IF my time with the Honda Jazz EX-S was likened to a relationship, I would say that we had a rocky start. I was sceptical when the car first arrived at our offices. Just before its induction in the CAR fleet, I came out of a 12-month long-term fling with a sporty, sleek and stylish Audi A3 Sportback. To my mind, the Jazz – while offering everything on paper that most drivers could wish for – wasn’t a stereotypical means of transport for a mid-twenties male. While I could appreciate the fact that the Honda was a good vehicle, there was no denying its staid persona, which is at odds with the usual young and exciting image of a typical hatchback. I simply didn’t fit the car’s target demographic and came close to delivering a straight-out-of-a-cheesy-romance- flick “it’s not you, it’s me” speech.
In the end, I didn’t and, for better or worse, stayed with the Jazz for 12 months and 20 000 km. Without trying to spoil the end of this tale, I have come to adore it.
My tenure with the Jazz started in August 2010, making it a pre-facelift car. Earlier this year, the line-up was refreshed with a funkier front and revised rear lamps. But, the basic underpinnings, including engines, have remained unchanged. In the current line-up, the EX-S specification of our long-termer has been replaced with the top-of-the- line Executive, with minor equipment changes (which we will highlight later on) over the previous car.
As with this most recent facelift, when the pre-facelift model was introduced in 2009, Honda obviously didn’t want to tamper with a winning recipe. And the Jazz is a winning recipe. It dominates JD Power quality surveys and has been chosen in its segment as CAR’s top buy on numerous occasions. The Jazz’s only “real” problem has been its ability (or inability) to draw younger buyers to showrooms. Honda tried to remedy this with slightly funkier styling on the current post-facelift derivative, which sports an even more striking look about it. That said, the Jazz certainly looks more like a funky MPV than a hot hatch.
The upside of this is a cabin that feels spacious. The facia is slightly angled towards the driver, which does impinge somewhat on the driver’s left knee space. But, the simple design and use of large buttons for the audio and climate control system are benefi cial and add to the cabin’s ergonomic excellence. The split glovebox is a handy addition, and the cabin is fi lled with useful storage places, including 10 cupholders.
During the December holiday, the car was roped in for a 6 000 km round-trip from Paarl to the Lowveld, where it was expected to lug four passengers and their luggage to the Kruger National Park and then fulfi l the role of game-viewing vehicle. Before this trip, the car had only covered relatively short distances but, despite some scepticism over its long-distance comfort, the Jazz took everything in its stride.
Space up front and in the back is more than reasonable. The rear seat cushions could offer more support and the front seats are on the narrow side, but overall there is very little to complain about.
My parents have been married for 36 years and, just outside Bloemfontein, with the usual family small talk having dried up, I asked my mother about the secret to their success. She quipped that you need to be able to put up with a lot of “rubbish”. Knowing my dad, she wasn’t lying but, in the case of my relationship with the Jazz, this includes being able to put up with a lot of luggage.
The car’s total utility space is a cavernous 1 200 dm³, which compares with any small MPV. But the flexibility of the cabin is where the Jazz excels and where it differentiates itself from other compact hatches. The rear seats can split 60:40 with the pull of a lever, but the seat cushions can also flip upright and be attached to the rear seatbacks, freeing up more packing space.
The front passenger seatback can also be folded flat to enable larger or longer objects to be loaded – on numerous occasions, I could load my mountain bike without having to remove the bike’s front wheel.
The EX-S sits at the top of the Jazz line-up and makes use of the company’s tried-and-trusted in-line, four-cylinder, 1,5-litre petrol engine. As expected from a Honda, the unit is naturally aspirated and utilises variable valve timing, thus developing a healthy 88 kW and 145 N.m of torque.
It is quite a peaky engine that enjoys being revved and is very responsive throughout the revrange. So, despite its small capacity, the powertrain feels lively. Again, full-up with four passengers and luggage, a quick shift to fourth is all that is needed to get things going and, as long as you time your overtaking manoeuvres well, the Jazz is a solid performer.
The engine is mated with a five-speed manual transmission, which also means that it is easy to keep the revs high. It is a very slick-shifting gearbox with short throws and a secure action. That said, the lack of a sixth ratio does mean that the engine is close to its rev limit at high speeds and, on the open road, engine noise can become tiring.
Over 12 months, the car used an average of 8,16 litres/ 100 km, which is not bad considering that my average daily commute included driving in stopstart traffic. Unfortunately, the small 42-litre fuel tank did see the car standing at the fuel-filling station more often than not.
The EX-S came fully loaded with standard equipment, including controls for the audio system on the steering wheel, climate control and a radio/CD player with USB connectivity. Some nice-to-haves that I would have appreciated are cruise control (now standard on the Executive) and an automatic anti-dazzle rear-view mirror.
This specific model also came standard with a panoramic sunroof, which I never really used but – thankfully – did not transfer too much heat to the cabin. The car also had 16-inch alloy rims (compared with the 15-inchers of the rest of the range) and six airbags, Isofix anchorages and ABS with EBD. An ESP system is not available, but I never encountered a situation where this was missed.
The car’s ride quality is impressive and, although it’s crashy over large road scars, it offers a mostly compliant ride and surprisingly little body roll. The steering feels slightly wooden but feedback is sufficient to inspire confidence.
Upon returning from the Lowveld, the vehicle needed to undergo its scheduled 15 000 km service. I gave Honda Auto Tygerberg a call and two days later the Jazz was in the workshop. The dealership offered to drop me at my office and fetch me again in order to collect my vehicle later that day. Six hours later, the car was ready for collection. The bill amounted to R901,80, but all costs were covered by the car’s standard service plan.
TEST SUMMARY
Do I believe in love at first sight? I think so, yes. Probably. Maybe. Do I believe that this is the only way for a significant relationship to develop? Definitely not. The Jazz managed to woo me during its tenure.
It’s safe, reliable and spacious, and offers good performance. But, the question remains whether I will buy one? No. Surprised? Don’t be … I did convince my brother and my parents to buy a Jazz, which says it all, really. My brother has covered 60 000 km in his previousgeneration car and has had a similar no-nonsense experience … his tyres and brakes have not even been replaced!
