DOWNSIZING AND ALL THAT JAZZ
29 April 2009 - Honda

New Honda Jazz hits all the right notes

Downsizing is happening throughout the majority of the new car market and the recent scrappage system announced in The Budget might further stimulate sales, especially where price matters, in the City/Mini car and Supermini sectors.
Whether or not Honda participates in the voluntary scrappage scheme has yet to be confirmed at the time of writing, but with over 10 million old cars in the UK eligible to be scrapped and with a limit of only 300,000 vehicles allowed to be traded in under the new scheme, there should be a bit of a rush to dealerships.
In theory the latest Honda Jazz supermini is an ideal candidate for a new purchase because it probably offers the most space, seating and load carrying versatility in the supermini segment and prices start from £9,990. Later this year Honda will start building the Jazz range at their Swindon factory so ‘Buying British’ applies.

Jazz customers can choose between two i-VTEC variable valve timing petrol engine options, a 1.2-litre 89bhp unit or a 1.4-litre 99bhp powerplant. There is a semi-automatic transmission option for the 1.4-litre models. There is the choice of four trim and equipment levels, S, SE, ES and EX, but not all engines are available with all these options.

A top of the range Jazz 1.4-litre EX will cost £13,160, but the favoured 1.4 ES version costs an affordable £11,860, plus of course the added cost of the many option packs. However residual values are strong, an estimated 51 to 58% retained over the normal 3-year/36,000 mile period.

The new Jazz hits all the right notes as it is a five-door hatchback, just 3,900mm in length, with great seating and load carrying flexibility and a ‘bigger car’ feel. The wheelbase length over the highly rated old Jazz has been increased to offer more rear seat legroom and a slight increase in width gives more elbow room. However the egg shaped envelope adopted for the body design gives less headroom for rear seat passengers. The rear seat will accommodate two adults easily, or three children.

Again over the old Jazz the latest version has a lower fascia level, slimmed down A-pillars and larger door mounted mirrors give improved visibility out of the car. I would recommend fitting rear parking sensors to limit bumper damage whilst reversing.

Tardis-like packaging makes the new Jazz a clever and versatile car with a high level of general specification, finished with high quality materials and trim.

The Honda development team looked at the few areas where Jazz had come under criticism and have moved to improved them. The latest Jazz is said to have improvements to the ride and handling. Changes to the suspension settings have made the ride more supple and comfortable – particularly at the rear – while the steering feels more natural, and handling is more stable, creating a ‘big car’ feel but remaining as maneuverable as ever. Noise intrusion levels have also been reduced.

I cannot totally agree with all those claims. Yes the car has sharper responses, it doesn’t respond lazily but the ride is firmer and can be choppy and fidgety over poor road surfaces. The suspension now seems unable to absorb bumps and potholes as well as it did before.

The outgoing model excelled with its clever passenger accommodation and load carrying packaging. The new Jazz is even better. There’s greater versatility with easier-to-use, one-motion Magic Seats and an innovative new Double-Trunk (on 1.4-litre models) with a clever suspended netting section in the load area. There is also increased cabin space. The folding rear seats can easily be dropped down to create a completely flat load floor without having to take out the rear head restraints first.

The interior trim of Jazz always set high standards in the B-sector; hence it was liked by customers who appreciate quality and refinement. The new model takes this a step further, with a more contemporary cabin design, and the use of high quality materials and trim. Being a small car doesn’t necessarily mean sparse – there’s a comprehensive equipment list, including iPod connectivity for younger users.

All models are well equipped but the best value for money is the ES specification which includes as standard such items as 15-inch alloy wheels, vehicle stability assist, electric power steering, front and side airbags, air conditioning, four electrically operated side windows, electric operated and heated door mirrors, on-board computer, Magic Seat and flexible two tier boot systems, 60/40 folding rear seat with fold away head restraints, tilt and reach adjustable steering, height adjustable drivers’ seat and remote central locking.

A word of warning, not all Jazz models have vehicle stability assist as standard and none have a spare wheel as standard, only a repair kit. I’d advise all buyers to opt for the £90 optional space-saver spare wheel and tyre.

Although the 1.2-litre engine is willing, the much better option is the uprated 1.4-litre unit. It just gives more power when needed, copes with carrying heavier loads, especially on hilly routes and to be honest in real life it returns better fuel economy because it isn’t worked so hard.

The 1.4-litre power is 100PS and torque is 127Nm at 4,800rpm, with 52.3mpg (combined) for the ES test version. In real life my test car returned 48.4mpg, really good for a family vehicle of this size with a petrol engine. CO2 exhaust emissions are 128g/km which means £120 in annual road tax.

The Jazz is a really clever car for seating and load carrying combinations, with great fuel economy potential and very soon it will be built in Britain. All good reasons to buy one.

MILESTONES. Honda Jazz 1.4 i-VTEC ES Manual (best selling model). Price: £11,860 on the road. Engine/transmission: 1.4-litre, four-cylinder, variable valve timing, 100PS, 128Nm at 4,800rpm, 5-speed manual gearbox. Performance: 113mph, 0-62mph 11.5 seconds, 52.3mpg (48.4mpg actual), CO2 128g/km, VED new Band D £120, BIK tax 10%. Insurance group: 5. Luggage capacity: 335-883-litres. Towing capacity: 1,000kg braked. For: Compact size, fuel economy potential, flexible and responsive engine, clever boot and rear seating facilities, numerous storage compartments, easy to use controls, long lasting and durable, to be built in Britain. Against: Unsettled and harsh ride over typical poor UK road surfaces, some wind noise intrusion, no spare wheel as standard, no ESP as standard on all models.

Miles Better News Agency

http://www.honda-eu.com

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