Honda Jazz, presentation and test drive in Frankfurt

We travelled to the German city of Frankfurt to see first-hand the renewal of the small MPV from Honda, the Jazz.

With this third generation of the Jazz, Honda aims to take a leap forward in every respect to position itself among the leaders of its segment.

The Honda Jazz has always been considered one of the pioneers of the urban MPV segment. It was launched at the beginning of the 21st century, in 2001, clearly marking the start of a segment that today has many devotees.
Across the first two generations, the Jazz has managed to sell more than 5.5 million units worldwide, with around 14,000 units in Spain.

Exterior design

The third generation of the Jazz arrives with a completely renewed exterior look, distinct from previous generations of the Jazz. The front follows the lines set by the brand’s latest creations, bearing a strong resemblance to the newly launched HR-V. The longer headlights blend into a central grille in glossy black that, in turn, extends down to the lower part of the bumper.

On the sides of the front we find the daytime running lights (LED) as well as the fog lights. Being at the extremes, they increase the sense of width and robustness.
The side view has also changed: there is now a longer glazed surface with a clearly upward slope. Several creases also run across the sheet metal surface, increasing the expressiveness of the whole.

The rear changes with the incorporation of new light clusters that, for the first time, also extend along the sides of the rear window. They offer LED lighting for functions such as the brake and position lights.
The tailgate is larger and closer to the ground than ever, which improves comfort when loading bags. The bumper features angles and mouldings that make it sportier and more attractive.

Interior design

Inside, the changes are also striking. The Jazz wants to stop being that city car with an eminently urban focus and become a car for everything. To do so, the dashboard has been completely redesigned, improving both its look and its build quality.

The basic lines are, once again, similar to those of the HR-V, also bearing some similarities to the Civic in making the driver the main focus of the interior. The large screen of the Honda Connect system dominates the centre of the dashboard. The inclusion of a climate control module with a touch surface and a very modern look stands out.

The steering wheel and instrumentation are practically identical to those of the HR-V, offering enough information for day-to-day use, without anything extraordinary. The materials used are basically hard plastics, although they are well fitted and do not produce stray rattles. In addition, depending on the trim level, there are some padded plastic mouldings that improve the perceived sense of quality.

If the Jazz stands out for anything, it is its interior space. The Jazz is, by a wide margin, one of the most spacious urban cars in its segment, vying for first place with the Nissan Note. Compared with its predecessor, the Jazz has grown in every interior dimension. It now has more space between the front seat occupants, more legroom and knee room in the rear seats, and more shoulder room both front and rear.

Of course, we still have some “Honda details” such as the option to fold the rear seat bases to leave the second row completely flat. It is a system that Honda has called the “Magic Seat System” and which it has already been fitting on other models for some time. The boot has a capacity of 354 litres, which is one of the best figures in the segment and an increase of 17 litres over the previous generation.

Driving dynamics

The Jazz debuts a new platform, making it lighter and more advanced. Once behind the wheel, the Jazz behaves reasonably well within what can be expected of a vehicle in this segment, with no dynamic pretensions whatsoever. Handling has improved noticeably over the previous Jazz thanks to suspension that, although soft, controls body roll well as long as you don’t get too clever.

The electrically assisted steering is precise enough and offers good feel. The same can be said of the gearbox, which in this new generation has 6 speeds instead of the previous 5. Its shift feel is pleasant, with short throws and good precision. The braking system responds well and stops the car with sufficient authority when the situation demands it.

The Jazz can also be fitted with a CVT automatic transmission at an extra cost of €1,000. This transmission is recommended if you are looking above all for the comfort of an automatic gearbox and your journeys will be mainly urban, a field in which the CVT scores points over the manual gearbox. However, despite having 7 preset speeds and software specifically designed for Europe, on the road the Jazz CVT is not as enjoyable to drive as its manual counterpart.

The Jazz will reach our market with a single engine under the bonnet. It is a newly conceived petrol engine, part of the “Earth Dream Technologies” family, naturally aspirated. With 1.3 litres of displacement and four cylinders, it is naturally aspirated and operates under the Atkinson cycle, which, unlike the popular Otto cycle, favours performance at medium revs.

It produces 102 CV and 123 Nm, enough to move the Jazz with sufficient ease and agility. On the road we will have to “work the gears” more often, but even so it is nothing dramatic. The 0 to 100 km/h acceleration is completed in 11.2 seconds, reaching a top speed of 190 km/h. Honda claims that cabin soundproofing has improved over the previous generation, and it is true that at low speeds and when stationary it is hard to hear the engine noise.
However, when we pick up the pace – and especially the revs – the sound increases alarmingly. It is not particularly annoying, but it is not especially pleasant either.

Range and prices

The Jazz will arrive in our country with three trim levels called Trend, Luxury and Elegance. At the entry level we find standard equipment such as air conditioning, city active braking, cruise control and the Start&Stop system. Prices start at €15,900. The next trim level, the Luxury, adds to the Trend the 7″ Honda Connect system, 15″ alloy wheels, front and rear parking sensors and electric wing mirrors. Its price is €16,900.

Finally we have the Elegance version, the best equipped, starting at €18,500, which offers, in addition to the other two trims, the keyless entry and start system, the rear camera, front fog lights or 16″ alloy wheels. The car in the photographs is an Elegance trim.

The first units of the 2015 Honda Jazz will reach dealerships in our country at the end of summer, although orders can be accepted practically from now on.

Photographs | Daniel Valdivielso

Technical specifications of this car

HatchbackHonda Jazz3 versions · from 28,800 €