Honda Jazz Car Review

HerCar Rating: Model Reviewed Jazz VTi-S 1.5 litre petrol 5 speed manual $22,990* Other models priced from: Jazz 1.3 litre petrol 5 speed manual $16,990* HerCar 3 word summary Big Small Car

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The Honda Jazz offers a lot for a small car. And it would want to. The light and small car segments account for over 30% of all passenger cars sold and are the most competitive segments in Australia, with over 20 models priced under 20k.There are 4 Jazz models to choose from- two 1.3 litre variants and two 1.5 litre variants. We test drove the top of the line manual VTi-S which has the more powerful engine and all the goodies.

Driver Comfort & Visibility
The best point about this Jazz is its visibility, followed closely by its roominess. The huge windows make driving and parking a cinch. There are extra windows at the front and rear sides, so you'll hopefully never scrape the pylon again. The high roof line may make the car look a bit egg like from the outside, but the spaciousness on the inside far outweigh this interesting (functional) design.
All controls are in easy reach and are easy to use. In the VTi-S, controls are located on the steering wheel including audio and cruise control. The driver also benefits from the auto up/down power windows.

The Drive
The manual was really easy to drive. The clutch was nice and light and the gears were easy to change. It's not the most exciting drive so if you're looking to cruise the cinema strips and get some looks as you drop the clutch at the lights, this is not the car for you.

Safety
The Honda Jazz scored 4 stars (out of a possible 4 stars) from ANCAP (Australasian New Car Assessment Program). The results were impressive and it would have scored a perfect 5 stars if it was fitted with ESP. Regardless, the safety list is long with front passenger and driver front and side airbags and curtain airbags, ABS brakes and Electronic Brake Distribution

Storage
There's lots of storage including 10 cup holders. The Jazz has 2 unique style front ones which are located in the dash and hold your takeaway coffee cup snugly. I liked it as it would be near impossible for it to spill over. My husband didn't like it as his fingers were too fat to grip the top of the cup to get it out. This just confirms that men and women are different. The 2 cup holders in the rear are located in the doors and are both sturdy and a good size. Other store options include not one but 2 glove boxes, front door pockets and pockets on the back of the driver and front passenger seats.
The boot size is impressive in a small car. I got in a week's grocery shopping (10 bags) with ease.

Passenger Comfort
Thanks to the high roofline, the car inside feels really, really big. Three kids sit really comfortably in the rear. The only downside for the little people is that the seats are quite low and windows quite high which limits their visibility. The use of booster seats will fix this. As far as adults go, there's plenty of room for your front passengers, and the head and leg room in the rear is also good.

Green Factor
Being a small car, you'd expect good green credentials. The manual exists on about 6.4 litres per 100kms. This is not great, but any car that consumes under 7 litres per 100kms gets our green approval. It also scores 4 stars in the Green vehicle Guide rating and 7.5 /10 in the greenhouse rating. Overall pretty good, but not outstanding.

Overall View
The Jazz has got plenty of good things going for it. For starters, it's easy to drive and has brilliant visibility. Add to this it's generous space, for passengers, coffee and your shopping. If you're in the market for a new car and have got around $20,000 to spend, it's well worth a test drive!

If you're considering buying this car you might also like to test drive the Hyundai Getz, Toyota Yaris and Ford Fiesta.

Features of Model Reviewed  

*Manufacturer's list price. Excludes dealer delivery and statutory government charges.

# All new vehicles sold in Australia (up to 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle mass) are tested to determine the level of fuel consumption and CO2 emissions (Greenhouse rating), which are displayed on the fuel consumption label attached to the windscreen of the car. The Green Vehicle Guide rating combines the Greenhouse Rating and Air Pollution Rating and awards a star. 5 stars is the best rating.  For more information, click here.
Information is correct at the time of the review. Please check with your local Honda dealer for the most recent information including total price of the car in your state.

Review Date: June 2009

Reviewed By: Melissa Pye