Jazz supermini – in the Honda dream team
IT’S a busy time for Honda UK with the imminent launch of the new fifth generation CR-V – the world’s best selling SUV.
Against stiff competition, the latest version of the five-door is more athletic to drive and bigger and better for passengers.
For the first time, there will be no diesel option as Honda will be going along a purely petrol and petrolhybrid route.
Unlike earlier CR-Vs, the new car can be specified with an extra row of seats, making it a seven-seater like the Peugeot 5008 and Land Rover Discovery Sport.
The new 1.5-litre engine is more powerful with extra mid-range clout yet more frugal and quieter, while the redesign has given the five-seater greater road presence – a vital factor in this fashion-conscious sector.
Pricing for the new model will start from £25,995 for a front wheel drive manual S grade and top out at £36,455 for an all-wheel drive EX model with CVT auto transmission.
Runout models are offered with buying incentives including zero per cent finance.
The radically-styled Civic, with more cabin space than most of its rivals, is going great guns on the sales front and the racy 167mph Type R has already established itself as the quickest front drive hot hatch on the market.
Expect a four-door saloon to join the Civic ranks soon. Although it’s unlikely to approach the sales popularity of the hatch, Honda believes there’s still a ready market for a three-box saloon here. A diesel version will be available – probably the latest new diesel Honda will make.
Like the five-door, the saloon will have plenty of passenger space and separate huge boot.
For those who prioritise styles and compactness, the neat HR-V crossover is a magnet. The 1.5-litre i-VTEC engine combines punchy performance with miserly thirst for petrol boasting a combined consumption of 49.6mpg.
The Jazz supermini starts at around £14,000, with the recently introduced 128bhp Sport model priced at £17,280. Tiny but roomy, the 1.5-litre i-VTEC engine turns the nimble town car into a fun machine that will put a smile on most drivers’ faces.
With a sub-nine second dash to 62mph, it is guaranteed to surprise.
At the other end of the scale the NSX supercar looks as special as its advanced engineering proclaims it to be. With a price tag of more than £140,000, it rivals McLaren and Ferrari in terms of performance and dynamics.
Blisteringly quick, it packs a 3.5-litre twin turbo V6 alongside a hybrid powertrain and showcases Honda’s prowess in technology. The power of dreams... as the firm’s slogan goes.