Practical experience Honda Jazz: owners about their hybrid mini-MPV

You can argue about the MPV content of the Honda Jazz, but it is clearly not a normal hatchback in the B segment. It is also clearly not an SUV, although Honda is trying to take advantage of the raging popularity of this type of car with the Jazz Crosstar (yes, with two essen). Although there is still something to choose from in terms of versions, this does not apply to the powertrain: the Jazz has only been available as a hybrid since 2020. A 1.5-liter engine and an electric motor together deliver 109 hp and 253 Nm of power.

Practicality Honda Jazz

Of course you also buy such an MPV for ease of use, are Honda’s efforts in that area enthusiastically received? At least the next Crosstar rider will use them all. “The car looks small from the outside but is quite spacious inside. The doors open 90 degrees. The rear seat seats also go down when the backrests are folded down, so that a nice almost flat floor is created and those Magic Seats are sometimes quite handy.” With these ‘Magic Seats’ he refers to the seat cushions that can be folded up in the back, so that, for example, a (racing) bicycle without a front wheel or a houseplant can stand upright here.

“The Jazz is one of the last to have an MPV-like interior with the windscreen far from the occupants. I like it!” writes the owner of a 2020 Jazz Elegance. “There is enough room for everyone, the back seat is also nice and spacious.” However, the space has its limits: “The only point of attention is the small luggage compartment of 300 litres. A very usable space, but limited for a holiday trip.”

And the seating comfort?

There is therefore plenty of room for occupants, but drivers and passengers are also so enthusiastic about the furniture that it is emphasized several times in a review. The following driver elaborates on the seats of his Jazz Executive: “One of the positive things that strikes me is the excellent seats in the Jazz. The front seats feel a little soft, but there is a really sturdy seat underneath. The long seat provides excellent support for the lower legs. The high back of the chair provides good support. The ‘cheeks’ also provide excellent support and the tiltable headrests are perfect. There is no adjustable lumbar support on the chair, but you do feel that there is support in your lumbar region.” He concludes: “In short, perfect seats, even after a long drive.”

An owner who previously owned the previous Jazz type also notices progress. “The seats are really much more comfortable than in my previous Hybrid. Upper leg support is much better and backrest is longer.”

Infotainment and driving assistance

More and more manufacturers are opting for far-reaching touchscreen integration. But not Honda, which this owner appreciates: “Infotainment: the screen works fine and well with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, most will also appreciate that no other crucial functions have to be operated via the screen.” Another reports that the screen is also pleasing: “Navigation and audio system work fine. Big and bright screen, it works very fast.”

Less good are the experiences of the Crosstar driver with Honda’s Personal Assistant. “Unfortunately, the Honda assistant does not work for the Netherlands. You could then easily operate the navigation with voice commands, send audio and climate control settings, and so on. Hopefully this will come someday.”

Electronics is also available in the form of driver assistance systems, although the lane assistance is less good. “I have to/want to turn off the lane departure signal every time I drive,” said another Crosstar owner, “because it gives too many reports because the stripes on our roads keep changing patterns.” It is not the only driver who encounters the limitations of the system: “The active lane assist is a system that monitors whether you stay between the white solid lines. But if the hard shoulder is opened, the system has difficulty with it. You can also simply turn this system off.” Another aid does work properly: “It is useful to have an active blind spot system via a message on the wing mirror.”

How does the hybrid Jazz drive?

Honda has a reputation for building good driving cars, but the Jazz of course has a high carriage and a special powertrain. Does that also provide details? “The car drives very maturely; looks more like a C-segment car than the B-segmenter that he/she is. Handling even better than the previous Jazz and much quieter with compression and rebound. Damping is sometimes a bit hard, especially on thresholds,” writes an owner about his Jazz Executive.

And the powertrain? “It’s a nice car from a motor point of view, generally quiet and you only hear a strong sound when accelerating sharply. With a full battery, it can be driven about 7-8 kilometers purely electrically; calm.” The latter value seems very optimistic to us, given that the capacity of the battery is only 0.86 kWh.

In fact, owners who desire a bit smoother performance run up against the limits of the system. “Although it is nice and quiet on board, with a comfortable chassis, you have to stay within the bandwidth of what the hybrid system likes,” said one of them. The result: “You have to let go of your sporting aspirations. If necessary, you can still benefit from faster (intermediate) accelerations, but that will never last for long.” A Crosstar driver has also pushed the system to the limit. He writes: “What is a bit disappointing is the sprint from almost a standstill to higher speeds. At approximately 140 km/h, the battery is then empty and the acceleration decreases; if you drive 140 for a longer period of time and the battery is topped up again, there is still a sprint to do.”

In short, the Jazz performs best when you work together with the hybrid system to achieve the following experience: “The hydride powertrain makes this car very smooth, comfortable and quiet to drive. There is sufficient power available to be able to keep up with traffic smoothly. Accelerating and accelerating is fine. The car steers very pleasant and direct. Driving this Honda is a joy every time.” And the fuel consumption? According to the AutoWeek Consumption Monitor, drivers in practice achieve an average of 1 in 23.

Maintenance and problems

Honda not only has the reputation of building well-driving cars, but also of delivering technically well-thought-out products. This Honda Jazz also seems to be mostly reliable and free of structural problems so far. Apart from the non-working voice assistant, of course, which several owners complain about. That a chain is only as strong as its weakest link is experienced by one owner. “Last year I had to call in roadside assistance twice because the battery was empty. After checking, it turned out that the 12-volt battery was discharging because, after switching off the ignition, the GPS module continued to work, resulting in a discharge rate of 100 mA.” Another deals with a smaller irritation: “Driving over a speed bump I sometimes hear a slight noise in the dashboard. I have to go to the dealer for a long time for this.”

In summary, the hybrid Honda Jazz seems like a practical choice. In addition to the ease of use, the seats also seem to be above average. The tranquility on board, both in terms of chassis and noise comfort, is also appreciated by owners. On one condition: you must be prepared to adapt your driving style to the technology.