Jazz sounds a great idea

Our Supermini of the Year is the Honda Jazz.

An astonishing number of Jazz owners buy another and the revised third-generation version we’re looking at here aims to keep them loyal.

But the Japanese brand also needs to attract new converts to its clever little supermini, something that will be easier to do with this enhanced MK3 model thanks to its smarter looks and the wider variant choice made possible by the introduction of a fresh 1.5-litre engine into the range.

For very good reasons, this is the supermini that industry insiders commonly recommend.

The Honda Jazz has always offered something rather different to supermini buyers. You don’t get a vast choice of engines or sporty handling but what is provided is arguably more useful. The biggest and cleverest cabin in the class and a thoroughly engaging ownership experience.

The brilliant ‘Magic Seat’ system that made the cabin of earlier versions so superbly versatile has been retained and works well incorporated into a large bodyshell that offers a long wheelbase by supermini standards, so very decent interior space. As a result, the Japanese brand is claiming that this Jazz ‘redefines’ what a supermini can be.

As before, there’s a huge windscreen that imparts a genuine feel of airiness up front. It extends way overhead, meeting the roof panel a good few inches aft of where you’d normally expect that junction.

This, along with the large front quarter windows, provides respectable forward visibility. Boot capacity measures 354 litres, with space extending to 884 litres with the ‘Magic Seats’ folded.

The dash is dominated by either a fiveinch LCD multi-information display or a seven-inch Honda Connect infotainment touchscreen, depending on model grade.

It’s still the cleverness of this car’s packaging that impresses most, with its neat magic seating and Tardis-like cabin.

Tardis-like: the Honda Jazz.