Z trademarked, but maybe you shouldn’t get too excited

If you’ve been following recent news, you would have noticed that there are numerous reports of Honda trademarking its iconic CR-Z nameplate.

That has since snowballed into outlets speculating that Honda could be reintroducing its sporty little hybrid, but is it really the case?

We reckon that the CR-Z may not return so soon, due to the following reasons.

Car companies tend to trademark names to prevent other companies from using it. It does not really mean that Honda will adopt the CR-Z nameplate on a future model. 

Now, Honda wouldn't want Subaru calling their new sports car that slots above the BRZ the CRZ, right?

A couple of months ago, Mazda trademarked a number of model names, including names like CX-40 and CX-50, fuelling speculations that the company could be introducing even more SUVs in the future. That said, it does not necessarily mean that they will adopt these names on their new models, despite what recent reports are saying.

To recap, the Honda CR-Z was introduced in 2010 as a sporty hybrid coupe (or a hatchback, depending on who you ask). It was discontinued in 2016 with no immediate successor, leaving the CR-Z nameplate dormant for a while.

Of course, most enthusiasts would love to see the return of the Honda CR-Z, but whether or not a new generation model materializes remains to be seen.