Honda Jazz: Dad, should this be your daughter’s first car?

Honda JazzThe Honda Jazz is no newcomer to the South African consumer. It’s pretty much been the rock of the B segment since it arrived on our shores by offering reliability, quality, durability and safety. Everything you’d want in your child’s first car, for example.

Now there’s a new model, so to find out what’s changed Honda let BizNews Motoring loose around Cape Town and nearby Wellington for a day with the Jazz.

The report is that, other than the basic appearance, the infotainment system and some clever packaging modifications, not a great deal has changed. Which is a good thing. The little Honda is still built exceptionally well, feels like a durable, quality product and will no doubt keep your precious offspring safe in the unfortunate event of a collision.

Honda JazzGetting down to the nuts and bolts, there are some important differences underneath the Jazz’s skin. For start it’s longer, which together with other minor adjustments to seats and wheelbase, translates to more leg room for those in the back.

There’s also an all new monocoque construction which is lighter, meaning better economy and better suspension and steering components.

Under the bonnet lies a tried and tested 1.5 litre four pot, together with the option of an all-new 1.2 litre motor. To any of these you can opt for a 5 speed manual or CVT automatic gearbox. We only had a chance to drive the bigger unit, which aside from being a little noisy pulls very well in town and on the highway.

The fun bit is the new infotainment system, which is a rather large touch screen display in the dashboard that offers an impressive features set that is unique in the segment.

Honda JazzThere’s the common stuff like a trip computer, Bluetooth hands-free phone system, USB and audio streaming. However it’s the presence of an HDMI port that really sets the system apart from other systems. With an HDMI adapter cable, the port allows content from the smart device, including music, movies and images, to be played back on the display. But that’s not all, it also opens the door to an extended, and growing, list of compatible apps.

AppRadio is the core application that acts as the gateway between the system and other compatible apps. It also allows the calendars and contacts contained on the connected device to be accessed on the touch-screen.

The list of compatible apps is extensive, and includes in-car navigation, internet radio, live news services, and web browsing. Of particular interest to car enthusiasts is the DashCommand app, which wirelessly accesses vehicle and performance data, and displays it as an array of fully configurable instruments and graphics.

The conclusion is that the Jazz remains a market leader. The offering is exceptionally solid and has the backing of one of the most trusted car-makers in the world. Honda has also proved to be innovative in keeping themselves at the forefront of in-car technology. Yes, you might pay a little extra for a Jazz; but I’d say the peace of mind is probably worth it.

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