Value; nice looks inside and out; practical interior; well-built
Ride quality a tad harsh
We’re living in a time of change for the automobile – even Formula 1 Grand Prix racing is adopting reduced fuel consumption engines with hybrid systems for 2014. On the road, you can bet hybrid vehicles – petrol/electric or better yet diesel/electric - will increasingly populate our car parks as automakers on every continent grapple with toughening legislation for fuel consumption and exhaust emissions.
Honda was actually the first to sell a petrol electric vehicle and has now cleverly brought this technology to its slick Jazz compact hatchback. This is a smart move because while some hybrid and zero-emission electric cars look a tad ‘Star Trek’ for many new car buyers, the Honda Jazz hybrid looks like…well…a Jazz.
Honda Jazz Hybrid Overview
Ah look there in our garage, it’s the Honda Jazz, one of our favourite compact cars thanks to its nice, modern looks, cleverly practical and spacious interior and Honda’s hallmark all-round quality. Hold-on a sec, the grille is slightly different…it’s not a Jazz, it’s a Jazz hybrid!
And that minimal distinction between petrol and hybrid versions is why the Jazz is Honda’s best hybrid to-date.
All the Jazz we know, but with petrol-electric efficiency bringing the combined cycle fuel consumption down to 4.5l/100kms.
Honda Jazz hybrid demands consideration for another very good reason – the price. At $22,990 it undercuts the cheapest Toyota Prius by $1,000.
Honda Jazz Hybrid Engine
Honda Jazz hybrid runs the same 1.3-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine and IMA system as the Insight (they share the same platform).
Maximum power for the petrol engine is 65kW at 5800rpm and peak torque is 121Nm at 4500rpm. The electric motor chimes in with 10kW at 1500rpm and 78Nm at 1000rpm. Combined figures are 72kW/167Nm.
Honda’s IMA hybrid system is designed to support the petrol engine to provide good performance and optimized fuel consumption rather than electric-only driving. Honda’s electric motor uses flat wire windings to aid its compact design which is part of the reason why it all fits under the regular Jazz bonnet.
The IMA battery is housed under the cargo area with no reduction in volume, comes with an eight-year warranty and can be re-cycled at Honda dealerships.
Honda Jazz Hybrid The Interior
The key to the Honda Jazz has always been its versatile and clever interior, so any changes for the hybrid application which could have diminished this were ‘binned’.
Nevertheless there are some differences which are immediately obvious and designed to get the maximum efficiency from the petrol-electric powerplant. Staring you in the face when you climb behind the steering wheel (rake/reach adjustable, nicely-sized and shaped by the way) are darker-coloured instruments with unique blue backlighting.
And there’s an eco-assist ‘multi-information display’ in the centre of the speedo to encourage fuel efficient driving (amongst other information).
But flick the ‘ECON’ switch and you’re really motoring efficiently – less power and four per-cent less torque (except under full acceleration), smoother throttle actuation and CVT shift pattern, the air-conditioning switches off during ‘Idle Stop’ and regenerative brake energy is increased.
We’ve all probably heard of Honda Jazz’ ‘magic’ seats. While not quite pulling a rabbit from a hat, the system is a clever one where, even with the front seats in their most rearward position, the 60:40 split-fold rear seat, with just one pull of the lever on the outside shoulder, instantly folds and dives to a flat base (helped by the centre fuel tank).
In this mode, if you push the passenger seat forward, the Honda Jazz can incredibly handle a long load up to 2.4-metres in length. Regular luggage space dimensions are 223-litres (rear seat in-place) or 722-litres (rear seat folded).
Honda Jazz Hybrid Exterior & Styling
We’ve always liked the looks of the Honda Jazz. The six-window sides not only bring extra light inside, the combination of the rising glass-line, curved roof and nicely proportioned rear three-quarter amount to a thoroughly modern look which is very pleasing to the eye.
At the front, obvious attention to aero details is apparent and in fact Honda Jazz hybrid runs a unique clear grille and under-grille air intake to re-direct airflow.
For the rear, Honda’s stylists again delivered an uncomplicated and efficient look with a nice low-cut tail-gate which family types will appreciate both for ease of loading and also its light operation.
Honda Jazz hybrid rides on nice 15-inch alloy wheels.
Honda Jazz Hybrid On The Road
The hybrid version of the Honda Jazz runs the same suspension configuration as the regular petrol-engines model – the conventional MacPherson strut front/torsion beam rear. Anti-roll bar and damper tune has been adjusted for the extra 70kgs of the IMA hybrid system and Honda gave the steering a bit of a tweak to improve the feel when travelling straight ahead.
With the usual electronic aids to help, the Honda Jazz hybrid does a good job of getting its 72kW/167Nm to the road, although – shock! – we did manage to induce a little wheelspin under full acceleration over thick white lines on a wet road. Driving through Honda’s CVT automatic transmission, acceleration isn’t in the league of the Honda CR-Z and likewise the Jazz, on its 175/65 R15 tyres, isn’t expected to match the CR-Z through the high-speed twisty stuff.
The Honda Jazz does excel in refinement at normal speeds (just a little raucous under full acceleration) and certainly is hard to beat around town thanks to its light operation, good all-round visibility, parking sensors and small 10.38-metres turning circle.
Honda Jazz Hybrid Challenges
No CR-Z for sure, but we felt the Honda Jazz hybrid rode a tad firm - especially over mid-corner bumps – perhaps the extra weight of the IMA hybrid system is to blame.
Honda Jazz Hybrid Verdict
Dollars rule the purchase process in small cars and the long-held view is that for hybrid vehicles to capture more sales they need to be competitively priced in relation to other small cars. So full marks to Honda for attaching a $22,990 sticker to the Jazz hybrid ($2,000 more than the Jazz VTi-S but there’s a lot more technology under the bonnet to provide that 4.5l/100kms fuel consumption versus 6.7l/100kms for the VTi-S).
Sure in a straight-out fuel consumption challenge the Toyota Prius hatchback with 3.9l/100kms just shades the Honda Jazz hybrid but the Prius is larger and $10,000 more expensive at $33,990.
The Honda Jazz hybrid succeeds because it combines the benefits of hybrid technology with the all-round slick design of the regular Jazz (including those 18-way ‘magic seats and 722-litre cargo space). And you can’t overlook either its safety features (six airbags front, side and full-length curtain just for starters) or the fact it’s a Honda so quality is amongst the best.
Honda Jazz Hybrid Competition
Toyota Prius remains the benchmark hybrid but there’s no doubt Honda has laid-down a new pricing ‘line-in-the-sand’ with the Jazz priced at $22,990. You’ll need $23,990 for the entry-level Prius C.
