Latest-gen Honda Fit/Jazz goes on sale in China

As we eagerly wait for the third generation Jazz, a news report from Car News China tells us that Honda has launched it in China. Marketed as the ‘Fit’ in the Chinese market; prices for this new premium hatchback start at 73.800 yuan (Rs 6.96 lakh), going all the way to 112.800 yuan (Rs 10.62 lakh).

Having made its debut in China at the 2014 Beijing Auto Show, the Fit/Jazz is now being manufactured locally under the Guangzhou-Honda joint venture. According to the report, Honda has discontinued the old 1.3-litre petrol engine. The new model now gets only one engine option which comes in the form of a 1.5-litre engine with 131bhp and 155Nm of torque. The four cylinder unit is mated to either a 5-speed manual or a CVT gearbox.

If sources are to be believed, Honda’s sales in China have seen a downward trend lately and the new Fit/Jazz is expected to sell in big numbers and bring some respite for the Japanese carmaker. Honda is even looking to launch the Odyssey MPV and a new China-specific sedan to improve the brand’s prospects for the Chinese market.

When launched in India, later this year, the new Jazz will be priced at about Rs 5.5 lakh for the petrol variant and Rs 6.5 for the diesel variant. This will mean that a few standard features on the China-spec model will get the axe to keep the car competitive when Honda launches the car here in the Indian market.