Road Tested By Hugh Maguire.
This is the fourth generation of the Honda Jazz. Despite being a name that has been on the Honda model list for many years its not a name that immediately springs to mind when one thinks of compact cars. Peugeot’s 208, or Renault’s Clio, the Citroen C3 or Toyota’s Yaris all feel more familiar. So is that a failure on Honda’s part to market the Jazz properly or is there something else behind why the Jazz lurks in the shade of rivals, at least in terms of its familiarity.
I have spent some 650km behind the wheel of the latest Jazz to find the answer to this question. So is the new Honda Jazz the new go-to compact car?
The new Jazz is available in just one engine version, name a self charging petrol hybrid. There are four trim levels, starting with the Elegance, then Advance, followed by the Advance Sport (the subject of this road test), the Crosstar Advance.
So how does it look ?
With very short front and rear overhangs the first impression is of a rather small slightly tall looking car that frankly won’t win any awards for being daring in the style department. I also think the two tone 16 inch alloy wheels look a bit small in the wheel arches but somehow the whole design comes together to create a cute looking compact car.
What is it like inside?
The first surprise is just how big the interior of the cabin is given the compact external dimensions. The cabin is nicely finished with quality to the fore though if you look hard enough there are some scratchy plastics notably on the door cards and in the tray in the centre console.
Surprisingly the open tray where you might like to put your mobile phone which is just under the US-B and US-C ports is also made of a hard plastic with no rubber mat. Placing your phone there just results in it annoyingly sliding about. I had no option then but to jam it into the cup holder. Not so well thought out.
The compact 9 inch central touchscreen is the perfect size and works well A huge positive is the fact that Honda have given plenty of buttons and knobs for most functions negating the need to prod the touchscreen very much. Well done Honda, this is far more user friendly and much safer.
The leather covered steering wheel boasts the usual menu buttons for the adaptive cruise control and audio functions again all of which look and feel good. The driving position is excellent and the front seats prove nicely upholstered in cloth material but for me at least the front seats need more lumbar support.
With heated front seats, 3 drive modes, heated steering wheel and climate control it is well kitted out. Pity no wireless phone charging though. That should be standard in this trim level.
The rear is again surprisingly roomy and will seat two adults in reasonable comfort with decent leg and headroom. The new Jazz has Honda’s “Magic Seats”. This means the rear seats can also flip up (not just fold flat) giving extra flexibility for tall or bulky items. This is a unique feature that puts the Jazz ahead of rivals in the practicality stakes.
Overall then the cabin of the new Jazz impresses by being of a high quality, generally well designed and proves comfortable, roomy and practical.
What is under the bonnet?
The new Jazz is a self charging hybrid powered by a 1.5 litre petrol engine a small battery and two electric motors one which acts as a generator and the other as the drive motor.
There are steering wheel mounted paddles to allow the driver use as much or as little regenerative barking as desired. The whole set up is simply excellent. The new Jazz proves very economical sipping just 5.0 litres per 100km over my 650km or so. This Jazz runs in pure EV mode way more than I expected sometimes even managing EV power only at speeds up to 100km/h for short periods. This is reflected in those superb economy figures I obtained.
In my opinion the self charging hybrid is the perfect solution. No plugging in, no lugging around a heavy battery and motor that is often not used, no range anxiety. This Jazz will comfortably do 750km between refuels. Superb!
Performance is good with the only downside being a slightly harsh sound to the engine when you demand maximum acceleration.
Is it good to drive?
Some rivals such as the Renault Clio or Peugeot 208 offer a bit more involving driving experience. But the virtues of the new Jazz win you over. It handles safely and securely, the ride is good and despite a little more road noise than I would have liked it is a very well rounded package.
In town its a doddle to park and negotiate tight spaces, on the motorway it cruises happily at 120km/h and on country roads its nimble enough.
Hugh’s Verdict.
The Advance Sport version tested costs €34,950 while the range starts at €31,495.
The Jazz is therefore more expensive than almost all direct rivals. However the offset to the higher price is you get arguably a more premium product with hybrid tech as standard and the versatility of the “Magic Seats”. In short then if your priorities are excellent fuel economy, a premium feel, and top class versatility in a compact package then the new Jazz e:HEV delivers. The new Jazz hybrid is then one of the go- to compact cars on sale today.
Likes:
Very economical
Truly versatile
Premium feel
Enjoyable to live with
Dislikes:
Wireless charging should be standard at this price
Nowhere suitable to store your mobile phone
Not enough lumbar support in front seats
Road noise on coarse tarmac