Honda Jazz : TALKING ALL THAT JAZZ

June Neary gets the chance to test Honda's latest little Jazz supermini and rather enjoys itâ€¦

Honda's Jazz is one of those cars that's accrued something of a cult following. Most who have one buy another. So what will all those loyal people make of the second generation version? Well, like its predecessor, it's a neat, well thought out little package with MPV looks, a voluminous interior and a petrol-only engine range.

The inside is a lot more interesting that the exterior. The designers of this five-door hatchback aimed to set new class standards in terms of interior space and used some clever MPV-style tweaks in order to do it. Which is good news for buyers who want people carrier-style cleverness but still want a small, compact and nippy little car. Moving the fuel tank from beneath the rear seats to a position under the front pair liberates the floor of the cabin and allows the seats to be folded into all sorts of permutations. Granted, you don't get the option of removing the rear seats but they almost make up for this in their sheer versatility. An innovative retraction system means that you're able to collapse the rear seats into the footwell with the headrests in place. What's more impressive still is that this action doesn't involve scurrying around the car to manually slide the front seats forward, it can all be accomplished from the rear door thanks to a convenient set of levers. The car is the same height as its predecessor at 1,525mm but the length is up 55mm to 3,900mm and the width increases 20mm to 1,695mm. These dimensions put the Jazz up with the very largest cars in the supermini class. Significantly, 50mm of that length increase is in the car's wheelbase to increase the space inside and the front track has been widened by 35mm to promote a lively driving experience. The Honda Jazz has always been about utility and the latest car shows no sign of tinkering with the winning formula. The wide-opening rear doors aid access to the back seats and all the doors open in three steps to help stop the kids clouting adjacent cars in tight parking spaces. The windscreen pillars are noticeably narrow and there are retractable rear headrests to aid visibility out the back. Top spec models feature a full length glass sunroof with heat absorbing glass to counter any greenhouse effects. The one-box shape of the Jazz mirrors that of leading MPVs. It does little to set the heart aflutter but it leads you expect the kind of roomy interior that's found in these people carrying models. Sure enough, kneeroom for back seat occupants is up 37mm while shoulder room is up 43mm in the rear and 44mm in the front. The car features the Honda Magic Seating system through which the back seats can fold down in one fluid motion. Then there's the Double Trunk boot which can divide its 399-litre capacity into four different configurations for carrying different loads.

One thing the old Jazz didn't do was `sporty' and this model appears no different in that regard. That's not to say it wasn't good to drive, the Jazz offering a slick shifting gearbox and swift changes of direction but its engines lacked the impetus to challenge even the most tepid of hatchbacks. The latest model is available with two engines, both using Honda's advanced i-VTEC variable valve timing technology. The 89bhp 1.2-litre unit opens the range and those seeking a lustier, more power-packed time at the wheel can upgrade to the 1.4-litre with, wait for it, 99bhp. Honda makes great engines and these little petrol units give real cause for optimism that the marque may have pulled it off again. The i-VTEC system produces smooth revving powerplants with lively performance and good efficiency. Compared to the less high tech 1.4-litre i-DSi engine in the old Jazz, the latest 1.4-litre unit (actually 1339cc in size) gives a 17bhp power boost and a 8Nm increase in torque to 127Nm. Honda is offering its 6-speed i-Shift gearbox with this engine which is an automated manual unit that can be used as a full auto or a clutchless manual.

Prices run between £9,900 and £13,590 for the various models available which all share the same five-door hatchback bodystyle. By leaving the sporty end of the supermini sector for others to fight over, the Honda Jazz is left free to concentrate on economy and its advanced petrol engines do a grand job. The 1.2-litre model can return 55.4mpg on the combined cycle with CO2 emissions of 125g/km making it a very cost-effective vehicle to run. Go for the 1.4-litre and there's still a 54.3mpg showing on the combined cycle with 123g/km emissions making it one of the cleanest units of its kind. There's also an SLI Shift Light Indicator on manual models that shows the optimum time to change up for improved fuel economy. Fit the i-Shift 6-speed gearbox to the 1.4-litre engine and emissions actually drop to 120g/km.

I liked the Jazz. It was a refreshing change from some of the duller superminis around and felt lively to drive. Honda continue to make the thinking person's supermini. 7th October 2008

Thursday October 9