POWERING ON
DRIVEN continues its long-term test of Honda’s clever Jazz e:HEV
Honda is a brand that’s synonymous with producing peoplefriendly passenger cars. This is evident in the Civic, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, but also in the smaller Jazz, which has been around since 2001.
Now in its fourth generation, the Jazz makes more sense than ever, with the world turning towards small, low-emitting vehicles.
In New Zealand, the Jazz range consists of three models, which includes a hatch, hybrid, and even an SUV. The line-up starts with the Life at $28,000, then there’s the Crosstar at $30,000, and at the top is the e:HEV Luxe, which will set buyers back $36,000. These prices are before the Clean Car Discount is applied, which knocks $1150 off the Life, but $4140 off the e:HEV.
Over the past few months, DRIVEN has had the hybridpowered e:HEV Luxe on a longterm test, and although I still don’t entirely understand exactly how the complex powertrain works, I can say it’s great value.
Honda is no stranger to making the most out of small spaces. Don’t be fooled by the small exterior dimensions, as the Jazz offers an impressive amount of space in the cabin. In the front row, this sense of space is accentuated by the minimalistic dash layout with the quirky two-spoke steering
wheel. With extremely thin A-pillars and a massive windscreen, Jazz drivers get an impressive 90.2 degrees of vision.
In the second row, the Magic Seats provide a really practical loading area. There’s even a Refresh Mode, where the back seat can fold down flat to create a bed-like area.
On the road, the Jazz is everything you’d want from a frugal, city hopping, hybridpowered hatch. As I said, I don’t really understand how the petrolelectric drivetrain works, but the engine still makes revving noises when the accelerator is pressed. The e-CVT doesn’t like to be pushed too hard, but if you’re interested in chasing Honda's claimed economy figure of 3.8l/100km, you’ll go easy on the right pedal anyway.
At $32,810, (once on-road costs are added, and the $4140 rebate is taken off), it’s impressive that the Jazz e:HEV Luxe comes standard with the Honda Sensing safety package. This includes adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, forward collision warning and lots of other advanced safety elements.
The Jazz e:HEV is a joy to drive, but also has quite a few rivals at this price point. The top-spec Toyota Yaris hybrid isn’t quite as practical or anywhere near as quirky, and you’ll likely have to opt for the bigger Yaris Cross to match the interior space.