An all-new Honda Jazz for 2015, reaching dealerships in September.
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IT’S a busy year for Honda with nearly its whole range being renewed or revised and the latest to get the treatment is its biggest seller, the Jazz supermini. Its wheelbase has been increased by 95mm giving the extra space for back seat passengers.
Boot space is great, with 354 litres of space, which is upped to 1,314 litres with the rear seas folded.
But it doesn’t end there, because from launch just a single petrol engine will be offered: at 101bhp 1.3-litre unit.
This new 1.3 might be quicker than the old 1.4 but it’s still sluggish.
The all-new Jazz will go on sale in the UK in September with the new 102-horsepower 1.3-liter i-VTEC engine mated to either a six-speed manual or a CVT gearbox. We’re focusing on the former here.
It’s also bigger inside with more leg and shoulder room in the back, plus additional knee space.
In the Jazz’s favour is its brilliant space and practicality.
The gulf is even greater in terms of the maximum (rear seats down) boot capacity, where 879 litres plays 1320 litres in today’s Jazz.
Quality is much improved but not the class’s best.
The SE or EX models will also benefit from the Honda Connect in-car infotainment system as standard. The menu system is relatively easy to get your head around, too. Our Navi model’s navigation system was also quick to process and gave clear instructions.
The mid-grade SE model, priced from £14,595, adds front and rear parking sensors, electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors and 15-inch alloy wheels. Sat-nav is £610 extra if you need it.
To drive, the Jazz is less appealing. It feels most alive at the top of its rev range but has to be pushed there if you want a good turn of acceleration. At least the gear lever’s short throw and snappy, precise shift means it isn’t too much of a chore. Unfortunately Honda’s work to add sound deadening in the wheel arches and dashboard hasn’t stopped a lot of engine noise entering the cabin even at medium revs.
All-new Honda HR-V arrives in showrooms late next month priced from £17,995. The dampers are new, too. There’s also plenty of cubbyholes for odds and ends and a decent glovebox.
You can forgive some roll if comfort is good.
Our German test route didn’t feature any UK-like broken roads, but even so, at low and high speeds the Jazz’s body tends to bob about as it struggles to keep its body under control over bumps and-and crests.
Not if you’re looking to have fun behind the wheel.
However, despite being quicker and more frugal, the Jazz’s new 1.3 still feels old-school next to the newer turbocharged units found in the Ford, Skoda and VW. Younger buyers shunned it though, attracted by youthful rivals like the Volkswagen Polo or Ford Fiesta.
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Entry-level S models are fitted as standard with air conditioning, cruise control with a speed limiter and dusk-sensing auto lights.
