Had the chance to own a Honda Jazz for several weeks a couple months back when Honda Cars Philippines lent me a review unit.
And though I am not really good with cars, Honda asked me if I can share my thoughts and impressions about the Jazz from a perspective of a regular car-owner. This entry has been delayed for weeks now but it’s better late than never.
Fortunately, I was able to return the car the day before Typhoon Ondoy. Otherwise, it would have been floating in the floodwaters in my area.
At first sitting, the Honda Jazz feels and looks like a Mini Cooper. Not that I’ve tried a Mini before but, as my brother would put it, it feels like driving a toy car — easy to handle and feels very light. And I agree, the car has pretty good maneuverability. I think it’s because the steering wheel is much closer to the front-end compared to the usual sub-compact cars.
The 1.3L unit I used had no glass tint so I often feel very exposed while driving (all my cars are heavily tinted). Aside from that though, visibility of the car is pretty wide and there are very few or narrow blind spots. Sometimes, it feels like you’re in the cockpit of a spaceship. I’ve tried the Honda City 2009 before and was impressed with the wide visibility but the Jazz has far better, IMO.
The cabin feels a little cramped at the back but once you fold down the back seats, you’d realize there’s enough room to put a jetski in there. This is good when you’re hauling stuff or going on trips (this car actually went to a Batangas beach one week-end carrying tons of goods at the back).
After burning two and a half full tanks of gas, the digital meter in the dashboard showed me an average fuel consumption of 9.9 kilometers per liter. That’s mostly 80% city driving and 20% highway driving and, as far as I can recall, I was only doing 50-60km/h most of the time. With highway driving though, I make sure not to drive beside those big buses as the feeling of getting swept over could be overwhelming at times.
The controls in the dashboard are pretty easy to locate and familiarize with, except for that cigar lighter receptacle which is a bit hidden at the bottom and hard to get to (I used that to hook up a 12-volt AC/DC converter for charging gadgets). The cup holders are on the front-side, facing the aircon grilles — so you can have your drinks cooled as well.
There were a couple of things that I was a bit particular with:
- The plastic material used in the cabin body was a little shabby — feels a bit drab and cold. I thought this is the entry-level unit so they might have had to cut down on manufacturing/material costs.
- The brakes are a bit shallow and hard. Two other people who tried it noticed the same thing. With my first few rides were a little jerky when stepping on the brakes. I thought I’d get used to it but never did.
- No back sensor. Despite the good cabin visibility, I thought back sensors should be standard on all models. I remember my first few non-fatal car accidents were backing against taxi cabs.
The Honda Jazz is great for city driving as I feel I can always squeeze into heavy traffic roads or park easily/comfortably into tight rows of cars at the parking lot. That, plus the fact the the 1.3L is a real gas-saver. A friend is buying one this holiday and told him to get the red one.
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I love how you refer to it as a review unit. Hahaha!
some people say your can setup the backseats to a small bed. is it true? did you drive an automatic or manual? how did it feel driving on rough roads?
*just saw the picture of the shaft… it’s automatic.
nice. bibili na rin ako dahil sa review mo. ;P
around how much is that car?
Thanks!
Twitter: teknisyan
replied on Oct 28th, 2009 at 2:30 pm (6)
this is a great review in a regular’s car /driver’s perspective… not like the one that you read on magazines…
did toyota offer you to review the new Prius?
I sure love to read a review on that one.. since it’s one hell of a tech car.. 
http://teknisyan.blogspot.com/2009/08/tech-cars-toyota-prius.html
Twitter: teknisyan
replied on Oct 28th, 2009 at 2:32 pm (7)
this is a great review in a regular’s car /driver’s perspective… not like the one that you read on magazines…
Did toyota offered you to review the new Prius?
I sure love to read a review on that one.. since it’s one hell of a tech car.. 
http://teknisyan.blogspot.com/2009/08/tech-cars-toyota-prius.html
sayang, sinoli mo agad. di pa natin najoyride nina spides.
Twitter: kzapkzap
replied on Oct 29th, 2009 at 8:06 am (9)
impressive, next up, car blog!
bili ka na ng jazz master yuga. tapos sali ka na din sa Honda Club of the Philippines para mas marami ka matutunan tungkol sa Jazz and other Honda cars.
The back sensor for me is only for the protection of the kids when driving bigger units, but with jazz IMO you don’t really need it, just have to be a better non-lazy driver. Skills, bro, skills.
@lava bien – You are right! Size is relative. I allowed my 15yo nephew parked the Jazz and he suggested the back sensor.
I still love the first Jazz. This Jazz has questionable interior finish, poor mileage, uncomfortable ride.
The only thing that I like about this Jazz is the paddle shift (F1 ftw!!).
How about the hyundai Getz CRDI? I have the Jazz older version and it seems there are no modifications rather than a VTEC IDSI combined. From the Old jazz version we have 1.3 iDSI and 1.5 Vtec.
Nice review. but you haven’t post a pic on the engine bay.
Well, in fairness.. he did admit to not being a car guy.. so he’s not one to even look at the engine-bay, i bet, much less take a pic of it..
Just FYI for yuga, the feeling of lightness you get from the steering wheel is something that all Jazz owners will be familiar with (and is actually compared to driving a race game on the PlayStation) and it’s not cuz the front wheels are closer to the front.. its mainly because the Jazz uses an electronic power steering (EPS) unit as opposed to the old hydraulic or hybrid units. End result, it feels like a PlayStation steering wheel..
As a Jazz owner, coming from hot-hatches, it felt weird and disconcerting at first, but you get used to it and it makes the car very, very maneuverable.
I used to get very jealous of the new Jazz models.. but after the first blush sinks in, I think my Jazz VTEC looks better than the new units from more angles.. wish i had the new steering wheel with the paddle shifters though.. =)
i love that car,, small but spacious,,
love the interior package of the car
mY sister is buying this Car 1st quarter of next year, I will definitely give it a spin. I hope Honda is not yet releasing a newer model. So we wont feel the pity(“Sayang inintay na lang sana naten yung mas bago”) hehe….
Im really sold at this car. Im getting him 1st quarter next year for sure. I don’t mind the rumoured 10k increase. He’s just a dream car for a newbie like me. Thanks for the review.
it’s very nice..i used to call it “Honda Fit”.because i think in USA it is called like that..What do you think..honda fit or hyundai i10?
@diego
it’s called the Fit in the US and in Japan.. it’s called the Jazz in most Asian countries.. same car. Lots of global cars are called different names in different countries.
anyway.. the Jazz is something totally different from the Hyundai I10.. and the main reason for this is.. well everything actually… they’re not in the same “weight class”
even the base model Jazz has a bigger engine, bigger cargo space, roomier interior and it’s a much bigger car in all dimensions than the I10.. it’s also much more expensive to buy and maintain a honda..
If you’re going to compare models, you should really be comparing the Hyundai I10 with the Kia Picanto or the new Chinese car models (sorry i forget their names) They’re the same size, more or less the same weight, have more or less the same engine displacement and capabilities.
The Jazz should be compared to the Chevy Aveo hatchback and similarly bigger hatches. (Toyota Yaris). The Jazz is essentially a City without the butt. (Or the City is just a Jazz with a booty)
haba ng post ko.. but to help you out.. if money is no object and you need the space.. its the Jazz you want.. you’ll be amazed at what you can stick inside it.. I transport balikbayan boxes and 29 inch CRT TVs in mine..
If you want cheaper overall cost, and are okay with not having much storage then go for the I10. It’s also slightly more fuel efficient in the city. Highway driving is another matter altogether.
my apologies for the long post.
@yuga: nice review on the jazz sir. sana kami din maka test drive. hehe
@beeps: hope your sister bought a jazz already.
btw, they have a new color for the 1.5 and bagay sa sister mo. it’s called helios yellow. wow, and wala na blue sa lineup. but yellow’s nice though. bright color 