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The Jazz review

Photos: Ashley Baxter

Unique feature You can flip or fold the rear seats flat to create more space

The Honda Jazz is a car that doesn’t allow your sight to wander past, once you lay eyes on its edgy shapes and tipped-forward stance. The pointed nose of the car is particularly stunning, with triangular headlights placed well back and up from the grille. The strong chin and the power bulge on the bonnet that catches light perfectly is a treat to the eye. Honda designers have used a bulging rear wheel arch with strong cut lines to break up the mass of the side of the car and at the rear a wide flush mounted windscreen makes the car look unique too. The design is aggressive and different. The brilliant packaging of the Jazz is clearly visible once you pop the hood. The engine takes up only a tiny amount of the overall length of the car, giving passengers more than an adequate amount of space in the 3900mm car. The wheelbase of this car at 2500mm however is shorter than that of the City and even the Hyundai i20. On the inside, the cabin is both massive and very modern. Large enough to seat four or full size passengers in comfort, the design and functionality of the dash and especially the central console, is very different from the conventional. The chunky aircon knobs function superbly, possessing a solid feel, Honda has packaged all the essentials into the top of the central console, freeing up storage space below and you even get a CD player (which new City lacks).

Jazz components such as the steering wheel, dials and gear knob are the only bits that are shared with the City, but the Jazz has a completely different vibe to it. Plastic quality and grain are impressive and Honda’s subtle changes in grey tones really work well and what this car also majors on, is an abundance of storage space. There’s two medium size glove boxes with a shelf in between, some storage space under the central console and between the seats, a secret box under the rear seats as well as ten cup-holders. You can also uniquely flip the rear seats up theatre style for more flexibility, as well as fold them flat to create a massive luggage space. The low floor of the boot also means you can keep a large luggage standing up in the rear, possible because the fuel tank is placed below the front seats, freeing up space at the rear. There’s also plenty of thought given to seating. The front seats are surprisingly large and full-sized for a hatchback. The rear seats are also well-contoured to offer good thigh support. The Jazz or Fit, as it is called in Japan, shares it’s platform with the new Honda City. But while the City is sold only in Asian markets, the Jazz sells in massive numbers in the U.S., Japan and across Europe. The motor under the hood however has been specifically tailored for India, to help it duck under the 1200cc capacity restriction for an excise sop. The Honda engine also generates power differently. Honda’s new patented variable valve timing system is the company’s answer to Maruti and Hyundai, who offer double overhead camshafts on their motors for greater performance and control. On the Jazz, one of the jobs of the V-tec system is to boost bottom end responses of this small capacity motor. This system de-activates one intake valve at speeds below 2100 rpmas the ‘one valve deactivated’ V-tec causes the airflow to speed up. The theory being that there is a narrower passage for the same amount of airflow.

This allows the Jazz to respond quickly to a slight dab on the accelerator. There’s little or no waiting as a jot of acceleration comes in almost instantly, making the Jazz easy to drive in traffic at low engine speeds. But as most of us know, all Honda motors do their best work at high engine speeds, and this motor is no different. Top end power is strong once you are past 5000 rpm, the motor churning out an impressive 89 bhp. Flat out acceleration is pretty strong considering the size of the motor. 0-100kph comes up in 13.2 seconds with 120kph taking a total of 18.6 seconds. This makes the Honda faster than the i20 and Fabia. The refined motor is almost inaudible at idle and purrs at low engine speeds. It’s only when you hit the pedal to the metal that it gets slightly louder. However, this motor has an area of weakness, it’s midrange. Power delivery from 2500 rpm to 4500 rpm is not very strong, there’s a dip in the torque curve at these speeds and this weakness is intensified if you short shift from second to third. So the slick shifting gearbox is not a chore to use, the gears slotting in almost without thought or any specific attention.

Grip is average and body control is fairly good. Through better tuning, Honda has made the steering of the car more accurate than that of the City, but this falls short of instilling a great amount of confidence to the driver. There’s little feedback from the steering and brakes as you press on, overall grip is limited and you are much happier turning the pace down a notch. It’s clear this car has been tuned for city driving, with it’s light steering and good visibility. This is where the Jazz excels. Ride quality however is only average. The 65 profile tyres don’t absorb much at low speeds and the suspension which has been raised and slightly stiffened for our roads, doesn’t help much. You do feel small amounts of discomfort over small, sharp bumps on the road and Jazz sometimes even crashes through larger holes. As speeds build, ride quality improves and rough patches are ironed out better by the long travel suspension. And there is some amount of road and tyre noise, especially over rough patches.

For now, the Jazz will only be sold powered by a 1.2 engine, but there will be three versions of the car in the future. The standard Jazz will sell for 6.98 lakhs, the Mode variant will cost 7.28 lakhs and the top of the Active will cost 7.33 lakhs (all prices ex-showroom Delhi). The standard Jazz comes equipped with ABS, two airbags and steering mounted controls, with the Active and Mode getting an assortment of sporty body mods and add-ons. While some may find the prices too steep for a hatch, one has to remember that this is a car engineered first for world markets, which means it has to adhere to the highest standards.

With all the flexible luggage space you know why Honda chose to call this car the Jazz — it has the capacity to contain a Jazz band — trumpet, trombone, saxophone, drum-kit and possibly the double bass too. Though the price of the Jazz may raise a few eyebrows, purchasing one means owners get themselves a car that’s engineered to global standards. Precise Honda fit and quality and the promise of great fuel economy and reliability are also part of this package. If you are looking for an entry saloon or pure driving pleasure the Jazz is not the car for you. It’s a smarter, more stylish and better packaged alternative to a saloon, but an expensive one.

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