New Honda Jazz

One of the official slogans for Goa tourism is ‘A perfect holiday destination’. I don’t know how long it’s been around, but its working rather well so far. The tiny green land not only doubles up as the ultimate party destination, but is also blessed with a rich variety of exotic locales and traditions practically unseen in most of the states in India. It's fitting that Japanese carmaker Honda chose Goa as ground zero for the first drive of its all new Jazz. Not only does all the uniqueness fit this premium model’s character, but it’s the sheer load of practicality that makes the new Jazz a perfect hatchback for pretty much any holiday destination.

It was 2009 when Honda introduced the Jazz in India while the car was in its second generation. Back then the brand was running a petrol-only brigade and as a result, the Jazz featured a 1.2-litre i-VTEC petrol engine. Having made good numbers early on, escalating petrol prices put brakes on the car’s sales so much so that Honda was forced to make massive price cuts on the later models to tackle rapid dieselisation.

However, nothing seemed to work and in late 2013, Honda India eventually waved goodbye to what was a genuinely brilliant product. But like most good things in life, the Jazz has risen up to the challenge and is back in its third-generation avatar. Lighter, quicker, more comfortable and with an all-important diesel motor at its heart this time around, the new Jazz is in for a big shout. But is it big enough to shake up the premium hatchback space currently dominated by Hyundai’s Elite i20?

Let’s start with the easy part. The all-new Jazz boasts a sportier, aerodynamically enhanced form of the old car. Plain and simple, there it is. However, it’s when you dig deep in to the details you begin to take notice how this new model doesn’t share a single piece of bodywork with its predecessor.

Following a more aggressive design approach, Honda has managed to get away with some of the mini-van like appearance that made the old car stand out among a sea of conventionally shaped hatchbacks. This new approach, in fact, brings the Jazz in line with Honda’s new range of models that have been flooding several global markets. A distinctive new face echoes the 'solid wing' theme across the grille and headlamps that is shared among a few other Honda models including the latest-gen City.

The entire front-end arrangement is similar to that of the JDM-spec Jazz (known as the Fit in Japan) and that includes the neatly designed front bumper which houses circular fog lamps. But unlike the Japanese-spec Fit, the Jazz misses out on daytime running LEDs although looking at the plastic housing it seems we do get a provision for a possible future mod. Also shared are the 15-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels and the obvious shoulder lines on either side which rise from the front wheel arch to give a forward leaning stance. Meanwhile, all of the design cues conclude at the rear into a multi-horizontal form and that sort of makes the rear end a bit too busy. While the protruding Volvo-esque taillights and the neatly designed tailgate are definitely appealing, we are not sure if that rear bumper and its massive twin scoops and creases will find many accolades.

Like the old car, aerodynamics and a massive glass house are some of the key highlights of this new model which cuts through the air more efficiently than before, thanks to different windshield mountings and aerodynamically optimised A-pillar design and centre floor undercover. The massive glass house, on the other hand, not only improves visibility all around, but also enhances the sense of space for all occupants. All in all, the new Jazz retains the basic silhouette of the old car, which is why one would be hard-pressed to point out differences in the overall stance when viewed from a distance. It’s when you get up close that you will appreciate how big a difference all the modern design touches have made to refine the minivan- like shape and turn it into something desirable.

While the new Jazz is just as tall and wide as the old car, it is longer by 55mm and houses a wheelbase that is lengthened by 30mm. The improved length is evident the moment you step inside the cabin where you will find a lot of part-sharing with the new City; bits of the dashboard, centre console and the steering wheel have been lifted straight off the latter. And while that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, we would have liked Honda to go the extra mile in differentiating the cabin some more.

The all-black interior in the top-spec trim comes with contrasting materials including soft touch plastics and is accented with silver trim for bits of air vents, steering wheel and door pads. The new Jazz also borrows the City’s clear instrument cluster which is always lit. In here the blue-toned cluster features an Eco Assist light that changes from green, to blue-green and to blue based on how light or heavy your throttle inputs are – a pretty neat gimmick if you ask me. Speaking of which, Honda is offering two different infotainment systems depending on the trim. While the entry-level trims get a 5-inch display for the rear camera and audio system with USB and Bluetooth connectivity, the top-spec versions come with a fancier 6.2-inch touchscreen display with navigation and DVD playback functions.

Honda is known for cleverly packaging its interior and the Jazz is probably the ideal example of showcasing the Big H’s genius. In its quest to make the cabin highly versatile, Honda has redesigned the fuel tank with a lower profile that retains the same capacity and a shorter rear suspension trailing arm which allows the middle floor to be extended towards the rear, thereby increasing the legroom at the rear, It’s not really surprising, then, to see the Jazz rightfully holding onto the crown for the most spacious hatchback in its class. And it’s not just outright space that impresses the most, the rear bench itself is fairly comfortable and seating three abreast is not uncomfortable, as we found out during our time with the car. The overall comfort level remains the same as you move into the front seats wherein it’s easy to find the ideal position thanks to the height adjustable driver’s seat and rake adjustment for the steering wheel. Pair that with the low-slung dashboard and the large glass house and it’s quite easy to see out of and pilot the Jazz around tight parking spaces or in traffic. In all fairness, the space inside the cabin is a bit overwhelming but it’s the boot space that puts the Jazz well above its rivals. With up to 354-litre of cargo space, the boot is big enough to put several hatchbacks and even a few sedans to shame. Further raising the versatility quotient are the Magic rear seats (as Honda calls it) which fold flat or flip up to haul a variety of cargos. And if that’s not enough, there’s also a recline function which allows the rear occupants to unwind and travel in a little extra comfort.

Honda hasn’t skimped on the equipment list either, with the top-spec versions featuring twin airbags, ABS, climate control with touch panel, steering mounted audio controls, electrically foldable wing mirrors, touch screen infotainment system with navigation function, rear view camera and a plethora of cubby holes throughout the cabin.

Under the stubby hood of the Jazz one can find either the popular 1.2-litre i-VTEC petrol or the relatively new 1.5-litre i-DTEC diesel motor. While the former is available with either a 5-speed manual or a CVT automatic, the diesel car gets a 6-speed manual similar to that of the new City.

Starting with the petrol motor, this 1.2-litre unit is a familiar unit, previously seen in a range of Honda models including the Brio, the Amaze and even the old Jazz. Known for its refined nature and strong mid-range grunt, it produces 90bhp of power and 110Nm of torque, and in the new Jazz it retains those characteristics. During our stint behind the wheel, the petrol-powered Jazz felt fairly satisfying (if not thrilling) to drive, although I was bound to rev its absolute nuts off to make quick progress. Interestingly, the same engine in the Brio feels much stronger thanks to the car’s significantly less kerb weight. As for the gearbox, the 5-speed manual is also a familiar unit and like before, is a treat to go through the gears.

Going by the spike in demand for diesel cars, it’s the diesel-powered Jazz that, in all probability, will be Honda’s new big seller; powered by a 1.5-litre i-DTEC four cylinder motor, the diesel Jazz pushes out 100bhp of power and a meaty 200Nm of torque – familiar numbers for Amaze and City users. It’s the same unit which has received a lot of blow from the users for its harshness and keeping that in mind, Honda says it has invested in additional noise and vibration absorption techniques to reduce NVH levels. So has it worked? Yes, to an extent. However, it is still not as refined as say a diesel Hyundai Elite i20 and the diesel clatter is evident nearly all the time. Honda, though, fights back with a stronger midrange and a comparatively linear power delivery than most vehicles in its class including the VW Polo GT TDI and the Elite i20.

As far as fuel efficiency goes, Honda is claiming up to 27.3 kmpl for the diesel Jazz, making it one of the most fuel efficient hatchbacks on sale today. However, we couldn’t better 16kmpl during our stint with the car, although it was mainly down to our heavy right foot and the fact that our test route included a lot of negotiating through traffic. The impressive figure, no doubt, was aided by the smooth shifting 6-speed manual gearbox which uses a slightly different set of ratios compared to the City.

Although the coastal roads of Goa are nowhere as bad as ones found in a typical metropolitan like Bombay, we did manage to hit a few rough sections where we found the ride quality to be consistent and comfortable, albeit slightly bumpy. That being said, the new Jazz takes big bumps a bit hard, a reminder of its stiffly sprung set up compared to the old model. Although it’s the improved struts up front and torsion beam at the rear allowing the Jazz to behave better in the corners, not that it’s a Civic Type R, but it wound its way through the corners with composure only to be limited by its economy-minded tyres.

We Indians are hatchback crazy. It’s no secret that we simply cannot get enough of their practicality, ease of use or the low running costs and a few other distinct advantages that they have over sedans or SUVs. Needless to say, carmakers are well-versed with this trend and have actively introduced new and improved products over the years. And although a similar movement is taking place in the flourishing compact crossover space, it’s the hatchbacks that continue to demand a lot of time and effort from established carmakers. Honda, for one, is making all the right noises with the Jazz.

The new Jazz certainly looks the part, has a versatile cabin with loads of space and for the first time – the efficiency of a diesel motor. It’s still not an enthusiast’s choice but that’s passable because it’s not what Honda was looking to make here. The Jazz is all about practicality and you get plenty of it.