'I love the Honda Jazz - and the latest edition is one to treasure'
Steve Teale loves the Honda Jazz, simply because it remains an affordable and easy-to-understand make of car. That is not to say it has not moved with the times and this fourth generation is one to treasure.
There is a myth that the wheel needs reinventing on a regular basis. Poppycock. As Honda illustrates with the Jazz, a good car remains a good car, even with the passing of time.
Of course, there are those who go for the latest style or fashion statement but a great many motorists – I’d say the majority – prefer an affordable and reliable vehicle with simple controls.
No problem if it looks like last year’s model or even last decade’s.
Jazz is one of those cars. First launched in 2001, it has won a trove of awards around the world and it has quietly evolved. Too few cars do that these days, in my opinion.
Designers are given a free rein to add a distinctive curve here or a dramatic line there. Not so with Jazz: a model which remains true to the original.
Thank goodness the company saw fit to change the name from its original, though. In Japan it is known as the Fit. Some names travel but not that one.
The style may remain constant but overall the car has moved onwards and upwards over the 25 years on to the current fourth generation.
The ride always was good and so was the luggage area. Space is one of its major selling points with the boot holding up to 1,205 litres with the seats down.
The unusual little windows in the front pillars are a godsend. It is such a simple idea which makes parking and manoeuvring in town much easier and gives the car a greater glazed area than many of its rivals.
It’s also a hybrid these days with the electric motor linking well with a peppy 1.5-litre engine. Even the stepless CVT (continuously variable transmission) seems refined.
I’m not a CVT enthusiast and I often find these one-gear stepless systems struggle with Yorkshire’s hills. But actually this is one CVT I could live with.
It is a sportier car than you might imagine. Software changes mean it provides more torque at lower revs, making it more responsive than you would expect. It has a sporty feel to the ride and handling too.
If you want even more sportiness there is a Sport version with bigger wheels and lower profile tyres.
The suspension has been tuned on the test model to create a car which corners flatter and feels firmer on the straight.
I get the feeling that this car is aimed at the more mature motorist. For example, it has an ‘easy to use’ infotainment system with clear, colourful tiles for all apps.
The idea is to be less distracting for drivers on the move, and it succeeds.
I’m pleased to report that controls for systems such as heating are physical buttons rather than screen icons.
The number of times I have had to pull over to work out how to clear a fogged up windscreen. No such problems here.
There is a My Honda app which can be attached to smartphones. This allows you to carry out some functions remotely and even allow you to track the car via GPS or locate it in an unfamiliar parking space.
Hondas have always had a reputation for safety and this car has more safety features than you would expect from a compact car.
For example, it has adaptive cruise control which keeps pace with traffic, traffic sign recognition and a braking system which will deploy to prevent a collision.
It has an electric switch for the brake – again, give me a proper handbrake any day. I love the ‘magic seats’. This is Honda’s take on the foldaway idea which makes for a flat storage area.
Jazz begins with the entry level with Elegance which comes with a relatively high level of equipment such as parking camera and leather trimmed steering wheel.
The new Advance Sport adds cosmetic trim features. The car also offers class-leading space in the rear.
Honda says it has continually evolved its e:HEV technology and the latest model drawing on 20-plus years of experience with hybrid engines and motors.
This system combines a sprightly 1.5-litre petrol engine with two small electric motors and a lithium-ion battery. When driving in most urban locations, the car achieves optimum efficiency by seamlessly combining electric vehicle and hybrid power.
On motorways, the electric motors can provide a boost when needed for faster acceleration.
Meanwhile, another Honda model arrived this month. Created to transform everyday mobility with an exciting and uplifting small car experience, the Super-N promises to transcend convention for a compact EV with dynamic performance and unique driving technology that embodies Honda’s commitment to the ‘joy of driving’.
Following the company’s ‘Man-Maximum, Machine-Minimum’ (M/M) development approach, the vehicle has been engineered to ensure its technology and design serves the needs of the driver and passengers.
With entertaining handling and dynamics, an eye-catching exterior, and an infectious sense of fun, Honda’s latest model is set to redefine what is possible for a small EV.
Engineered on the lightweight platform of the advanced N Series ‘Kei’ car range sold in Japan, the Super-N takes its inspiration from the legendary 1980s City Turbo II.
With a striking exterior design that is typified by its distinctive wide stance, larger bumpers and eye-catching aero ducts, that creates anticipation for a dynamic driving performance.
It will be available in the UK from this month with a starting price of under £20,000.
Honda Jazz e:HEV: £28,350. Test model added a special colour and trim and costs £30,390; a 1.5-litre petrol engine which emits 107ps and a 122ps electric motor; top speed, 108mph and 0 to 60mph in 9.4 seconds; emissions 82g/km; economy 57mpg; five years’ warranty or 90,000 miles.