All that Jazz – what you need to know about the Honda Jazz EX

For zippy performance with style, drivers should look no further than the Honda Jazz. This family motor is classified as a ‘supermini’ and retails between £15,380 and £16,480.

The Honda Jazz EX is equipped with sporty 16” alloy wheels as well as a panoramic glass roof. For those who are in need of constant communication, ‘Bluetooth’ Hands Free is fitted as standard as are the leather steering wheel and tinted glass described by Honda as ‘ privacy’ glass. Drinks can be kept chilled in the cooled glove box and the audio controls are attached to the steering wheel for ease of use – perfect for those with heavy demands for their motor.

This adaptable car is designed as a five-door Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV) hatchback and one of the biggest design innovations on the car is the ‘magic seat’. This development is adjustable and allows the user to fold the rear seat away for extra transportation space.

Down to business

At 50 mpg the Jazz is extremely economical to run. The petrol engines come in both 1.2 and 1.5 litres and the driver is offered a choice of a manual or automatic gear change. The acceleration rate is impressive and the car can climb from 0-62 mph in 11.8 seconds.

Use

This car is acclaimed for its ease of use and its reliability. The clever seat configuration means that extra space can be added for either more family members or to transport extra goods. Stability control, airbags and rear headrests are standard accessories on all Jazz models. The EX models also can have CVT installed at extra cost.

Entertainment for long journeys is easy to access with front and rear speakers and the CD player is MP3 compatible; a USB connector is also provided. Sat Nav is an integral part of the car’s gadgetry.

Safety

Honda has installed many safety features in the Jazz 1.4 I-VTEC EX and these include emergency brake assist, adjustable front seat belts as well as a crucial ISOFIX child seat restraint mechanism. This model also has Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) as well as a passenger airbag de-activation switch and front head restraints.

Praise

Refreshingly, the Honda Jazz holds its own in the used car market. The authoritative Which Car Survey has named the car as ‘Britain’s best used supermini’ with reviewers commenting that “buyers looking for a nearly new supermini should make a beeline for the Jazz.”

Other accolades include commendation from the 2012 JD Power owner satisfaction tables; a survey conducted among a broad sample of 18,000 drivers. The Jazz has managed to retain its leadership of the most popular supermini table for nine consecutive years and Honda as a manufacturer came second overall in this customer survey.

The main reasons behind the enduring popularity of this car are its economic use of petrol, its superb safety record, it reliability and versatility – what more could you ask for?