96: Honda Jazz – Much better than it looks

The problem for the Jazz is two-fold. First, it doesn't look all that good. Honda has stuck with a rather too-practical looking exterior, and it's not the most appealing car around in a visual sense.

Secondly, it looks expensive. Of course, there are good reasons for both issues. The exterior is boxy and upright because the cabin is massively spacious and practical.

And the price looks high because Honda stuffs its cars with impressive levels of standard equipment. If you specced a Fiesta or Polo up to this sort of level, they’d be more expensive.

To drive, the Jazz is only average though - it’s perfectly pleasant, but lacks the sheer driver engagement of the new Civic, for one. Oh, and avoid the awful CVT gearbox. It turns a perfectly pleasant car into an utter nightmare.