Honda will make a Jazz hybrid after all. After denying any plans to develop a hybrid version of the Jazz, Honda have seemingly performed a U-turn. The Jazz hybrid is back on the agenda as part of Honda's expansion of it's hybrid project, which also includes a new 'affordable' five-door hatchback hybrid, a hybrid sports car based on the CR-Z concept, and a new version of the Civic hybrid. The new 'hatchback hybrid' is set to be priced at around £16,000 and Honda expects to sell 200,000 examples worldwide per year, thanks to the car's cheaper production costs compared to the current Civic Hybrid. The redesigned motor and battery will be re-positioned under the boot. Sales of this standalone hybrid model are set to start early next year.
Sales of the Civic Hybrid have risen by 25% year-on-year, despite the Civic Hybrid being based on the JDM saloon with automatic transmission only, in a county which prefers hatchbacks with manual gearboxes and with a love-affair with diesel cars. The news comes in the same week that The Sun newspaper revelled that rising fuel costs may have contributed to a 25 week waiting list for the Japanese-built Civic Hybrid and extended waiting lists for the Toyota Prius and VW Polo BlueMotion.
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