Trend setter is Jazzed up

HONDA HAS UPGRADED ITS POPULAR SMALL CAR, WRITES EDWARD STEPHENS

HONDA’S trendy Jazz is now available with a stylish new look to set it apart from the crowd.

The Jazz EX Style is the latest incarnation which now tops the range of a much-loved little car which faithful buyers come back for time after time.

The newcomer is based on the EX spec model but cosmetic upgrades add to its kerb appeal.

The most noticeable is the twotone paintwork, which means the roof is a contrasting colour to the bodywork.

In addition there are embossed protective black side mouldings, black caps on the mirrors and a black roof spoiler.

And to set off the upmarket image you also get distinctive 16-inch alloy wheels.

Inside and under the skin, however, it’s still an EX model so it comes down to whether you are prepared to pay the premium of around £2,400 for the additional and distinctive kit.

But whether you opt for the EX or EX Style your hard-earned cash will buy you one of the best little selfcharging hybrid models around.

A hybrid which during the week I drove it was regularly averaging more than 80 miles per gallon, and you can’t ask more than that.

Power comes from a combination of a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine working in conjunction with two electric motors.

That’s enough to give the Jazz a top speed of 109 miles per hour and a very respectable 0-62 miles per hour time of 9.5 seconds.

And what is surprising is just how often you find the Jazz is operating on purely electric power and therefore keeping running costs down.

And while you would perhaps expect that around town, I regularly found the same was true on fast dual carriageways and even – at times – motorways,

But even when running on the engine - or a combination of engine and electric motors - the Jazz EX Style is impressively refined, quiet and relaxing to drive.

Only when you put the accelerator down really hard do you get any increase in engine noise.

But unlike some small hatchbacks the Jazz doesn’t set out to be a sporting car, rather a comfortable, spacious family car which is genuinely relaxing to drive.

Its high stance and deep windows means visibility all round is excellent while interior space is hard to beat for a car of these dimensions. I can think of numerous much larger models which don’t offer anywhere near as much legroom for rear seat passengers as the Jazz.

And when it comes to space and versatility this model is unbeatable for a compact car thanks to its “magic seats“.

These not only allow you to create a perfectly flat load area by lowering the split rear seatbacks but also the alternative of being able to fold the rear seat squabs up - like a cinema seat - allowing you to transport bulky items like furniture or a mountain bike across the width of the car.

Twin glove boxes offer plenty of space for in-cabin items and one cupholder each side of the dashboard is a much better idea than the ubiquitous centre console cupholders on almost every other car.

A large central touchscreen gives access to onboard features as well as the satellite navigation system.

And, as you would expect of Honda, safety features are many and varied and a crystal clear reversing camera makes going backwards simple.

As the top of the range model you also get features like heated seats and a heated steering wheel as standard.

The Jazz EX Style is not a budget priced small car compared to some of its competitors but few, if any, offer anything like its space, economy and relaxed driving style.