Honda jazz

The Honda Jazz is the manufacturer's model designed to compete in the hotly contested B segment, the city car segment. The first generation arrived on the market in 2001 , and to date, three generations have been sold. The latest of these was launched at the 2020 Tokyo Motor Show with a significant focus on mobility and aesthetics.

We have tested this car:

Test Honda Jazz 1.5 i-MMD Elegance e:HEV 109 CV hybrid

In Europe , Jazz sales aren't high, but in the rest of the world it's a very popular model. Proof of this is that it's manufactured simultaneously in 10 plants across 8 countries . Furthermore, in foreign markets, the model is known as the Fit. In Europe, the Swindon plant in England is responsible for manufacturing the units.

Interestingly, the Jazz has had hybrid and electric versions , although only the hybrid was sold in Spain (in the second generation) with marginal sales. Even so, Honda decided to electrify the Jazz range, and since its fourth generation, it has only offered hybrid versions. Furthermore, for this edition, Honda has offered two different models: a conventional one and a crossover version called the Honda Jazz Crosstar.

Technical characteristics Honda Jazz

The Honda Jazz is one of the smallest models the Japanese firm sells in Europe, along with the Honda e . It's built on the manufacturer's global platform for small vehicles , and the fourth generation has been specifically designed to integrate electrified solutions, whether standard hybrid or fully electric versions.

Despite the platform change, the Honda Jazz retains its compact dimensions, ideal for urban environments. Its measurements clearly place it in the B segment : 4,04 meters long, 1,69 meters wide, and 1,53 meters high. These dimensions increase to 4,09 meters long, 1,72 meters wide, and 1,56 meters high for the Jazz Crosstar version. Added to these is a shared wheelbase of 2,52 meters, allowing it to be homologated for five passengers.

Regarding boot space, it's important to understand that this is a city car, and therefore cargo capacity isn't the primary concern. For this reason, the new Jazz offers modest but sufficient boot dimensions. We're talking about a minimum capacity of 304 liters ( 298 liters for the Crosstar) and an impressive maximum capacity of 1.205 liters . These measurements position it as one of the best in its class.

Mechanical range and Honda Jazz gearboxes

As expected, the fourth-generation Honda Jazz is moving away from purely combustion engines. From now on, in Europe, it will only be available with electrified powertrains. In this case, and given the price-to-product ratio, Honda has decided that the best option is to hybridize the Jazz to avoid the price increases seen with fully electric vehicles. This is the only possible option, and it's called e:HEV technology.

The system will consist of a 1.5-liter DOHC i-VTEC gasoline engine, two electric motors (generator and drive motor), and a lithium-ion battery. The entire system develops a maximum power of 109 horsepower and 253 Nm of torque . The Jazz's performance is modest, with a 0 to 100 km/h time of 9,4 seconds and a top speed of 175 km/h. Its official combined fuel consumption is 4,5 liters per 100 kilometers.

An automatic transmission manages the entire system and sends power from the hybrid system exclusively to the front wheels. It features three driving modes: EV mode, Hybrid mode, and Engine mode . The first uses only electricity for propulsion. In the second, the electric motor and combustion engine are combined. And in the last mode, only the gasoline engine powers the wheels. It's important to understand that this is a conventional hybrid, so the electric range is limited to a couple of kilometers. This is enough to qualify for the DGT's ECO label.

Equipment of the Honda Jazz

In terms of equipment, the Japanese have always been very loyal to the philosophy of offering a lot from the start. The Honda Jazz's trim level is divided into several levels: Elegance, Executive, and Crosstar . The latter gives it a more crossover-like appearance thanks to the addition of black plastic cladding on the lower body and wheel arches.

In terms of equipment, the Jazz doesn't differentiate between versions. Both come with the same number of features , so the difference between the versions lies solely in their aesthetics.

The list of features that can be found inside the Honda Jazz is quite considerable for a B-segment car. Among the highlights are: a digital instrument cluster, a multimedia system with a 9-inch touchscreen , voice control with artificial intelligence, connectivity for mobile devices, and of course, a prominent suite of active safety features called Honda SENSING, which includes adaptive cruise control (ACC), collision avoidance system, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, traffic sign recognition, and much more.

The Honda Jazz on video

The Honda Jazz according to Euro NCAP

As usual, Euro NCAP has tested the safety of the small Honda Jazz, awarding it a five-star rating in 2020. The results obtained in each of its categories are: 8,7 for adult occupant protection, 8,3 for child occupant protection, 8 for pedestrian vulnerability, and 7,6 for the operation of safety features and driver assistance systems. All ratings are shared by both the standard Jazz and the Crosstar version.

The Honda Jazz of Km 0 and second hand

The Honda Jazz is one of those models that has inexplicably gone unnoticed by the Spanish public. The three, and now four, generations of the model have never topped the list of best-selling city cars. The Jazz's average depreciation is higher than that of its rivals (33,5%) , not because it's a bad product—quite the opposite. The reason for this lies in its low sales and the public's lack of awareness regarding the product's reliability, build quality, and durability.

Prices range from €19.500 for a nearly new, third-generation Honda Jazz with a gasoline engine to €2.000 for a 2005 model with 240.000 kilometers on the odometer. Obviously, all the vehicles for sale have a gasoline engine, with the exception of a few hybrid units that still command a high price due to their attractive ECO label.

Rivals of the Honda Jazz

Honda Jazz rear profile

In recent years, the B segment has been gaining popularity despite the rise of SUVs. It has always been one of the most popular segments in Europe and today is the one best withstanding the SUV trend. Within this niche, we find very powerful rivals that, like the Jazz, are changing the landscape of mobility. The most direct competitor is the Toyota Yaris , but we also can't overlook other contenders such as the Renault Clio , the Peugeot 2008 , the SEAT Ibiza , and the Ford Fiesta, among many others.

Highlight

Reliability
Quality Control
Technology

To improve

Mechanical range limited to one engine
little known model
High price compared to the competition

Honda Jazz Prices

The fourth-generation Honda Jazz has been on the market since early 2020. The brand announces that the starting price for a Honda Jazz is €23.350 , excluding any offers or promotions. This price corresponds to a Jazz with the Elegance trim level. The most expensive model in the family is the Honda Jazz Crosstar, with a list price of €26.650, also excluding offers or promotions. These figures can increase with additional equipment or by selecting one of the available customization programs.