Honda Jazz Crosstar 2024 as winter car in -20C

[Bjorn]

My choice of studded tires:

https://clubjazz.org/forum/index.php?topic=16316.msg138661#msg138661

I can now report that in my opinion my Jazz is an excellent car in tough Nordic winters. Came back to Norway from Colombia after 3 weeks. The temps during my absence were down to -20. Before travel, I charged the 12V battery, super locked my car and hoped for the best when coming back.

The car was packed with heavy snow, after removing the snow, no problem starting. Driving in these temps? No problem. The tires (see older post) is working great. The handling of the car in icy roads and/or heavy snow covered roads, no problems. Handling is great. Anti spin working fine. Even in such low temps, the car heat up really fast, heat from engine thawing the front windows within 5-10 min (due to very high idling of gas engine) Heating in seat and steering working great.

The car use much more gas in these conditions of course, official from Honda Norway:
4,5–4,8 liter / 100 km. In these winter condition (mixed highway and city) my gas consumption were around 7-8 liter /100 km. (someone can convert to MPG UK?)  Higher than I expected surely, buy I can live with that, in really cold weather I want constant cabin heat and heat in both seats and steering wheel

The car is just such a great drive. Both in summer and in demanding winter conditions. The fast idle of the engine when starting in lower temp (really anything lower than + 5C or so) is something I can live with, but I would prefer a slightly lower idling RPM of the gas engine. The only way to cut engine is to turn of heating fan. But after 5 min in -5-10 C  I will put the fan on again.

One more thing: when washing the car, the mirrors and car lock/unlock all the time. Found a solution to this: lock the car, wait a min and then switch of Key fob, press both lock and unlock at the same time until double blink in LED). This will prevent the constant lock/unlock

[Nicksey]

One more thing: when washing the car, the mirrors and car lock/unlock all the time. Found a solution to this: lock the car, wait a min and then switch of Key fob, press both lock and unlock at the same time until double blink in LED). This will prevent the constant lock/unlock

That is very interesting, to hear what other drivers have to deal with and take in their stride these severe weather conditions. I imagine Honda have experience with snow and cold temperatures, Japan does suffer cold winters.. although probably not to the severity that Bjorn experiences.
Regarding the lock/unlock during washing, the easiest option is not to keep the key in your pocket and leave it in the house until you need to clean the inner sills 

[Marmoset]

My choice of studded tires:

https://clubjazz.org/forum/index.php?topic=16316.msg138661#msg138661

I can now report that in my opinion my Jazz is an excellent car in tough Nordic winters. Came back to Norway from Colombia after 3 weeks. The temps during my absence were down to -20. Before travel, I charged the 12V battery, super locked my car and hoped for the best when coming back.

The car was packed with heavy snow, after removing the snow, no problem starting. Driving in these temps? No problem. The tires (see older post) is working great. The handling of the car in icy roads and/or heavy snow covered roads, no problems. Handling is great. Anti spin working fine. Even in such low temps, the car heat up really fast, heat from engine thawing the front windows within 5-10 min (due to very high idling of gas engine) Heating in seat and steering working great.

The car use much more gas in these conditions of course, official from Honda Norway:
4,5–4,8 liter / 100 km. In these winter condition (mixed highway and city) my gas consumption were around 7-8 liter /100 km. (someone can convert to MPG UK?)  Higher than I expected surely, buy I can live with that, in really cold weather I want constant cabin heat and heat in both seats and steering wheel

The car is just such a great drive. Both in summer and in demanding winter conditions. The fast idle of the engine when starting in lower temp (really anything lower than + 5C or so) is something I can live with, but I would prefer a slightly lower idling RPM of the gas engine. The only way to cut engine is to turn of heating fan. But after 5 min in -5-10 C  I will put the fan on again.

One more thing: when washing the car, the mirrors and car lock/unlock all the time. Found a solution to this: lock the car, wait a min and then switch of Key fob, press both lock and unlock at the same time until double blink in LED). This will prevent the constant lock/unlock

Converted to mpg, your official Honda figures convert to 52-49mpg, your (very cold!) real life figures come out as between 34-29mpg.

[Lord Voltermore]

Converted to mpg, your official Honda figures convert to 52-49mpg, your (very cold!) real life figures come out as between 34-29mpg.

I think you have converted to US gallons.    In imperial UK gallons   4.5 litres -4.8   is  58.8 - 62.7 mpg
7 -8 litres is  35.3 - 40.3.  mpg    .   I dont think many cars could do much better at that temperature.   

[Marmoset]

Converted to mpg, your official Honda figures convert to 52-49mpg, your (very cold!) real life figures come out as between 34-29mpg.

I think you have converted to US gallons.    In imperial UK gallons   4.5 litres -4.8   is  58.8 - 62.7 mpg
7 -8 litres is  35.3 - 40.3.  mpg    .   I dont think many cars could do much better at that temperature.   

You are quite right.  Ignore my earlier figures.

[Bjorn]

"I dont think many cars could do much better at that temperature.  "

I agree, when comparing to other gasoline engines with automatic transmission, I once borrowed a
Renault Captur automatic for a month and when driving I was surprised how much gas this small car use, more than my new Jazz. And was this car slow in it’s acceleration also. The Jazz is so responsive when pressing the pedal, obviously due to the combo gas engine and electrical drive. The Jazz is really a great car to drive.

Of course, compared to my Citroen Berlingo diesel it still use quite a lot more fuel. My Berlingo use
about 48-55 l/100km. Even in winter driving, mostly city, it won’t ever use more than max 58 l /100 km. That is, of course, typically of all diesel cars. I like my Berlingo, but there has been so much problems with the AdBlue/NOx sensors that never a modern diesel again.

[ahavoja]

I agree, Mk4 Jazz works well in winter conditions.

I had one cold start in -25 C, and it started very well. However the screen displayed a warning:
Low Temperature. Power Reduced.

Driving the car felt like it didn't use the battery at all. Acceleration was sluggish, engine revved higher, and regenerative braking in B gear had no effect, the car was just rolling like in N gear. I think the HV battery was just too cold, and all the power came from the petrol engine/generator. After some minutes of driving the battery warmed up and it worked normally again.

[Whiteshark]

Probably unsurprising at that temp.

[Lord Voltermore]

I dont think the HV battery has separate heating or cooling  elements.(some cars do - especially EV's)   Its temperature is regulated by fan blown air from the cabin. Which is assumed to be at  a tolerable temperature for the occupants.

In extremely cold weather  if you didnt heat the cabin, but relied only on heated seats, steering wheel and warm clothes it might have a negative effect on the HV  battery performance .  But you might die of cold before the battery does.      I think the opposite is true. If the cabin air is intolerably hot the battery could overheat, but you would probably die of heat stroke first.   

[5thcivic]

The E also shows the same tortoise on screen until the HV battery has warmed up sufficiently to avoid damage, with reduced performance for a few minutes. When you think about it not too different from not revving too much when on the old "choke"!

[coldstart]

One more thing: when washing the car, the mirrors and car lock/unlock all the time. Found a solution to this: lock the car, wait a min and then switch of Key fob, press both lock and unlock at the same time until double blink in LED). This will prevent the constant lock/unlock

Thank you for this, Bjorn!

[davejazz]

Before washing the car, with it unlocked, simply pop the key into the “ashtray”.

The car cannot inadvertently lock itself, until you remove it, after its wash ‘n spin!

Don’t be tempted to go for a brew halfway through the cycle though, it may be gone when you return!

[Bjorn]

"I had one cold start in -25 C, and it started very well. However the screen displayed a warning:
Low Temperature. Power Reduced."

In Finland one have to expect very low temp. Where I live in Norway, -10 is common, but -20 rarely so. However, I have a cabin in the mountain where lower than -25 is common, Sometimes even down to -40.

Good to see that the HV battery can withstand lower temps. I seen somewhere that the lowest temp for a lithium battery discharge is around -20. Charging is different however, should be over 0 C. So not surprised that your car showed a warning. You say after some minutes...everything normal. I find it strange (but good) that only a few minutes is necessary for the HV battery to work normally. Heating up the battery should most likely need more than a few minutes.

[Toptek]

"I had one cold start in -25 C, and it started very well. However the screen displayed a warning:
Low Temperature. Power Reduced."

In Finland one have to expect very low temp. Where I live in Norway, -10 is common, but -20 rarely so. However, I have a cabin in the mountain where lower than -25 is common, Sometimes even down to -40.

Good to see that the HV battery can withstand lower temps. I seen somewhere that the lowest temp for a lithium battery discharge is around -20. Charging is different however, should be over 0 C. So not surprised that your car showed a warning. You say after some minutes...everything normal. I find it strange (but good) that only a few minutes is necessary for the HV battery to work normally. Heating up the battery should most likely need more than a few minutes.

May I ask how do you heat your property at those temperatures?

[ahavoja]

You say after some minutes...everything normal.

Actually I had to drive maybe 10 km, or 20 minutes (I don't remember exactly), until the battery became warm enough to work normally again. The climate control of Jazz was blowing quite hard that day to try to heat up the cabin. Some of the cabin air then passes through the HV battery, and warms it up, I believe.

May I ask how do you heat your property at those temperatures?

District heating is common in apartments. Some houses have electric heating, but also a fireplace as a backup. Most buildings in Finland have 3 layer windows to insulate heat, which also helps.

For cars, many parking lots have 230V electric sockets, where a heater can be plugged to warm up the engine and cabin 30 minutes before starting to drive. Some heaters can also charge the 12V battery at the same time. But this requires to buy an accessory electric heater and install it in the car. I don't have this in my Jazz, but it could be installed in the future if needed.