Name: New Honda Jazz models and Specifications
Brand: Honda

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There's only one engine option for the Jazz – fortunately it's an impressively efficient hybrid petrol unit.

1.5 i-MMD Hybrid

Entry-level Elegance trim is our favourite as it comes absolutely packed with kit, including front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, an alarm, adaptive cruise control, 15in alloy wheels and touchscreen infotainment.

Elegance

Mid-spec Advance introduces useful additions such as keyless entry and start, a heated leather steering wheel and sat-nav, but we're not convinced it's worth the extra outlay.

Advance

Advance Sport gets all the kit that comes with Advance models but also benefits from a sportier look. 

Advance Sport

If you fancy a Jazz that looks a little more rugged, Crosstar is the one for you. It costs around the same as the top-spec Sport trim and gets all the same kit, but adds water-resistant upholstery, roof rails and plastic wheel arches. 

Crosstar Advance

Hatchback

Honda is a company that doesn’t like to follow the crowd. So, while it competes in most of the traditional sectors of the car market, in each case it does something a little bit different.

The Jazz, for example, might look like just another rival to Britain’s best-selling car, the Ford Fiesta, but it’s actually much more practical than its rivals, with a flexible boot and Tardis-like interior.

The bigger Civic is also a practical choice, but it’s mainly distinguished by having eye-catching, love-it-or-hate-it styling, despite competing in a sector of the market that’s usually more conservative than a blue rosette.

And while it may not seem so radical now, Honda’s large SUV, the CR-V, was one of the first to forego any pretence of being an off-roader and instead focus on on-road driving dynamics.

HONDA

JAZZ

1.5 i-MMD Hybrid Advance Sport 5dr eCVT

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1.5 i-MMD Hybrid Elegance 5dr eCVT

1.5 i-MMD Hybrid Advance 5dr eCVT

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1.5 i-MMD Hybrid Crosstar Advance 5dr eCVT

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Honda Jazz

The Jazz has a very <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/the-cars-with-the-biggest-boots/n18791">big boot</a> by class standards, and its floor is not too high off the ground.&nbsp;There’s a lip to lift bags over, but it's much smaller than the one in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/renault/clio/hatchback/review/n97">Renault Clio</a>.

The load bay is a useful square shape, and gives you enough room for a large pushchair or five <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/the-cars-with-the-biggest-boots/n18791">carry-on suitcases</a> below the parcel shelf. In our tests&nbsp;the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/ibiza/hatchback/review/n17359">Seat Ibiza</a> swallowed the same amount of suitcases but with slightly more space left over (if we’re splitting hairs). For even more space, the much larger <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/scala/hatchback/review/n19190">Skoda Scala</a> is available for similar money.

Folding the rear seats (the Magic Seats as Honda calls them) effectively turns the Jazz into a mini van, taking the boot from 304 litres of space to 1,205 litres. When the seats are folded, there's a little hump in the extended floor, but a handy flap that runs the width of the boot ensures that long objects don’t get snagged as you slide them in.

"The Honda Jazz’s interior is its pièce de résistance as far as I'm concerned. There's plenty of adjustment in its driving position, plenty of soft materials on the dashboard, and it’s very spacious." –&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/darren-moss/n1005">Darren Moss, Deputy Digital Editor</a>

The Jazz's interior quality is mostly impressive. The centre section of the dashboard is trimmed with soft-touch materials that are a step up from the hard plastics in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/ibiza/hatchback/review/n17359">Seat Ibiza</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/fabia/hatchback/review/n47">Skoda Fabia</a>. All the buttons and dials feel impressively well-damped.

Once you start to poke around, you’ll find that the plastics lower down are a little scratchy and brittle-feeling, as they are in most <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/small-cars/n16997">small cars</a>. A leather-covered steering wheel gives the interior a lift, while Advance trim adds a leather gear lever.&nbsp;

Overall, the Jazz isn't as classy inside as a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mini/cooper/hatchback/review/n17350">Mini Cooper</a> or a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/208/hatchback/review/n30">Peugeot 208</a>&nbsp;but it feels more upmarket than the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/ibiza/hatchback/review/n17359">Seat Ibiza</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/fabia/hatchback/review/n47">Skoda Fabia</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/yaris/hatchback/review/n31">Toyota Yaris</a>.

"I think it’s a shame you don’t get adjustable lumbar support, even as an option. That said, most rivals are the same and I found the Honda Jazz’s seats to offer enough lower back support to get by without." – <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/dan-jones/n23433">Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer</a>

Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

If you like a lofty driving position,&nbsp;the Honda Jazz has you covered. You sit high up, which gives you the impression that you’re driving a mini <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/mpvs-and-people-carriers/n17001">MPV</a> rather than a small hatchback. There’s a good range of adjustment to the steering wheel and the driver’s seat has height adjustment.

The steering wheel, seat and pedals line up well, so you’re not sitting skewed at an angle, and the seat is well padded and comfortable. Our only real complaint is that the lumbar support isn't adjustable, and you can’t add adjustment as an option.&nbsp;

Like most <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/honda">Honda car models</a> – including the latest&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/honda/civic/hatchback/review/n82">Honda Civic</a> – all the dashboard buttons are positioned thoughtfully, and we love the chunky knobs that make it so simple to adjust the climate control. They’re far easier to use than the touch-sensitive buttons and sliders you’ll find in a higher-specced <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/polo/hatchback/review/n83">VW Polo</a>.

OUR PICK

Fuel 

Gearbox

0-62 MPH

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The Jazz is a very well-equipped <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/small-cars/n16997">small car</a>. In fact, we'd be reluctant to call our favourite Elegance spec car "entry level"&nbsp;because it comes with 15in alloy wheels, automatic lights and wipers, climate control, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/what-is-cruise-control-and-should-you-have-it-on-your-next-car/n26822">adaptive cruise control</a>, power-folding door mirrors and lots of other kit.&nbsp;

Mid-spec Advance introduces useful additions such as keyless entry and start, a heated leather steering wheel and 16in wheels, but we're not convinced it's worth the extra outlay.&nbsp;

Those after a slightly more rugged-looking Jazz will appreciate the top-spec Crosstar Advance trim. This version is aimed at buyers with an active lifestyle&nbsp;and comes with plastic wheelarches, water-resistant upholstery and roof rails.

The&nbsp;Honda Jazz&nbsp;is one of those cars that – like contestants on Britain’s Got Talent –&nbsp;are gifted in various ways&nbsp;but have so far not had&nbsp;the universal adoration they perhaps deserve.

While the Jazz has&nbsp;always stood out for its practical interior and reputation for excellent reliability, it has&nbsp;never really hit the heady sales heights of some of its more conventional <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/small-cars/n16997">small car rivals</a>.

This fourth-generation Jazz wants to grab a bit more of the limelight, and Honda has given it some clever new tricks to wow the crowds,&nbsp;including the ability to juggle. No, not balls or fire sticks –&nbsp;it juggles between petrol and electric power to improve efficiency, in much the same way as the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/yaris/hatchback/review/n31">Toyota Yaris</a>&nbsp;and other <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/hybrid-cars/n17013">regular hybrids</a> can.

So&nbsp;does the Honda Jazz&nbsp;deserve to do well in&nbsp;a popularity contest against the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/small-cars/n16997">best&nbsp;small cars</a>? That's the question&nbsp;we'll be answering&nbsp;in this review, as we compare it with the main rivals, including the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/fabia/hatchback/review/n47">Skoda Fabia</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/vauxhall/corsa/hatchback/review/n33">Vauxhall Corsa</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/polo/hatchback/review/n83">VW Polo</a>. Read on to find out how we rate it...

With its boxy, MPV-like shape, the Honda Jazz&nbsp;is one of the most spacious <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/small-cars/n16997">small cars</a>&nbsp;out there. Six-footers will have no trouble&nbsp;getting comfortable in the front, thanks to a huge amount of head room and surprisingly generous shoulder room. Unless you're really long in the leg, you'll find that the&nbsp;seats slide back far enough.

Each front door has&nbsp;a pocket big enough to accept a 250ml bottle of water. There's a cupholder just behind the gear selector, with a second and third on the outer reaches of the dashboard.

There are also two small gloveboxes (one below the other), plus a cubby under the centre armrest&nbsp;and a tray below the air-con controls.

The Jazz is not all that fun to drive, but it’s safe and predictable, and perfectly pleasant to steer around at moderate speeds. The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/renault/clio/hatchback/review/n97">Renault Clio</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/ibiza/hatchback/review/n17359">Seat Ibiza</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/polo/hatchback/review/n83">VW Polo</a> are all much better options for driver enjoyment.

It doesn't give you a huge amount of grip, and&nbsp;with a body that's unusually tall for a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/small-cars/n16997">small car</a>, it leans more than many rivals through corners – but never in an alarming way.

Blasting along a twisty road isn’t the Jazz’s forte, but it's right at home in town and city centres, where the light steering makes&nbsp;it easy to navigate even really tight turns.

All versions of the Jazz get a 9in <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/best-car-infotainment-systems-tested-and-rated/n21269">infotainment touchscreen</a> that comes with <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-android-auto/n1194">Android Auto</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-apple-carplay/n1193">Apple CarPlay</a>&nbsp;smartphone mirroring. That’s good news, because it allows you to plug in your phone and avoid Honda’s operating system, which isn’t overly impressive.

One thing smartphone mirroring doesn’t fix is the resolution of the screen, which can't hold a candle to the screen in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mini/cooper/hatchback/review/n17350">Mini Cooper</a>.

At least every Jazz has loads of standard infotainment features, including <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/best-sat-nav-apps/n24915">sat-nav</a>, Bluetooth, DAB radio and a four-speaker stereo.

You don't need to worry about choosing an engine for the Honda Jazz because there’s only one: a 1.5-litre petrol-electric hybrid. With a total of 120bhp, it can officially accelerate from 0-62mph in 9.4 seconds, which is quicker than our favourite <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/polo/hatchback/review/n83">VW Polo</a> (the 1.0 TSI 95) and only slightly slower than the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/yaris/hatchback/review/n31">Toyota Yaris GR Sport</a>.

As a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/hybrid-cars/n17013">regular hybrid</a>, the Jazz&nbsp;can't go very far on electric power alone, and you don't need to plug it in for the best efficiency (as you do with a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/plug-in-hybrid-cars/n22743">plug-in hybrid</a>).&nbsp;

In default Hybrid mode, it does a better job of working out when to deploy the electric motor and when to fire up the petrol engine than the Yaris does. That generally means it does more electric motoring in urban environments (especially if you drive with a light right foot) and a combination of both power sources on faster roads.

The Jazz small car is frugal, well built&nbsp;and as roomy inside as many family cars you can buy

The Jazz’s class-leading interior space extends to the rear. Two tall adults can sit in the outer seats with their heads well away from the roof and&nbsp;their knees clear of the&nbsp;seats&nbsp;in front. In fact, there’s enough leg room for occupants to sprawl out.

While it will become more of a squeeze if a third adult joins the party, the flat, unobstructed floor means the person in the middle won't struggle for foot space. You’ll be hard pushed to find anything in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/small-cars/n16997">small car class</a> that's as generous in the rear, with only the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/dacia/sandero/hatchback/review/n55">Dacia Sandero</a> proving slightly larger than the Jazz.

Each front seatback has a&nbsp;map pocket and a pocket for your mobile phone, and each door has a small but useful bin large enough for a&nbsp;250ml bottle.

If you spend most of your time in town and drive with a delicate right foot, you’ll find that the Jazz is remarkably hushed. That’s because the electric motors have enough grunt to power it along without the assistance of the petrol engine in start-stop traffic, making progress virtually silent. Even when the engine does cut in, it's quiet enough at low revs not to disturb the peace.&nbsp;

The calm is interrupted if you put your foot down, because the revs are sent soaring to the stratosphere, and are held there until you back off. Sometimes it sounds as though you're stuck in first gear, which isn't a relaxing experience, but it’s still quieter than the CVT automatic in the Yaris. The Jazz’s 1.5-litre petrol engine is a bit coarse at high revs and sends some vibration through the controls.

There’s a bit of wind noise from around the door mirrors, and tyre and suspension noise aren't as well suppressed as they might be. The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-is-regenerative-braking-and-how-does-it-work/n25212">regenerative brakes</a> are well-judged&nbsp;though, allowing you to stop gently without doing an impression of a learner driver.

"The Honda Jazz handles in a safe and predictable manner. It's not as sharp or fun to drive as a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/yaris/hatchback/review/n31">Toyota Yaris</a>&nbsp;but I found it find it capable enough in corners." –&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/neil-winn/n1101">Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor</a>

Honda finished an impressive fourth place out of 31 manufacturers in the 2024 <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/most-reliable-cars/n27337">What Car? Reliability Survey</a>. The Jazz finished around the middle of a 15-strong field of <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/small-cars/n16997">small cars</a>&nbsp;for reliability, above all its direct rivals except the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/polo/hatchback/review/n83">VW Polo</a>.&nbsp;

Every <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/honda">Honda&nbsp;car model</a> comes with a three-year warranty as standard for most parts, but the hybrid system in the Jazz is covered for up to five years or 90,000 miles. That’s pretty standard within the class, but doesn’t come close to matching Toyota’s very generous 10-year, 100,000-mile service-dependent warranty.

Overall, the Jazz is one of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/small-cars/n16997">best small cars</a> for comfort, and wafts along smoothly, especially on motorways.&nbsp;The suspension is on the firm side, meaning the Jazz manages to deliver that waft without becoming unsettled and never suffering from the floaty effect you’ll feel over undulations in the soft-riding <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/citroen/c3/hatchback/review/n17364">Citroën C3 Origin</a>. 

It's not perfect, though. If you hit a pothole or an expansion joint,&nbsp;you get more of a shudder through the body of the car&nbsp;than you'd experience in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/208/hatchback/review/n30">Peugeot 208</a> or a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/polo/hatchback/review/n83">VW Polo</a>.

Price has always been a sore point for the Honda Jazz. Despite <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/small-cars/n16997">rival small cars</a> becoming more expensive over the years, that’s still the case. Indeed, even the entry-level Jazz will set you back the same as a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/yaris/hatchback/review/n31">Toyota Yaris Excel</a> or <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/polo/hatchback/review/n83">VW Polo Black Edition</a> –&nbsp;both of which are pretty high trim levels within their ranges.&nbsp;

Making up the difference is the fact that the Jazz comes very well equipped as standard and is predicted to hold on to its value better over three years. Strong resale values can keep <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/pcp-or-hp-which-car-finance-option-makes-most-sense/n1163">PCP payments</a> down, making the monthly price competitive against rivals with lower list prices.&nbsp;

Even better, the Jazz’s efficient hybrid engine should keep running costs low. It did very well in our <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/real-mpg-calculator">Real MPG test</a> – although not quite as brilliantly as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/yaris/hatchback/review/n31">Toyota Yaris</a>. The Yaris emits less CO2, but the Jazz beats just about every other rival on that score and, as a result,&nbsp;is a relatively cheap <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/best-company-cars/n22605">company car</a>.

The Jazz received the full five stars when it was tested for safety by <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/the-safest-cars-on-sale-today/n19724">Euro NCAP</a> in 2020. It’s impossible to directly compare that with the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/ibiza/hatchback/review/n17359">Seat Ibiza</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/polo/hatchback/review/n83">VW Polo</a>&nbsp;because they were tested under more stringent tests in 2022, but both of those rivals also scored five stars and the Polo managed higher individual scores in all categories.

Regardless, the Jazz should still be very safe and gives you loads of safety systems as standard, including lane-keeping assistance, traffic-sign recognition, automatic emergency braking (<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-is-aeb-and-how-does-it-work/n3283">AEB</a>) and Isofix child-seat mounts on the outer rear seats.&nbsp;

Upgrading the Jazz to Advance trim adds blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic monitoring, which issues a warning if you’re about to reverse into the path of another car. Strangely, top-spec Advance Crosstar doesn’t get those items.

"The Honda Jazz Advance averaged 51.6mpg in our scientific <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/real-mpg-calculator">Real MPG tests</a>, and in my experience most rivals can only dream of such fuel economy." – <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/steve-huntingford/n1018">Steve Huntingford, Editor</a>

As in most <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/small-cars/n16997">small cars</a>, the Jazz's rear seatbacks split and fold 60/40, but what makes the Jazz unique is that you can also flip up the seat&nbsp;bases, a bit like at a&nbsp;cinema. Doing so creates loads of vertical space for tall items – that plant you’ve just bought from the garden centre, for example. It’s a brilliant feature.

When you fold down the rear seats&nbsp;to increase boot capacity, they lie flat because the base drops down into the footwell. Many rivals have a simpler mechanism that only flops the seat back on to the seat base, leaving you with an inconvenient incline that makes it harder to load&nbsp;longer items.

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The Honda Jazz is the small car to beat for passenger space, and its unique and incredibly flexible rear seats only add to its practicality. True, some rivals are more fun to drive and plenty are cheaper to buy, but with excellent visibility and impressive fuel economy, the Jazz is a fantastic all-rounder.

If you’re a nervous parker, the Jazz could be the car for you. <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals/make/honda">Honda</a> has designed it specifically to have excellent visibility. Looking forwards, you’re greeted with an almost panoramic view of the road ahead. The tall windscreen, narrow front pillars and deep side windows&nbsp;give&nbsp;a much better view out at junctions than you get in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/208/hatchback/review/n30">Peugeot 208</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/vauxhall/corsa/hatchback/review/n33">Vauxhall Corsa</a>.

The rear window is deep, and makes it fairly easy to judge how much room there is directly behind you when you're reversing. Making things even easier, front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera are standard with every Jazz. Our only sticking point is that wide rear pillars hinder the view over your shoulder (something that's true in most <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/small-cars/n16997">small cars</a>).

All trims get bright LED headlights as standard, as well as a system that automatically dips the headlights so you don't dazzle other drivers.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Spacious enough for four adults to sit comfortably</li> <li>Logically laid-out interior that doesn’t</li> <li>feel too cheap</li> <li>Mature driving manners </li> <li>Decent-sized boot</li> <li>Competitive buying and running costs</li></ul>

Small cars, or superminis as they’re also known, used to be bought almost exclusively as first cars or by people with no children – but the likes of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/fiesta/hatchback/review/n106">Ford Fiesta</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/ibiza/hatchback/review/n17359">Seat Ibiza</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/polo/hatchback/review/n83">Volkswagen Polo</a> have grown to the point where they can be considered all-round family transport, albeit with the odd compromise.

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Low running costs compared with solely petrol or diesel equivalents</li> <li>Very low official CO2 emissions to benefit company car drivers</li> <li>The same usability as a regular car</li> <li>Smooth transition between electric and engine power</li> <li>Small practicality compromise over conventional models</li></ul>

Not so long ago, hybrids were the preserve of Hollywood stars, environmentally conscious 'early adopters' and the odd&nbsp;minicab driver looking to save a bit of money on fuel.

Since the collapse in demand for diesel, however, they have become&nbsp;much more popular, and it's easy to see why, with&nbsp;low tax bills and&nbsp;impressive MPG figures&nbsp;just a couple of the perks they offer.

There are two types of hybrid: 'self-charging'&nbsp;models, which mix petrol&nbsp;and electric power in an effort to maximise&nbsp;efficiency, and&nbsp;plug-in hybrids that can travel many miles purely on electricity before their engines need to cut in. This category is for the former type of cars.

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