The new Honda Jazz is a competitive car in a sector which has become more sophisticated and attractive, says Michael McAleer, motoring editor
HONDA MAY be missing from Formula One, but the sacrifice will make little difference on the forecourts. The Japanese brand remains one of the most innovative on the market, at the forefront of both battery-powered electric models and hydrogen powertrain developments.
With the critical focus in the car industry on future fuel sources, the idea of spending millions on developing a racing car that increasingly bears little relationships to any road-going models did start to raise justifiable questions at financial briefings.
However, developing a better V12 engine isn't exactly capturing the zeitgeistof the global car industry, and all the hype about painting a picture of the planet on the racing car isn't going to distract from that fact.
Honda has established itself as a leading engineering pioneer. It has nothing to prove on the Formula One roadshow, particularly when that circus seems to be going in a different direction to industry demands.
Now is a time for car firms to get their priorities right, and cars such as the Jazz are far more important to future success.
The Jazz has long been something of a firm favourite for small family motoring. It combines Honda's quality reputation, good space and practicality with decent driving dynamics. It also hit the market at the right price.
It was never quite ground-breaking - after all, it's just another take on the supermini - but it increased the functionality to buyers and that's what mattered.
Unsurprisingly, the market reacted with several very attractive competitors. Nevertheless, the outgoing Jazz held up well. That was partly down to its price: starting at just over €15,000 it was right in the mix with regular small hatchbacks.
This time, with a new Jazz on the market, the price has been pushed up, the competition is very credible and Jazz has to prove that it's not only continuing to lead the fray, but also worth the money.
Some of the features that made the first model so popular are now standard fare with several competitors. That's good news for car buyers, but forces car firms to push the boundaries further. The new Jazz goes some way towards doing that, with a more credible big car feel, flexible rear seating and a decent loadspace. There's the smart stowage well in the boot that offers an impressive amount of space for shopping bags, and keeps them secure.
The rear seats flip easily, while they are amenable to three smaller passengers in the back row. Up front, a nice tall driving position makes the car feel larger than it actually is. It's only when you look at the car's short snout that you begin to realise just how close to the front bumper the driver is sitting.
Dials and controls are well located and, as with the rest of the Honda range, a nice short-throw gearbox in the manual versions makes it feel a little more sporty than it really is. The interior trim is not quite on a par with the new Ford Fiesta - our current benchmark in this class - but it's certainly equal to other rivals and awash with storage cubbyholes.
The Jazz qualifies as the nippy suburban run-around. It's only when you start to seek more kick over 100km/h that the Jazz starts to lose some of its rhythm. That's the case, at least, with the 1.4-litre engine, but for us, it's really the only engine worth buying.
Three equipment grades are offered on the Jazz, with the top-end EX available only with the larger 1.4-litre engine. However, the Jazz comes with a few specification conundrums. Let us try to explain.
You might think that the difference between the 1.2-litre SE-S and the 1.4-litre SE-S is down to the engines. Wrong.
For an extra €855, you get the bigger engine that takes a full second off your 0-100km/h time, while adding only 3g/100km in emissions, but it also features a host of extra equipment. For a start, there is the all-important stability control system that's omitted from the 1.2-litre SE-S. Then there are the remote audio controls on the steering wheel, sports uphostery, rear speakers and rear electric windows.
All of these extras are only standard on the 1.4-litre version. That's enough to suggest the SE-S tag on the 1.2-litre version is a little disingenuous.
It also makes the 1.2-litre SE-S a lot less attractive than you might initially consider. With a price difference of €1,000 between the two versions in 1.2-litre format, our advice would be to go for the 1.2-litre SE version if that's what your budget can afford, but otherwise go straight for the 1.4-litre SE-S version. There's certainly not enough difference in the 1.2-litre versions to warrant the extra spend.
As for the EX, if you really need cruise control on your car then you probably need a bigger car. And for €20,000, there's a serious list of contenders out there to entice you. Panoramic roof and leather steering wheel on the EX aside, the SE-S is the best buy.
Now your average Jazz owner probably knows more about the Large Hadron Collider than brake horsepower, but suffice to say that when you are leaving the car park and kick down on the throttle, the 1.4-litre engine will get you out comfortably before the oncoming bus. The 1.2-litre engine, on the other hand, may result in flashing lights and blowing horns. A full second in difference from 0-100km/h can mean a lot when you're overtaking and on the wrong side of the road.
With between €16,000 and €20,000 to spend on a relatively roomy hatchback, there is a surprising number of options. For a start, there's the raft of small family hatchbacks on offer, from the new Ford Fiesta to the Renault Clio and the current Toyota Yaris. You'll get a well-equipped version of any of these for the sort of outlay on a 1.4-litre SE-S Jazz.
Then there are the taller (and supposedly more practical) variants. You can't really call them people carriers, but they take the high-roof format of them for a reason that we have yet to fully comprehend.
Of these, the best two are arguably the Skoda Roomster and Nissan Note, although Opel's Meriva does enter the fray at the upper price levels of Jazz. A coupe of quirky competitors that shouldn't be ignored are the odd-looking Fiat Qubo and Doblo. For about €17,000 you get a van-like car that's not very refined, but eminently spacious. If bootspace is all important, then several competitors have the beating of the Jazz.
The good news for Honda is that, while the lack of a small diesel engine might be considered a flaw for some, the low emissions Honda has achieved with its two petrol engines means that both come in significantly lower - 125 to 128g/km compared to mid-130s g/km - than even the well-respected diesel in the Note. No need for a diesel option for Jazz.
This Jazz carries on where its predecessor left off. It comes with Honda's reputation for quality, and that's worth something at a time when used prices are weakening. It might not be the most practical supermini on the market, nor the sportiest, but it balances adequate amounts of both traits to make it a very competitive buy. Well worth a test drive.
Factfile
Engine: 1339cc four-cylinder i-VTEC petrol engine offering 99bhp@6,000rpm and 127Nm@4,800rpm combined with a five-speed manual transmission or six-speed i-shift
Specification: standard features include: tilt adjustable steering wheel; front electric windows; front speakers; 60/40 split folding rear seats; driver, passenger and curtain airbags; ABS with emergency brake assist Electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD); side impact protection beams;
SE-S version adds: auxiliary socket; MP3 connection; 15" alloy wheels
1.4-litre SE-S adds: ESP stability control system; remote audio controls on the steering wheel; telescopic adjustment for the steering wheel; rear speakers; rear electric windows; sports upholstery
Ex version adds: leather multi-function steering wheel and gear knob; climate-controlled air-con; auto lights; 16" alloys
L/100km (mpg):urban: 6.5 (45.5); extra-urban: 4.7 (60.1); combined: 5.4 (52.3)
CO2 emissions: 128 g/km
Tax: VRT rate of 16 per cent and annual road tax of €150
Price: €18,150 (€16,295 to €20,390)