Honda’s smallest current model, the Jazz, has been popular, especially with older drivers, since it first appeared in 2001. Compact size, clever and adaptable rear seats, general user-friendliness and reliability were a winning formula for many people who had left their thirst for more dashing transport behind them.
Now we have a fourth generation of the car – still instantly recognisable as a Jazz – with more rounded lines which are not going to trouble the blood pressure with excitement or mark it out much from the crowd.
A little lower and longer but the same width as before, the new Jazz has an airy feel to its cabin, and for people wanting even greater ease of getting in and out there is a crossover version called the Crosstar, which is slightly bigger all round and is apparently aimed at younger, outdoorsy types.
Lots of small details add up to increased visibility and a large glass area of the Jazz cabin, which is the same in both versions. Windscreen pillars are half the width of the original car, wipers fold away out of view, seats have a more premium feel and soft-touch plastics are much in evidence.
At the car’s launch I tested hybrid versions of both models, which are powered by a 1.5-litre i-VTEC Atkinson Cycle petrol engine, a lithium-ion battery and an innovative fixed-gear e-CVT transmission, which automatically switches between the power sources in a smooth and undetectable manner.
The last Jazz was let down by lacklustre engines and by comparison the new model feels pretty zippy and quite good fun to drive. It ranged between silent and quiet at low speeds and only becomes strident when maximum acceleration is called for.
Generally there is very little mechanical noise but a certain amount of tyre roar and the different damping of the Crosstar gives it the smoother ride of the two.
One of the most popular aspects of the Jazz has been its “Magic” rear seats, which can fold flat to the floor in space vacated by the fuel tank, which sits under the front seats. This is retained in the new Jazz.
There is plenty of tech, including voice activation. A new touch screen offers Apple Car Play and Android Auto and the Honda+ app keeps the driver in touch with the car when away from the vehicle. If the car is moved from where it was parked, it lets the owner know where it is.
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One slight niggle is the dashboard display, which looks simple but keeps automatically altering what it is monitoring. The constant beeps and flashing warning lights of which Japanese car makers are so fond can be distracting.
The Honda Personal Assistant app, which is shared with the all-electric Honda e, is voice activated and can understand a range of instructions, such as where to find, say, free parking or an Italian restaurant which is open.
There is also an impressive raft of active and passive safety systems, including 10 airbags, adaptive cruise control, automatic headlamp dipping, lane-keeping assist, blind spot assist and traffic sign recognition.
Overall, the new Jazz is a much improved version of the old one. The styling may be a bit lacklustre but the winning recipe has been retained and improved on. But whether Honda succeeds in winning more, younger drivers to the Jazz, which it has been trying to do for years, remains to be seen.
Details: Honda Jazz 1.5 i-MMD Hybrid EX
Top speed: 108mph
0-62mph: 9.5 secs
Economy: 61.4mpg (combined)
Price: £21,385