The Jazz is the smallest Honda car sold in Australia.
We will start this review at the gen-two Jazz introduced in August 2008 and follow up with the third generation of July 2014.
Jazz was discontinued midway through 2021 as more and more buyers were buying small SUVs rather than cars.
Though it’s a smallish car Jazz has a high roofline to maximise interior space.
It’s generally used as a city or suburban runabout by owners in Australia.
The second-generation Jazz kept the same general styling theme as the first, but is larger overall and sits on a longer wheelbase.
The result is significantly more room inside, particularly in the rear.
Midway through 2018 Honda introduced a limited-edition Jazz +Sport to its lineup.
Based on the Jazz VTi-S, only 240 were imported.
The additional features for the Jazz +Sport were: 16-inch gloss black alloys, gloss black rear number plate garnish, +Sport badging,
rear parking sensors to complement the reversing camera.
In May 2020 Honda introduced equipment updates in the Jazz.
It has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto using a new Display Audio infotainment system with a 7.0-inch capacitive touchscreen.
The system has voice recognition to activate Siri Eyes Free mode and Google Voice Search.
They can also be accessed via a steering wheel-mounted control or the microphone button on the head unit.
The new infotainment system also offered phone mirroring via Weblink.
The Jazz has an excellent folding rear seat design, with the fascinating title of ‘Magic Seats’.
The back seat slides backwards and forwards to let you juggle between people and/or luggage.
It can be folded in a few seconds to create quite a large luggage area.
If you want a Honda Jazz with a larger boot you can choose the Honda City which is a Jazz with a four-door sedan longer rear end.
Ride comfort is good if roads are reasonably smooth, but it can be bounced about on bumps.
Noise levels are generally subdued but concrete-surfaced freeways can be noisy in the earlier models.
Honda Jazz comes with a 1.3- or 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine.
Five-speed manuals are light and easy to use, but weren’t all that popular. Autos are sold in conventional or CVT format.
The latter works well but if you’ve not experienced sitting behind one before it may feel odd at first.
Give it a decent test drive and you’ll probably find its extra efficiency is worth the trouble.
While the Jazz is reasonably easy for the amateur mechanic to work on, there is some underbonnet crowding that’s inevitable in a car of this size. Keep a workshop manual at your side and don’t attempt any safety related work unless you’re qualified to do so.
The Honda Australia dealer network is widespread in the heavily populated areas, but dealers are relatively rare in outback areas.
Spare parts prices for Hondas are generally pretty reasonable.
We seldom hear of any real hassles with getting hold of spare parts, but if you are concerned about this it may be smart to make local enquiries before falling too deeply in love with one of these cute little models.
Have a professional inspection after carrying out initial checks to the best of your ability.
Insurance costs for Honda Jazz generally sit in the mid-range of the field.
There’s not a lot of difference between companies on premium charges.
My all means shop around for the best deal on insurance, but keep in mind that a long, clean record with one company may be handy if there’s a claim that may be marginal.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Make sure the Jazz has been serviced by the book.
As it’s generally a city car servicing should have been done on a time not by distance travelled.
Bodywork should be undamaged and not show any signs of previous panel work.
To check for the latter, look for paint spatters on non-painted areas, also sight down the sides in good light to see if there are any ripples.
Corrosion is not common unless the car has been poorly repaired after a smash.
Look over the interior to make sure it hasn’t suffered at the hands of uncaring owners, especially bored young kids.
Check that the engine starts easily and responds quickly and positively to the throttle, even when it’s completely cold.
A continuously variable transmission (CVT) that’s jerky in stop-start traffic and/or shifts ratios when you don’t think it should may have problems.
However, they are generally reliable.
HOW MUCH?
Expect to pay from $3000 to$6000 for a 2008 Honda Jazz GLi; $5000 to $9000 for a 2011 VTi-S; $7000 to $11,000 for a 2014 GT; $9000 to $14,000 for a 2015 VTi-S or a 2017 VTi; $11,000 to $17,000 for a 2017 VTi-L; $14,000 to $21,000 for a 2019 VTi-L; and $15,000 to $22,000 for a 2020 VTi-L.
CAR BUYING TIPS
Take a friend with you when shopping for a used car.
That way they can keep the chattering sales person at bay while you check out the car without interruptions.
Used car prices have generally increased during the period of new car stock shortages.
Start looking at adverts for used vehicles several months before you intend buying.
That way you can get a feel for the price being asked and whether they are rising and falling, as dealers need to clear stock due to overcrowding.
Keep an eye on adverts for new cars that say there are specials on particular models.
This can lead to a lot of traded-ins taking up too much space in yards and they will be discounted to get rid of them.
Keep an eye open for ads of unpopular cars, as there can vary greatly in price.
Owners struggling to find a buyers may be forced to grit their teeth and drop their asking price.
If checking a used car at a dealership look at other cars on the lot.
This can provide an insight into the quality of the vehicles in which the dealer specialises.
If buying privately ask for proof of ownership and make sure the insurance covers you for taking a test drive.
Take a slow walk around any car you’re considering, looking for obvious defects.
It amuses us how many people dive into tiny details, only to discover later a major ding somewhere on the other side of the car.
Ideally any road test of a car you’re getting serious about should be done with the engine stone cold. Early morning is best.
If you’re serious about buying a vehicle, tell the seller you would like to take it for a good long test drive.
If they insist on coming that’s understandable, but try to avoid them “selling” the car to you.
Put bluntly, ask them to shut up,
In their later years, cars with a reputation for being long lived and trouble free sometimes attract buyers who have no intention of ever servicing them.
The next owner may suffer as a result.
RECALLS
To browse recalls on all vehicles go to the ACCC at: www.productsafety.gov.au/products/transport/cars/