2018 Honda Jazz Diesel Facelift First Drive Review

I’m sure you’ve had a glimpse of what Honda’s 2018 Jazz in its petrol avatars is all about in our previous review. But in this review, we’d like to focus on the diesel version. If you have read the previous review and our recent news updates on the 2018 Jazz, then you know that it incorporates a few upgrades to the exteriors, revised features and variants, plus improved NVH.

As for the looks, you’ll need to pull out your glasses to spot the updates. And that’s because Honda has decided to limit the upgrades to signature rear LED tail lamps, chrome door handles with the smart button (CVT/diesel) and two new exterior colours called Radiant Red and Lunar Silver. The rest remains the same, and although the Jazz looks different from its segment contenders, it won’t set any pulses racing.

We’ll get straight to what’s new. It gets a 17.7cm touchscreen infotainment system with navigation,   Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and a rear-view camera. There’s also rear parking sensors, speed sensing door lock, central lock switch on door-pad, front centre armrest and improved NVH. Additionally, Honda has decided to arm the petrol CVT and the diesel version with cruise control, a push start/stop button with a touch sensor on the door handle with a keyless remote.

Everything else remains the same. So, the front seats continue to offer comfy cushioning with just about the right contours for great support and lots of head room. However, thigh support could have been a tad better. What’s nice is that the beige interiors truly light up the already spacious cabin. And now, the large touchscreen with quick frame-rates makes this dash design look even more contemporary. We only felt that the resolution could have been bumped-up for better viewing.

Of course, it goes without saying that the excellent visibility is one of the Jazz’s most compelling strengths, and now the rear camera just pampers the driver even more. At the rear, it is a bit short on thigh support. But on the flipside, there’s lots of legroom, good cushioning with adequate contours and headroom too. Although seating for three isn’t exactly comfortable, the low transmission tunnel does bring some relief to the posture. When it comes to the boot, it continues to be spacious and the rectangular enclosure is very user friendly.

Features-wise, Honda has dropped E and SV variants and now makes do with just the S (only on diesel), V and VX. In fact, we've done a separate story on this and you can read it here. However, we noticed that although the VX CVT and the VX diesel versions get keyless-go and cruise control, it somehow does not feature on the VX petrol.

I remember the earlier Jazz diesel to be extremely noisy at idle. But that’s history. Honda has done some excellent noise insulation which makes this motor remarkably quieter than before. Now, although there’s lesser engine noise filtering into the cabin on the move at lower revs, it gets prominently loud when you mash the throttle.

After having a run in the petrol Jazz before experiencing the diesel, we admit the diesel’s gear shifting action is slightly rubberier. Plus, even the clutch pedal is a tad heavier. But this isn’t a downer since the short gear lever combined with accurate throws (due to a well-defined shifter gate) still makes for an easy gearshift overall.

As I slot into first gear and let go of the clutch pedal, a progressive chunk of torque is unleashed that tugs this hatch off-the-mark rather effortlessly. Sure, there is some turbo lag no-doubt, but it isn’t apparent until one enthusiastically throbs the accelerator. In fact there’s always enough grunt for slow speed situations as one can easily ride the wave of torque with very little pedal input. 

Getting to higher speeds is also a reasonably quick affair too. But when in a hurry, you’ll be witness to the decibels from this diesel mill when it is closer to its peak rpm. Also, since the gears are taller, consciously sticking to the six gear will increase efficiency. On the downside though, you’ll need to drop a gear-or-two at times to spool up that turbo and perform that quick overtake. 

When it comes to the 2018 Jazz’s ride, it sure looks like Honda went all-out to surprise us. They’ve tweaked the suspension and switched to MRF tyres. The result is an absorbent but flat ride regardless of the speed. Plus, there’s hardly any up-and down movement like in the previous-generation Jazz. We have to admit that the suspension no longer emits any clunky noises, and is quite silent even while going over rough surfaces. 

The only downside has to be the severe tyre-noise that gets intrusive as speeds rise. On a different note, what makes driving the Jazz even more effortless is the light steering. It has few turns from lock-to-lock, is reasonably responsive and relays a fair idea of what’s happening at the wheels.

The 2018 Honda Jazz is a nice package that’s hard to resist. Especially when it comes to things like the airy and spacious interiors, ease of driving, visibility, ride quality and the peace that comes from owning a Honda. However, the motor still sounds crude from the cabin and it just can’t compete with the likes of the Hyundai Elite i20 and Maruti Baleno when it comes to features. If features aren’t at the top of your shopping list, then the 2018 Honda Jazz may just turn out to be the one that fits your bill.

The 2018 Honda Jazz is priced between Rs 9.62 to Rs 11.08 lakhs, on-road Mumbai. It turns out to be more expensive than the Maruti Baleno, and although it starts off cheaper than the Hyundai Elite i20, it ends up being more expensive when you move up the variant-shelf in comparison. 

Pictures: Kapil Angane

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