Only 500km driven so far, but here's what I think:
Joys
1. Build quality - exterior/interior fitment and finish are first rate. No orange peel paint, not the slightest hint of an uneven panel gap and zero squeaks / rattles. A completely different experience compared to my 2006 "spaceship" Civic. A thoroughly well-engineered update (which I see as being the REAL successor to the original MK1)
2. Loving the all-around visibility thanks to the A-pillar positioning. In online reviews, it's frequently referred to as "panoramic" which suggests a curved windscreen. In reality the whole arrangement is quite angular and reminds me of an Apache helicopter. Maybe that's what I should name the car?
3. Low-speed EV noise. This is straight out of "Stranger Things" but I rather like its unworldly sound. So much so that I drive around with the windows down at low speeds (admit it, you've all done the same!)
4. Suspension smoothness - I've read reviews where the set-up has been criticized, but on the Crosstar I think the chassis engineers have done a fine job (given the limitations of a torsion beam set-up). No noticeable roll when cornering either - so I'm not sure why this is (negatively) mentioned at the same time.
5. Drivetrain smoothness / quietness (with the exception of Irritation 3 below) the Jazz is extremely relaxing to drive 85-90% of the time.
6. LKAS in conjunction with Adaptive Cruise Control - the system seems well-calibrated, with no nasty surprises. A real joy to use so far! Perhaps, the Front (wide view) camera the system utilises has made for a big improvement over previous versions of Honda Sensing.
7. Top down (3rd) view on reversing camera - maybe this is now a common feature on other cars, but for me, once I'm coming close to an object, it's really useful to switch to this view.
8. Dashboard design - the Crosstar padding material on the dash really helps lift perceived cabin quality. Non-Crosstar versions are just as nice (my favourite being the white leatherette) giving the Jazz a unique "lounge like" ambience. Of course the upper glovebox - which I know is a carry over from previous versions - is rather handy while the cupholders (next to each window) make the whole dash really usable. The digital display can become rather cluttered, but I applaud the fact that Honda went for something quirky and typically Japanese (and already I've learnt to minimize the amount of information displayed - which solves the problem).
9. The fact that I'm driving something different... It's a small hatchback but also it's not (Fiestas and Polos seem not to have moved on much - I find them boring in comparison). And although many people do not understand the design philosophy of the Jazz (I agree it's not the most beautiful looking vehicle) it has many of the qualities which attract me to Hondas ( being quirky, idiosyncratic, clever and with top-notch mechanical engineering / totally non-aggressive styling! )
10. Rarity of seeing them on the road - I know we're all kindred spirits driving the Jazz, but I like the fact that they're still a niche choice. This is down to lots of factors - and maybe it's not the best way to think (if we want to see a MK5 in Europe) but people still seem genuinely surprised to see a "new version" Jazz.
Irritations
1. Honda+ Connect App - I can't (yet) get it to work and, from what I read on UK / German forums, it's a poorly performing app anyway. However, given that it's common to the Honda E too, this is the very thing that Honda needs to get right for early adopters / younger drivers / technical savvy customers. I'll reserve final judgement until is up and running - but that first needs a trip back to the dealer to change the TCU mode :-(
2. the position of the drive mode selector does not match the labels next to it (i.e. I'm always moving to "B" when I think it's "D"). I know it's shown on the dashboard display, but it would have been easy to line everything up like on an ordinary automatic. This does make me go "arrrggggh!"
3. When adaptive cruise control resumes (to increase speed back up to the driver's set amount) it tends to go full out, seemingly to reach it in the shortest time possible. This is when you really hear the harshness of the engine at higher revs. A bit more subtlety in the programming would have been welcome!!
4. When connected to Apple Car play navigation, the system does not seem to accept the first letter entered on the keyboard. Perhaps this is a language version bug (I'm using Hungarian) but it's really annoying.
5. On the Marek Drives YouTube channel, he complained about the rear doors not closing first time. I thought he was overreacting. But having already taken my kids on holiday in the Jazz, we have a failure rate on first time closure way above 50%. I'm already a bit tired of saying "daughter A / daughter B your door is not closed try again!"
6. The carpet thickness in the Jazz is rather stingy - given the price premium we've paid for our Hybrid vehicles, I would have liked to have seen higher quality materials used here.
7. Road Departure Mitigation System can be quite unnerving when triggered in circumstances such as temporary roadworks (which require crossing lanes). It has startled me a few times...and I'm not sure I like it :-(
8. Bonnet weight / bonnet stay rod quality are the only things (aside from 6 above) that make this car feel less than premium.
9. No Earth Dreams logo under my hood :-( Damn I want one!!
10. Not the fault of Honda. but drivers of oncoming vehicles already seem to take the non-aggressive face of the Honda as opportunity to turn right in front of me. Very annoying!
Okay, that's mine. What are your Jazz joys and irritations? (10 not needed! )
