Singing to the tunes of the all new Honda Jazz!

Different colours but all with that same oomph. Here stands the new Honda Jazz!

The prospect of witnessing and driving a new car, before it is available to the dealerships is very exciting. Add the opportunity to drive it on the only track in India to host Formula 1 championship, the Buddh International Circuit and the proposition turns into an irresistible one!

I was presented with such an opportunity on 4th of July to witness such an event organized by Honda "Hangout with Honda" to showcase their premium hatchback offering, the All New Jazz!

Stylish and Jazzy is the new Honda Jazz!

Step into the car and you are greeted with an all familiar cabin of the 4^th generation Honda City. The steering wheel with audio controls and Call answer and disconnect options, Touch panel Automatic Climate Control, AVN and Space (Loads and loads of it), all similar to the Honda city which gives it a very premium feel.

After driving both the Manual and Automatic with CVT & Paddle Shifters petrol 1.2 litre i-VTEC engine models on the circuit for 2 laps each, cornering nicely and gaining straight line speed on the back straight of the track, I fell in love with the Jazz.

Sitting comfy in the new Honda Jazz

Here are the few features of Jazz which made me sing to it’s tunes, Literally!

Honda Jazz lined up, ready for us to take them for a ride!

a) 1.2 litre i-VTEC and 1.5 litre i-DTEC engines:- Jazz is offered in two engine options, a 1.2 litre petrol motor capable of generating 90 ps power and a 1.5 litre oil burner producing 100 ps of power. Petrol engine is the same unit as found in the Amaze and Brio. Diesel unit is the same as found in Mobilio, Amaze and City. I-VTEC engine is a free revving engine capable of going all the way to 6500 rpm ( tested the same thing on the track) and if driven sedately claims an ARAI fuel economy of 18.7 kmpl for the manual and 19 kmpl for the CVT variant. The diesel engine is the one to watch out for as in India, the soaring prices of petrol and long commuting distances often urge buyers to go with a diesel car. It claims a class leading ARAI fuel economy of 27.3 kmpl! Now this is impressive. A good mix of power and fuel economy, delivered by one engine.
b) “Magic Seats”:- These seats are not per say magical in the “mystical and supernatural” way and won’t help you disappear either. It is a term by Honda which means these seats can adapt to various needs of a person. It features 4 modes – Tall ( rear seats fold upwards) , Utility ( rear seats fold to form a flat bed), Refresh ( both front and rear seats fold to give so much of space) and Long ( where 60:40 split can be used).

More space with these 4 modes in the MAGIC Seats.

c) Design :- Based on the “Exciting H” platform of Honda, the sharp lines and aerodynamic design, 3-D effect LED tail lamps, good usage of chrome gives it an upmarket feel. The doors open wide and the tailgate extends to the bumper to make loading of luggage easier with a massive 374 litres of boot space.

Exterior Design Concept

Interior Design Concept

 

d) Gearbox :- The 6 speed transmission of the diesel engine offers good sorted out ratios for a relaxed drive and good fuel economy. The 5 speed manual is the tried and tested one which also does the duty in other cars like city and mobilio. The CVT torque converter was the one which caught my eye. It has 7 ratios and paddle shifters so that we can have greater controls over the gears. Although I won’t term it as exactly sporty but it is a good enough gearbox for everyday use and for the enthusiast which comes out of us every once in a while.

It is a great practical car with enough options for every type of hatchback buyer from diesel engines to CVT, It makes for a compelling practical use buy.