2011 Honda Jazz

To keep things fresh for Jazz fans, Honda has refreshed its sub-compact hatch with styling tweaks, new colours and extra equipment. The Jazz was affordable, practical and cute – healthy sales followed.

Will the 2011 facelift be able to maintain the Jazz’s place within the affections of NZ mums? Car and SUV belted into a 2011 Jazz 1.3S Sport to find out the answers.

The Jazz interior has also received updates with a new darker and more premium dashboard material. The unique controls layout remains the same for the new Jazz, while it looks unconventional it’s easy to learn and operate.

A leather-wrapped steering wheel houses audio controls and now trip computer and cruise controls on the Jazz 1.3S. One of the Jazz’s core strengths remains its space and practicality.

This rear seat reclines backwards, splits 60/40 for loading longer items and the base can be pushed up for loading tall items behind the front seats.

Available with a choice of 1.3-litre or 1.5-litre petrol engines our tested model sported the smaller 1.3-litre option. Dynamically the Jazz is competent, it’s agile when cornering and has enough grip through its front wheels to stay well settled.

General refinement is impressive in the Jazz with little wind or road noise entering the cabin. For safety the Jazz is much better aligned with its competitors now with stability control included. The Jazz also boasts a 5-Star NCAP crash test rating.

All up, it’s a commendable facelift for the Jazz despite a lack of any major mechanical updates. The styling tweaks are effective in modernising the Jazz shape and making it appear sleeker and sportier.

For the first time in the European Honda Jazz, leather seats are available as a factory fitted option.

The front seats don't need to be slid forward to give the rear seat sufficient clearance as it is folded down. In 'Utility Mode', Honda Jazz offers a perfectly flat load floor, a maximum 1720 mm in length, sufficient to swallow three 26 inch mountain bikes with front wheels still attached, stood upright. With seats folded the Honda Jazz boot capacity increases to 1320 litres of space when measured to the roof and excluding the underfloor storage.

To return the rear seats to a seating position, you simply lift the assembly back up; the seat bottom remains locked to the seat back and is simply released by pulling up the leg frame and the seat bottom folded down.

The practical Double-Trunk boot system is fitted to 1.4-litre Honda Jazz models with tyre repair kit, giving owners greater convenience and perfectly complementing the Magic Seats arrangement.

The suspension on the Honda Jazz has revised settings to increase ride comfort and improve handling.

To compliment the launch of the Jazz Hybrid model, the conventionally powered Honda Jazz has also had some small reductions in CO2 values and improved fuel economy.