REVIEW | Honda Jazz - Not Just for the Over 60s
What is cool nowadays?
Perception. I’ve now reached the age when certain things probably look ridiculous on me. Denim jeans? Not sure. Wearing a cap back to front? Definitely. Skinny jeans? Pass the bucket. The generation gap has now made a 180 degree turn in our house. Twenty years ago I would say to my kids, “You’re not going out looking like that are you?”
Fast forward to 2025 and the kids - now adults - are saying the same thing when I head off to the pub or out for a meal. Thankfully age does bring one benefit; I ignore them or pretend that I didn’t hear their barbed comments.
The ultimate insult was being told, “Dad, don’t try to be fashionable, it doesn’t suit you.”
Put your pension books away
Which brings me to the Honda Jazz.
It has the perception of being a car for people of, shall we say, senior years. Granted, you do see a lot of older people driving them. I live on a street with 20 houses; two of the houses are occupied by pensioners and they both have a Honda Jazz. I would also guess that their current model isn’t their first.
However, my 22 year old niece has just bought her first car and it’s…a Honda Jazz. I asked her why and she said she wanted something simple to drive, economical, reliable, comfy and decent in urban traffic.
The general feeling you get from everyone you speak to who’s either driven or owned a Honda Jazz is that they love them to bits.
And of course, the reason for this is that not everybody is a petrolhead who wants to know how a car handles, whether it has a differential lock, adaptive suspension etc. My father was a classic example of this. All he wanted to know was whether on a cold, wet February morning, would it start. A car was a means of transport. Everything else was irrelevant. He once bought a Morris Marina coupé which was possibly the dullest car I’ve ever ridden in or had the misfortune to drive.
Honda Jazz engine and numbers
So here we are with the fourth generation Honda Jazz.
In the typical Honda style of keeping the Jazz nice and simple, the engine choice is a tad limited. You only get one; a 1.5-litre petrol hybrid producing 120bhp. I have to admit, though, it’s really well-suited to the car and provides sufficient performance and economy.
The hybrid electric motor is sufficient to keep the car rolling at town speeds, but don’t expect to travel very far before the engine joins the party. Accelerating from 0-60mph takes a sufficiently brisk 9.4 seconds. Floor the throttle and the engine revs, via the CVT gearbox, will hit the roof until the car’s speed catches up. Go steadily and you’ll find that the Honda Jazz is a nice, relaxed cruiser. It’s also light to drive which makes for simple city driving.
The ride is a tad on the firm side but overall it’s nicely judged between being cushy at town speed and well controlled once you reach the quicker stuff. It’s not the sort of car you can chuck down a country lane because it’s been designed to appeal to people who want a comfortable, secure ride.
The hybrid system works well. The regenerative braking system charges the hybrid battery as you slow down, so it’s nicely judged and not overly intrusive. All of this makes the Jazz pretty economical and 60mpg should be achievable.
Honda Jazz Interior
The first thing you notice when you hop into the Honda Jazz is that the interior is light and airy. The view through the long, sloping windscreen is terrific and ideal for parking or manoeuvring through city streets. You’ve got a fairly high seating position, which, again, makes for terrific visibility. The same applies if you’re reverse parking because the slightly boxy shape makes judging the corners easy and reversing sensors in the back and front, as well as a reversing camera, makes things even easier.
The interior is simple but smart. It’s a relief to see that there’s a good selection of knobs and buttons to control the important stuff like climate and radio. The 9.0-inch touchscreen works well and comes with sat nav, DAB radio and a simple Bluetooth connection to Apple CarPlay / Android Auto.
The Jazz is also extremely versatile. The rear loading area has a low lip and the rear seats have a neat trick. You can lift the seat squab into a vertical position allowing you to carry tall-ish items which wouldn’t fit in the boot. There’s also plenty of legroom for everyone, front and back.
Trim options
In terms of trim, there are three options - Elegance, Advance and Advance Sport. If you’re looking for a Jazz aimed at folk who want to head into the country, try the Jazz Crosstar. It’s only available in Advance trim, but it comes with water-repellent upholstery, plastic wheel arches as well as heated front seats, a heated steering wheel and keyless entry. Advance also gives you 16-inch alloys.
The model I had was the Advance Sport which also adds a rear spoiler and adaptive cruise control.
To be honest, I’d be perfectly happy with the Elegance trim which kicks off the Honda Jazz at £27,300. (March 25). The Advance Sport for example knocks that up to just under £30k which is starting to get a bit punchy in terms of price. The lower trims include all of the essentials so I’d point you in the direction of the Honda Jazz Elegance.
I also think this latest version of the Honda Jazz looks smart. Okay, it’s no style icon, but it’s not jarring on the senses. I’m getting very close to calling it cute.
Picking up where others left off
The Honda Jazz fourth generation picks up where the others left off. It gives buyers a great choice when it comes to sensible, versatile, no nonsense motoring. Okay, there are cheaper alternatives out there, but the Jazz hangs onto its value like a limpet so you should get a decent return when the time comes to trading it in.
If you want uncomplicated motoring, the Honda Jazz is a brilliant place to start.
words: Graham Courtney
pictures: Honda
