Review: Car Honda Jazz right, FINALLY

Jazz right, FINALLY

One of the best things to happen in the premium hatchback segment was the price cut on the Honda Jazz last week. The roomiest hatchback in town is way lighter on the pocket and now competes directly on price with segment leader Maruti Swift and the Hyundai i20. The car, called 'Fit' in the US, was launched in India in 2009 as the first hatchback from the Honda stable. It's built on the City platform with a 1.2 litre petrol engine. The upgraded version launched last week carries all the charms of the predecessor and if sales suffer, it will only be due to the lack of a diesel option (8 out of 10 Maruti Swifts sold have a diesel powertrain). Honda has also chosen not to launch the more powerful 1.3 and 1.5 litre versions here. The Jazz has benefited from the increased localisation as Honda has achieved in preparation for the launch of its volume hatchback Brio this month-end. The automaker could thus slash prices ahead of the festival season. Exterior The cab-forward design, sharp lines and central bonnet ridge give a stylish and sporty look. The front chrome grill and a new aerodynamic bumper add to the sportiness and new headlights with silver and black matt finish make it classy. The windscreen in steeply raked and the A pillars are thin, giving wider frontal view than rivals. Together with the new tail lamp cluster and chrome garnishing at the rear, the Jazz looks good from the outside. The only sore point is the lack of turn indicators on outside rearview mirrors. Interior Cabin space has improved further. The boot is a class-leading 384 litres, and doors open wide to allow easy ingress and egress. The rear reclining seats are easily foldable, so you can carry equipment for an entire jazz band or even a bicycle. Effective space utilisation is evident all across the vehicle: two glove compartments with a shelf in between; numerous cup holders, adjustable head rests in the front and back... The car seats five persons comfortably since there is no armrest at the back. Airbags are standard in all three variants for the two front passenger seats but there is no height-adjust mechanism in either the front or back seats. Also, sideview mirror adjustment buttons are not provided in the driver side door, making it a tad difficult to close the left side-view mirror in heavy traffic. New amber coloured stereoscopic dials helps visibility and rear reclining seats ensure backseat comfort during long drives. Performance The new Jazz drives smooth during bumper to bumper city traffic conditions and gives a good pickup on highways. It hugs the road well, gliding over some deep potholes on slow speeds with ease. Turning radius is a comfortable 4.9 metres — only, the absence of a seat height adjustor for a rather short driver like me (and many other women, I daresay) hampers the frontal view somewhat. The gears fall into place crisply and the ratios even, so one need not frequently shift, even in heavy traffic. At 90 PS, the engine delivers the maximum power among similar-sized hatches but torque at 110 Nm falls short of the new Swift. The Jazz's light steering is good at low speeds and the car handles 100 kmph with confidence. All the three variants come with ABS, and that's comforting to know at high speeds and in tricky driving conditions like rains. Verdict The Jazz is a great buy at reduced prices, unless you want a diesel hatchback or car which priced below `5 lakh. The ARAI-certified mileage is 16.7 kmpl. Overall, the car competes favourably in the B segment on price, even as it offers unmatched spaciousness and the safety assurance of the Honda brand.