The CRX Honda Won't Build: A Tiny Electric Coupe That Hits a Nerve

© Виталий Баталка и Валентин Комков

The Honda CRX is back in the conversation — though not, for now, thanks to Honda itself. Independent designers Vitaly Batalka and Valentin Komkov have revealed a digital concept for a modern CRX — a small three-door electric car with a clear nod to the second-generation model of 1987–1991.

This is not an official Honda development, and it's important not to mistake it for a production reveal. But the idea strikes a nerve: the brand has long lacked a compact, lightweight coupe or hatchback for enthusiasts, and the returning Prelude addresses an entirely different segment. A CRX in this form could be a more affordable and emotional alternative to yet another crossover.

The design preserves the old car's key proportions: a short wheelbase, a low roof and the characteristic split rear window. Up front there's slim LED lighting, a closed-off nose and a new Honda badge. Along the sides you'll spot frameless doors, recessed handles, black pillars, flared rear arches and two-tone wheels. The result isn't a retro caricature but a careful attempt to translate the CRX into the current language of electric cars.

The creators also dreamed up notional specs: a fully electric powertrain rated at 261 kW, or 355 hp, and a top speed of 285 km/h. For a small electric hatchback the figures sound almost too bold, but the formula itself is more interesting than the bare top speed: a compact body, instant torque and minimal extra weight could give Honda back the simple driving joy the CRX is still remembered for.

The closest recent attempt was the hybrid Honda CR-Z, built from 2010 to 2016, but a direct CRX successor never materialised. This concept shows that appetite for the idea is alive — even if, for now, it exists only as a 3D model rather than on a dealer's price list.