Category: Superminis 
Price Range: £10,575 to £13,535
Clever yet simple interior, economical yet lively, small yet roomy.
Can bounce over poor surfaces, no diesel engine choice.
It's versatile, well made and fun to use.
Driving the Jazz could hardly be easier, with light, accurate, electrically powered steering, a jerk-free driveline, smooth-acting brakes, a precise and easy gearchange, and a high, commanding driving position. A large window area helps in tight manoeuvres, too.
The Jazz leans quite a lot in corners, but the movements are well damped and it handles tidily. You can feel what's happening through the steering, and the cornering line tightens obediently if you ease off the power. The responses are too soft to be sporting, but the Jazz is still interactive enough to give a good time.
The 1.4 manual does 0-62mph in 13.3sec and has a top speed of 106mph, while the CVT version is 1.2 seconds and 7mph slower. The 1.2 has a 0-62mph time of 13.7sec and, again, a top speed of 106mph.
It's not a car to drive fast. It gets loud when you push it hard, and the ride gets unsettled if you sling it about on B-roads. But used as it's intended it feels pleasingly light, agile and nimble, and the engines are willing. The CVT-7 transmission has three modes - auto, sport and paddleshift manual - and works well with the engine, although there's nothing wrong with the manual gearbox.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Honda Jazz
wrote on 06 04 2007
wrote on 16 11 2006
wrote on 15 10 2006