Honda Jazz
Advice on buying the best.
Back in the early 2000s, there was a raft of talented and popular small cars to tempt buyers, including the Ford Fiesta, VW Polo and Renault Clio. Honda’s attempt to compete – with the reliable but entirely forgettable Logo – was never going to cut the mustard. The answer for the Japanese giant was to launch the Jazz – or Fit, as it was known in its home country – at the end of 2001, which arrived on these shores early the following year.
Neatly styled, it was unashamedly sensible in its approach, majoring on practicality and ease of driving – an approach that soon attracted plenty of praise. Auto Express magazine named the Jazz its Car of the Year in 2002, so it was no surprise that it soon had plenty of buyers, especially among the more, ahem, mature demographic. At one point the average age of owners was reckoned to be in the mid-fifties, not that Honda were concerned as they continued to shift as many as they could build.
The second-generation model was launched in 2008 and the Jazz name is still with us today, but here we concentrate on the very capable original.
What goes wrong
When it comes to the petrol engines, there’s little to worry about even if you’re considering an early, highmileage example. Service intervals were a sensible 12,500 miles/one year and there were plenty of conscientious owners who stayed with main dealers for regular maintenance. There’s nothing complex here, though, so even cars that slipped from the dealer network could be maintained without bother by local garages, and the Jazz is Diy-friendly, too. There’s no bothersome cambelt to worry about, and parts from independent suppliers are cheap – oil and air filters cost a tenner or less, while good quality spark plugs (all eight of ’em) are around £4 each.
Models up to 2006 required attention to the tappets every 25,000 miles, which became 62,500 miles for cars produced in subsequent years. It’s a straightforward job, though. Ultimately, as long as the car you’re looking at has been treated to regular changes of oil and consumables there should be little to worry about.
Problems, such as they were, could involve sticking EGR valves on 20022003 cars and Honda applied a warranty extension to deal with the issue. It should have been sorted long ago but it’s worth checking for jerky running or any warning lights as a replacement is around £300. A dirty throttle body can lead to running or idle problems, so cleaning is the first step, while misfires can be caused by failing coils; there are eight of them, each costing £120 or so from Honda or a bit less from independents, so the cost will add up if they all need renewing.
Generally speaking, Jazz owners were a careful bunch, so finding a regularly fettled example isn’t difficult.
Transmission
Just a moment spent searching for Honda Jazz transmission problems will reveal the internet is awash with forums and websites tackling the issue, so let’s begin with the five-speed manual ’box. The main bone of contention was the potential for input and main shaft bearing failure, usually signified by a high-pitched whine, which could afflict any model built between 2002 and 2008. Honda extended the warranty to seven years and 100,000 miles, and numerous units were rebuilt or replaced in that time, but with that extension now firmly elapsed you’ll want to be sure everything is healthy. Check the paperwork for evidence of any work done and listen out for any worrying noises. The £3000 cost of a new gearbox rules that out, and while secondhand ’boxes can be found for a few hundred pounds, there are enough of these cars on the market simply to find another if you suspect problems.
Some 2002 models could also suffer from failure of the reverse gear holder, which manifested itself as a click or
rattle when turning left in second gear; it’s less likely now and was sorted under warranty, but check anyway. And Honda recommended fresh MTF-3 gearbox oil every 75,000 miles, so ensure this has been done.
Thankfully, the clutch shouldn’t give trouble unless subjected to urban abuse, and replacement kits are around £160.
Which brings us to the CVT-7. Smooth in operation, it was popular with owners and featured seven ‘stepped’ ratios to give a more natural feel on the road. Drivers could select from automatic or manual modes, the latter operated initially by switches on the steering wheel before these were replaced by paddles for the 2005MY. Oil changes were required at 50,000 miles/five years and then every 37,500 miles/four years (costing around £120 at a Honda specialist), but the unit wasn’t without fault as hitting around 60,000 miles could see problems develop with the start clutch pack. A horrible judder when setting off from rest indicated trouble, and the answer was a four-figure rebuild which isn’t tempting today. Cars built from 2006 generally avoided the issue, but if you a fancy a CVT then take extra care and look for evidence of past repairs.
Just for the record, Honda quote an eye-watering £9000 for a complete new transmission!
Running gear
After all the transmission woes, there’s better news here as Honda kept things nice and simple. Brakes were a disc/ drum arrangement until 2004, when rear discs were adopted, with ABS and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution becoming standard at the same time. Aside from any issues caused by neglect or lack of use, there’s nothing to worry about here and replacement sets of discs or pads can be sourced for £20-40 depending on brand or supplier.
The suspension was similarly simple, with struts up front and a torsion beam at the rear. This set-up was retuned from 2003 for a softer ride. It’s worth inspecting for weeping dampers and wear-and-tear in the front wishbone lower bushes, which requires a complete new arm; Honda charge £262 each for these, but they can be found more cheaply at independents.
One point worth mentioning concerns premature failure of the rear wheel bearings, which affected a number of examples. A known issue, Honda reacted at the time by extending the warranty on them to 100,000 miles and nine years for 2002-2003 models and seven years on 2004-2005 cars. Less problematic post2006 kits cost from £100-160 depending on supplier, and replacement isn’t especially difficult.
Finally, it’s worth checking for any notchiness from the electrically-assisted steering as a pricey replacement rack will be needed. Tyres are cheap, though, and quality brands can be found online for £45 or so, but it’s worth checking for ancient, out-of-date rubber on very lowmileage cars.
Trim & equipment
What the typical Jazz owner wanted was a sensible and logical choice of trim, and here Honda delivered with their usual aplomb. At launch you could pick from S, SE and SE Sport specifications, with the entry-level version costing £8995. Accused of being a little spartan by some observers, it nonetheless had the basics covered, with a radio/cassette player, electric front windows and central locking. If you spent £10,295 on the SE you got air-conditioning, a remote control for the locking and electric rear windows, while an additional £1000 got you the Sport, which added items such as alloy wheels, a CD player, an electrically operated sunroof and side airbags. All models benefited from a pair of front airbags with side items optional lower down the range, and the Jazz would earn a four-star safety rating from EURONCAP. And speaking of options, there was plenty of opportunity to add some extras depending on the trim level you’d chosen, although it’s worth noting that air-conditioning cost £1500, which is why it rarely appears on S models.
The aforementioned 2004 facelift bought further changes, with the range now comprising the 1.2S, 1.4SE and 1.4 Sport, accompanied by a price cut to £8600 for the entry-level car (the others cost £10,500 and £11,500 respectively). Highlights included standard 15-inch alloys, electric folding mirrors and steering wheel audio controls for the SE and Sport, the latter also gaining climate control, front fog-lamps, and a bodykit featuring deeper front and rear bumpers
and some side-skirts. At the same time, all models benefited from new seat fabrics, improved hi-fi systems and some metal-effect interior trim to brighten things up, while new colour options included the notably vibrant Helios Yellow for those who liked to stand out.
Body, trim & electrics
There was no choice of body style – it was a five-door Jazz or nothing. Thoroughly conventional in its construction, there are no reports of corrosion, so any you do find will almost certainly be the result of poor accident repairs. However, with plenty of examples being used for urban duties you’ll want to check for the usual dings, dents and scuffed bumpers. Mirrors and light units might have sustained damage, too, but helpfully there’s plenty of choice when it comes to secondhand Jazz parts; you can find replacements from £30, with bumpers starting at £50.
Of interest to most buyers, though, was the superb practicality on offer and much of that was down to the use of Honda’s ‘magic seats’. In an inspired piece of packaging, Honda located the fuel tank beneath the front seats, allowing the rear seat base to fold up and provide a useful 1280mm tall area for carrying, well, taller items. If trips to the garden centre to buy small trees floated your boat, this was the car for you. Fold the split rear seats down completely and there was 1321 litres of space on offer, while the folding front passenger seat (available on all models from 2004, but not the S before that) allowed for long loads, too.
Rear seat legroom was on a par with cars from the next class up. Impressive versatility aside, the cabin was robustly assembled and although material richness was lacking, the trim should still be in good shape today.
Duff central locking and failed window regulators aren’t unheard of – you can replace the latter for around £50 using secondhand parts – and some owners complained of radios losing their sound, but otherwise a quick check that everything works should suffice.
The only other point to watch for is water leaks into the rear footwells and boot, with moisture getting past the inner door membrane or seals. Post2005 cars tended not to be affected, but inspect the rear and boot carpets for damp just in case.