Road Test
Honda Jazz 1.4 ES
Test date 29 October 2008
Price as tested £11,248
For Interior space, seating and luggage flexibility, refinement levels
AgainstDull interior design, average handling, some brittle cabin plastics
The first Honda Jazz appeared on UK price lists in 1982. Known as the Honda City outside Europe, this was a small hatchback which, like its more recent namesakes, used quasi-MPV proportions to maximise interior space. After the demise of the first Jazz in 1986, Honda did not return to the supermini segment until 2000, when it briefly imported the ageing and rather dull Logo. The Jazz name returned in 2002, to much critical acclaim.
We’re not sure whether the old adage ‘If it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ translates well into Japanese, but Honda’s engineers must have uttered the local equivalent when designing this second-generation Jazz. The first model had been a huge success for the company in the UK, where, almost seven years after its launch, it sits third in the supermini sales chart, outselling the Toyota Yaris and Renault Clio.
So while it is almost entirely new, you’ll not be surprised to learn the Jazz Mk2 is not as revolutionary as the first. The focus is still on practicality and versatility, with tweaks to the exterior dimensions and promised improvements to the dynamic repertoire. The greatest single change is Honda’s attempt to sharpen the styling to appeal more to younger, more image-conscious buyers.
As before the Jazz comes with either a 1.2-litre or what Honda calls a 1.4-litre petrol engine (despite it displacing only 1339cc), with a choice of two trim levels for each. We tested the 1.4 ES, which Honda expects to account for the bulk of sales.
Your Say
Comments: 13 Join the discussion