Hoot Car Reviews Honda JazzThe Honda Jazz has been on sale in the UK since 2002, making it one of the younger superminis available. What it lacks in pedigree, however, it more than makes up for with class-leading reliability and an ingenious streak that at times seems to defy even the basic laws of physics. In the five or so years since then, the Jazz has established itself as a worldwide success and won high praise from just about every motorist or reviewer to take it for a test drive. In 2004, it came first in its class in the annual JD Power customer satisfaction survey - a success it repeated every year for the following three years (and may continue to do so in 2008). Top Gear currently rates the Jazz as the third-best supermini on the market, and in 2006, Top Gear readers rated it the second-best car on the road. With such good press, it's no surprise that the Jazz is Honda's best-selling model over here; making up an impressive 30 percent of total European sales for the car maker. The Jazz is not without faults, however. Honda car insurance might amount to little more than pocket change, but dealer asking prices and servicing fees are steep. Also, handling and performance just can't match up to the car's European rivals, and safety features are limited on cheaper models. The Honda Jazz at first glance
Though its detractors would say it's nothing much to look at, the Jazz's five-year-old styling looks perfectly at home next to the current crop of facelifted European superminis. From a distance, its high ceiling gives it the profile of an MPV, but the Jazz is actually substantially shorter than most of its rivals.
The interior boasts excellent build quality and a well thought out control layout, with a console-mounted gearshift to free-up cabin space. What's it like to drive?
The Jazz needs to be worked fairly aggressively to get the most out of it, which endears the car to those looking for a fun, sporty drive. Its firm suspension does a great job of gluing it to the road, and both the engines (there's only two to choose from, a 1.2 litre petrol or a 1.4) have got the necessary oomph to get you up to speed, albeit with some noise.
Space and seating
Given the car's small size, the amount of room in the cabin is nothing short of miraculous. The Jazz sits four in comfort without sacrificing on boot space, and the driver's seat has a sufficient range of adjustments to accommodate all comers.
More impressive still is the efficiency with which you can use that space. Honda's patented 'Magic Seat' system means that either or both of the split rear seats can be folded flat into the footwells for a massive and smooth-bottomed loading area. Or if you prefer, the rear seat cushions can be folded upward against the seat backs - leaving a vertical space behind the front seats that's big enough for a couple of bikes. Safety features
The Jazz's list of safety features isn't as comprehensive as on some newer superminis (twin airbags, anti-lock brakes and seatbelt pretensioners are the only standard equipment), but it still earns an impressive four-star Euro NCAP rating.
Better still, it's the first supermini to achieve a three-star rating for NCAP's new pedestrian testing protocol. Price and running costs
With list prices between £8,800 and £11,700 the Jazz certainly isn't cheap, and high demand means you'll be lucky to negotiate much of a discount at the dealership. However, the car's phenomenal residual values makes it one of the safest supermini investments going (it's bettered only by the Mini).
Once you've made that initial outlay, however, expect the Jazz to run practically on peanuts. Excellent reliability, fuel economy and car insurance quotes add up to very cheap motoring indeed. Buying secondhand
Finding a Jazz on the used car market is a comparative rarity, particularly if you're looking for a bargain. Quite simply, people don't want to sell these cars, even after four or five years of ownership - so asking prices are almost always high.
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