Jeremy Webb journeyed around Kent in the Jazz 1.5 i-MMD Advance Sport eCVT model. Discover his take on the vibrant car that combines practicality and versatility with plenty of driving pleasure.
Honda’s much-loved Jazz model has received a Hybrid upgrade. Blending petrol and electric power, the smooth transition enhances the Jazz's economy and peps up its performance.
The Honda Jazz only comes with one engine, a 1.5-litre petrol-electric hybrid, that puts out 120bhp and has pretty rapid acceleration when put in sport mode. While the vehicle can’t travel a great distance on electric power alone, when linked to the petrol motor, there’s an efficient partnership. In urban environments, the vehicle will primarily run on electric power, unless you put your foot down enough for the petrol engine to kick in.
Despite competition from quite a few rivals in the mini sector, including Skoda’s Fabia, VW’s Polo, and Vauxhall's Corsa, the new Honda Jazz model excels with its comfort, interior space, and smooth ride.
While you don’t buy a Honda Jazz for adrenaline-fueled journeys teeming with ‘twisties’, it surprisingly does quite well if pushed. It does lack the grip of a hot hatch, but unless you are seriously caning it, you won’t get into trouble. In towns and cities, the car is agile, with an ease of handling that impresses.
The driving position is fab. It’s unusually high for a small hatchback, allowing drivers to sit comfortably. The layout is ergonomically sound, with the driver getting a good range of steering wheel and seat adjustments. Buttons are also well positioned for an easy reach.
Visibility throughout the vehicle is excellent - a welcome design feature further enhanced by front and rear parking sensors, in addition to a rear-view camera. These are all standard on the Jazz.
Bright LED headlights are standard across the trim levels, and a system automatically dims them so you don't dazzle other drivers. You also get a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment display featuring DAB radio, a satellite navigation system, Bluetooth, and a four-speaker stereo.
The Honda Jazz could be considered a small MPV given its exterior shape, but the interior feels vast, usable and practical. The front doors feature a pocket with space for a 250ml bottle of water, and there’s a cupholder behind the gear selector, with a second and third on the outer reaches of the dashboard. Elsewhere, the Honda Jazz has two small gloveboxes, a cubby under the centre armrest, and a tray below the air-con controls.
As for rear passengers, there’s no shortage of comfort and space. While perhaps on the tighter side, the rear seats can accommodate up to three adults. For added comfort, the backs of each front seat feature map pockets for storing items and personal belongings. Beyond this, the rear seats can also be folded to lie flat, making it easy to carry any cargo, shopping, or golf clubs.
The vehicle is exceptionally well specced, starting with the entry-level trim, which includes 15-inch alloy wheels, adaptive cruise control, automatic lights and wipers, climate control, power-folding door mirrors, and much more. Safety features include lane-keeping assistance, traffic sign recognition, automatic emergency braking, and Isofix child-seat mounts on the outer rear seats.
I thoroughly enjoyed driving Honda’s superb Jazz model. It impresses with its practicality, economy, design, and usable space. You can put it in sport mode for a more potent push of performance, with further options available to make the driving experience more entertaining if you wish. It excels in towns and cities where its size allows it to nip through small roads and traffic, predominantly on electric power. To get a real feel for its jaunty nature, drivers in the market for a small hatchback need to get behind the wheel and test the Honda Jazz for themselves.
Starting price, £28,000
Honda cars have a three-year warranty as standard for most parts, but the Jazz's hybrid system is covered for up to five years or 90,000 miles. For context, Toyota offers a very generous 10-year, 100,000-mile service-dependent warranty.
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