Honda Jazz India 2008-2009

August 24, 2008
Filed under Latest Cars News

Honda Jazz India 2008-2009

A six-lane motorway is no place for small hatch backs, no? But here I am, just outside Bang kok city, doing 150kmph on the speedo in a Honda Jazz, with more juice left!

Hatchbacks are no more for the budget minded. Look at the Fabia, for instance. It’s a hatch priced in sedan territory and yet has no dearth of buyers. So, it’s time for
the hot-hatch era to move to the next level.

With the Jazz, it has been a case of love at first sight! A stout bonnet flanked by sharp triangular (and large) headlamps and coupled to the honeycomb grille below the bulge on the bon net gives it an aggressive stance. More so, thanks to what Honda calls a forward leaning design, which makes it appear raked to wards the front. Large windows by the side and sporty lines blend beautifully towards the rear, where they are greeted by a wraparound tail lamp. Dimensions reveal that the new Honda Jazz is 55mm longer and 20mm wider. Wheels have also been pushed to the corners to , enhance space and reduce un necessary overhangs.

A large sculpted dash greets you inside the cabin. Typical of Honda cars, the Honda Jazz too has a futuristic instrument binnacle like the Civic. However, the smart gauges are kept analogue rather than going digital. The Jazz features a comprehensive trip computer, which displays average fuel economy and range, apart from the customary odo and trip. Stowage areas are found aplenty with 10 cup holders apart from other bins around. The central console is spread out for easy access by both driver and pas senger. Howe,-er, it is here that the Japanese finish fails to match European standards. Although the quality of plastic is top notch, the ,\itches look cheap when compared to the Fabia’s, for in stance. The seats offer fantastic le,-e of comfort and support and space is aplenty.

Four suitcases in a row is pretty good boot space for a hatchback Getting into the Jazz’s rear is a breeze thanks to the rear doors opening a full 80 degrees. Space too is in the sedan league with enough room for large adults. The Jazz really scores in terms of versatility. The fuel tank is still located under the rear seats and this means ” the boot gets a . really low loading lip.

The Jazz offers 380 litres of lug gage space. However, the rear seats can be folded down flat to offer a humunguos loading area. Even the front passenger seat can be folded down flat to accommodate that extra long piece of luggage.Powering this pocket rocket is a 1.5-litre i-VTEC engine with 120bhp on tap, which can propel it to 100kmph from a standstill in just 12.1 seconds. The five-speed auto has a Sport mode also for those naughty moments when you wan to blow past larger cars. Also on the menu is the brilliant paddle shift, which is also found on the Civic. The fact thatit can be used both for ‘D’ and’S’ modes ups the i-VTEC engine’s fun factor.

Behind the Jazz’s wheel, you tend to ignore the fact that you are in a hatch! The ride is a bit on the stiffer side, but what you do get is amazing handling. In corners, the car feels brilliantly poised and there is no drama to talk about at all! The EPS, on the other hand, is light, which, while making city driving a breeze. leads to some nervousness at high speeds.

However, the reassuring news comes in the form of the latest excise norms. Since the engine displaces 1496cc, it just about escapes the added tax ofRs 15,000. Hence, it makes perfect sense for Honda to get this particularvari ant in India. Also, replacing the 5-speed auto will be a 5-speed manual box, which means that the brilliant paddle shifters will have to bid farewell. But what the Jazz will retain is its amazing versatility and handling charac teristics and that’s good reason to go for it.

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