Honda Jazz review: Hybrid supermini impresses with big-car economy and practicality

Honda’s hybrid-only Jazz combines cutting-edge efficiency with real-world fun — and proves it’s far more than a retiree runaround

All new Honda Jazz

HONDA JAZZ
Rating	★★★★☆
Price	€31,495
Engine	1.5 i-MMD Hybrid Engine with 108bhp
The Spec	Even in the entry-level model, the equipping is generous
Verdict	a bit pricey, but it is an exceptional supermini

THERE was a time, perhaps, when you really needed a blue-rinse hairdo to drive a Honda Jazz. It was, for many years, a favourite of what might diplomatically be called older ladies. The “blue rinse” brigade probably gave the Jazz an unfair reputation a car which was only driven by older people.

Oddly, the Civic had a similar reputation for a while, or at least those versions that didn’t come with the high-lift cams for which Honda became so well known among petrol heads, or the R versions, which were so fast they could restore an atheist’s faith in God.

My mum, bless her memory, had a rake of them — automatics mainly — and swore by their reliability and practicality. So too, did many of her friends and those that didn’t drove the other small Honda, the Jazz.

Quite why Honda got a grip on this demographic is something of a mystery, especially as it never intended to corner that segment. Welcome and all as the customers were, older punters were not exactly the target market.

Although it sold a steady stream of them since they introduced it back in 1982 (it was called the Honda City then and subsequently also known in certain markets as the Honda Fit), it never really troubled the likes of the Ford Fiesta, the VW Polo, the Opel Corsa, the Toyota Yaris, the Nissan Micra, the Renault Clio, or the other big sellers in the supermini segment.

Sure, it had its core supporters, but not as many of them as Honda might have liked. Nevertheless, it was a steady performer down the years and usually sold with small capacity petrol engines.

Times have moved on, however, and what with customer demand and environmental necessity, Honda introduced an exclusively hybrid powertrain for the Jazz a couple of years ago; it is a very clever system which is essentially self-charging.

Honda's spacious interior

It is now only available as an e-HEV and only comes as an automatic, although there is actually no gearbox at all. It does have an engine — a 1.5 litre petrol unit — but it acts only as a generator, providing battery charge for a muscular electric motor.

I don’t know of anything like this system that’s on the go right now, but the thing it reminded me of most was the BMW i3 with a small range extender engine. A lot of the time it drives like a regular EV (an EV light comes on in the instrumentation when it is doing so) and there are no emissions when it is in that mode.

When you need a bit of pace — or when the battery needs charging — the petrol motor kicks in (pretty silently, it has to be said) to keep everything moving. At higher speeds, a clutch between the wheels and the engine closes and the ICE provides drive to the front wheels.

It is quite a technologically complex system, but it does work seamlessly and remarkably economically. Once you get used to it and learn its characteristics you will find yourself returning some pretty astonishing consumption figures.

If what’s under the skin here is an impressive piece of engineering, then the skin itself is not that impressive at all. This is not a particularly good-looking car; in fact, it’s very much of a Plain Jane.

A stumpy front end and everything rearward of the A-pillar looking like it came out of a Chinese knock-off design emporium, this is not a pretty car — functional but far from pretty. And even that functionality is tempered by a boot space which is down by 50 litres to house the mechanicals.

Cleverly designed rear seats — the bases flip upwards — can be folded flat at the touch of a button creating a huge cargo space in what is a small car and the rear space afforded back seat passengers is astonishing.

It is a truism too that most hybrids aren’t really that much fun to drive, but this one is an exception. Engaging steering, well-controlled body roll, and excellent handling characteristics all contribute to it being a small car with big ideas about its place in the supermini firmament.

And that’s very Honda, really. There’s a huge amount of thought went into this little car to make it practical, economic, and yet far from boring to drive.

New look Honda Jazz

With some 108 bhp on offer it is not especially powerful or perky and that’s reflected in the 9.4 second 0-100km/h time and the 175km/h top speed. It does have guts when you need it to, largely thanks to the amazing 253 Nm of torque that’s produced.

Where the car will truly astonish you, however, is the economic return it offers. If you’re not seeing a figure of 4.5 l/100 km (62.2 mpg) then there’s something radically wrong. Even for the heavy-footed, the Jazz represents something that’s genuinely frugal.

Another plus is the interior layout; the dashboard in very redolent of the Honda e — that wonderful EV Honda made some years ago and which, although production has stopped, is still one of the coolest little cars we’ve ever encountered.

The two-spoke steering wheel is a mirror of the EVs, as is the horizontal design of the dash, with its natty 9” central touchscreen, which is simplicity itself to use and navigate and the 7in instrumentation screen which has a range of useful information.

The decor is not particularly interesting, but you can tell it will be hard-wearing and deal with the day-to-day vicissitudes of life in the same way a stout pair of shoes manage to cosset your feet. Equipping levels are impressive and even on the entry level Elegance model we tried — the one which dealers reckon will be the big seller — there’s stuff like the rear-view camera, front and rear parking sensors, all round electric windows, and climate control air conditioning. It doesn’t feel “entry-level” at all.

That said, it’s not exactly cheap either by supermini standards, but it has to be said that this car is historically notable for its slow depreciation levels..

A really enjoyable little car then, which has many big car ideas and is big on economy and practicality. You don’t often find hybrids that are this engaging to drive, but this definitely is one and while it might not be much of a looker, it is actually a thoroughly engaging piece of work.