Honda has been around for years now in the international car industry and has come to be known to make cars that are of very high quality and offer very good performance to go along with that. They are involved in many faces of the auto industry today and that includes motor sports racing, robotics and they are even venturing into space technology. Honda believes in the adage that change is the only constant and is continuously trying to improve their offerings in the car market. For this reason they have literally jazzed up their latest Jazz adding in the X factor to call it the Jazz X. Check on Road Price
The Jazz X has been made available to the Indian market and we decided to get our hands on the car to test out exactly what is X-tra special about the new car. The reason for the revamp of the Jazz could be down to the fact that their first foray into the Indian market was not met with the expected result and the Honda Jazz debuted to a lukewarm reception. Read further to find out what the improvements are and how this new Jazz stacks up not only against the previous model but also against its rivals in the segment namely the Hyundai i20, Skoda Fabia, Fiat Punto and the VW Polo.
Exteriors and Interiors
Looking at the Honda Jazz X it is hard not to distinguish it as part of the Honda family with traditional styling cues and typical design elements. The Honda Jazz X is a stylish car and sits in between the small and medium car categories. It is hard to classify the Jazz X as a small car as it belies its interior space and by looking at it from the outside that is really hard to tell. But more on than when we talk about the interiors a little bit later in the article.
The exterior of the Jazz X has a very modern and trendy design and amalgamates masculine and feminine features perfectly. According to Enzo Ferrari the father of the famous Italian sports car manufacture, “the perfectly styled car has both masculine and feminine features blended in a complete symmetry to create one harmonious vehicle”. The Honda Jazz X does it with tremendous commend ability and the front fascia is accentuated with the short sloping hood that meets the front grille which has the typical shape found in other Honda cars with the Honda logo placed in the center. The Hood has some new well positioned creases in the centre that start out wide at the base of the windscreen and taper towards the front of the car.
The headlights are a smooth elongated triangular shape that curve slightly around the sides and also smartly incorporate the turn indicators. The front bumper also has some additional creases and indents that house the fog lamps and provide some added sportiness and masculinity to the front end. The side profile of the Honda Jazz X continues from the front with some cleverly placed door creases that add a very desirable shape to the car and neatly flows into the rear of the car. The side profile of the Honda Jazz X is also enhanced by the smoky alloy wheels that come standard on the new Jazz and afford an increased sporty look to the vehicle.
The rear of the car is sweetly shaped and this could be considered the feminine part of the vehicle. The wide curvy boot is made to look more expansive because of the wide rear window that has a neat spoiler at the top that also has a stop lamp fitted inside the top of the rear window. The rear bumper is lower than before and gives the car a well planted feel. The taillights are wide and well designed incorporating the turn indicators very innovatively while adding a cutting edge design element. The rear also gets some distinctive Jazz X badging that makes distinguishes it from its other sibling.
The car also features body colored door handles and side skirts that blend in well with the curved bubble of the Honda Jazz X. Honda has released a vibrant red colours that is only found on the Jazz X model and they call it Rallye Red. Other exterior features are same as the normal Honda Jazz.
The interior of the car has completely new upholstery which is a mix of two-tone blue colours and these are smartly used in the seats and the door trims. We found that the front seats are the best in its class and provide ample support and cushioning for both the front occupants and the side bolsters hold the driver and passenger in place even during faster rougher driving. The rear seats in the Honda Jazz X are also very comfortable and provide good support for all passengers fitting three comfortably. Interior differentiating factors between the standard Honda Jazz and the new improved Jazz X are the presence of a USB port in the new model and the addition of a rear parcel shelf. Another cool feature is that of the rear seat that folds down completely into the rear foot well and creates a flat space for larger goods.
Engine and Ride
The Jazz X comes with the same engine found in the Jazz, which is the 1.2 liter i-VTEC, 4 cylinder, SOHC that delivers 89 horsepower and 110 Nm of torque. The engine is mated to the same 5-speed manual transmission which we found very smooth to shift and drive. The noise level from the engine is also kept to a minimum and the insulation keeps other exterior noise out of the cabin as well. Driving the car in town is similar to the older Jazz and the car is very responsive, zippy and moves in and out of traffic with consummate ease. Highway driving is also a blast as the car remains very stable even at speeds in excess of 120 kmph.
Verdict and Recommendations
The Honda Jazz X has been developed as a result of widespread customer research and feedback and offers sporty looks, better exterior and interior styling and an exciting driving experience. The previous Jazz was voted as ‘best car of the year’ by NDTV Profit and there are very few negative points to this car but many plusses like good fuel economy, safety and handling.
Honda continues to break the standard that people have come to expect and with prices of the Honda Jazz X expected to be around 7.5 lakhs it should do very well in the Indian market.
Honda Jazz X Specifications
Honda Jazz X Engine
Engine Type- SOHC i-VTEC
Engine Description- 1.2L 88.7bhp i-VTEC
Engine Displacement– 1198 cc
No. of Cylinders – 4
Maximum Power– 90 @ 6200
Maximum Torque– 110 @ 4800
Fuel Supply System- PGM – Fi
Fuel Type- Petrol
Fuel Tank Capacity– 42 litres
Emission Compliance- Euro IV compliance
Honda Jazz X Transmission
Transmission– Manual type
Gear box- 5-Speed
Drive Type– Front Wheel Drive
Honda Jazz X Suspension System
Suspension Front- McPherson Strut
Suspension Rear- Torsion Beam Axle
Honda Jazz X Steering
Steering Type– Power steering, collapsible electric
Steering Column– Rake & Reach
Steering Gear Type- Rack & Pinion
Turning Radius- 4.9 m (wheel base)
Honda Jazz X Brake System
Front Brake Type- Disc
Rear Brake Type- Drum
Honda Jazz X Performance
Acceleration (0-100 kmph)- 11.2 seconds
Honda Jazz X Mileage
Mileage-City (kmpl)- 13.0
Mileage-Highway (kmpl)- 16.0
Honda Jazz X Tyres
Tyre Size- 175/55 R15 84T
Wheel Size– 15 inch in Alloys
Honda Jazz X Other Specifications
Seating Capacity- 5
No of Doors- 5
