So at last I get to post a review of the Jazz GE. I wrote this in February 2009 after taking a 1.4 i-VTEC EX manual demo car for a test drive from a local dealer; although I have expanded it in places to fit in more with Clubjazz (the original draft was written for general non-Honda car forum) and updated some factual information, the contents of this review reflects my opinion of the Jazz GE at that time.
On with the review...
Styling
From the outset the new GE Jazz is instantly recognisable as...well, a Jazz. Those familiar headlights and steeply raked windscreen all project the typical look of Honda's small car, but updated and mixed in with styling DNA from the 2006-on Euro Civic in the shape of the bonnet design and front bumpers. Completing the look are some classy LED rear lights and tapered roof all to the benefit of the looks. But on the whole there are no surprises in store. In plain English this means Honda have played it safe in a class where the latest Ford Fiesta and Vauxhall Corsa have ditched the traditional look of their predecessors for a new radical style. But considering how successful the previous GD Jazz was, this comes as no surprise that Honda have played it safe.
Are we damning the GE with faint praise? Absolutely not. Increasing safety legislation has created a generation of bloated superminis with the Fiesta and Corsa being prime examples. The Jazz's monospace design avoids this problem, giving the Jazz a cleaner and sleeker profile then either the Fiesta or Corsa. We even feel the Jazz will also date much better then either of these two rivals. Certainly it is less van-like than the goldfish bowl Renault Modus or frumpy Vauxhall Meriva. Perhaps the Jazz is the [Porsche] 911 of superminis, at least in terms of styling evolution?!
Interior
One of the most notable changes about the interior is the how deep he dashboard extends forward. That is of course if you can avert your eyes from the more 'plastic' interior materials. Gone are the quality textured interior plastics of the GD model that spanned the top to bottom of the dashboard, to be replaced by a two different grades of material for the top and lower half, both of which are...well, very 'plastic' and obviously shinier and cheaper. And where the (later) higher spec GD models had chrome door pulls, these have giving way to cheaper plastic items. Dare I say it, but it almost appears to be cost-cutting.
On a more positive note is the general design. Clearly influenced by the Civic, the layout is stylish and ergonomically sound. The steering wheel – straight from the Civic - looks and feels great. And if the cabin materials had you in doubt, the feeling of real build quality will restore your faith; every switch, column stalk and button has that typical Honda tactile feeling missing from any Ford, Vauxhall, French car or even VW group products at this price level.
Front visibility was a weak point of the GD models. The GE's slimmer door pillars are further away and the larger front quarterlights give a substantial improvement in front visibility. Rear visibility has taken a slight step backwards but its miles better then the tiny screen on the new Ford Fiesta and the external mirrors are huge to aid reversing.
One of main trump cards is of course the interior space and the 'Magic Seats'. The increased wheelbase and redesigned headrests remove the need to slide the front seats forward or remove the rear headrests to fold the rear seats flat. I don't need to go into too much detail on a Honda Jazz forum about the Magic Seats, but in a class where even a fixed rear seat cushion is commonplace on many rivals, the sheer cleverness and usefulness of this loading system cannot be underestimated.
Boot space has increased and 1.4-litre models now have a split-level boot. The old retractable cover has been replaced by a traditional parcel shelf; personally, I not a fan of the GD's retractable cover, but it appears from early comments made by ex-GD Jazzers in our forums that I'm in the minority.
Equipment levels are impressive in the top-range EX model. Standard equipment includes a radio with MP3/WMA CD player, climate control, privacy glass and 16” alloy wheels. Rear electric windows, USB connection for iPod and flash drive, front and rear curtain airbags, VSA and a panoramic glassroof are all standard. The glassroof is particularly impressive and is fitted with an electrically operated sunshade although as with the glassroof fitted to the Civic, it doesn't slide open as similar roofs do on the Renault Clio or MINI. As expected with Honda, the options list is restricted so if you want the USB or glassroof you have to plump for the top range EX model. In fact, the only factory options are the metallic paint, sat nav and I-SHIFT automated manual transmission. Most other items are only available as dealer fit extras, sometime at higher price then on some other rivals.
Ride and Handling
As with the Jazz GD, it quickly becomes clear that underneath is a strong chassis that with a bit more fine tuning could challenge the class-leading Ford Fiesta for ride and handling. The increase in length, wheelbase and width – but unchanged height - makes the Jazz feel more surefooted on the road. Turn in and the GE grips and hangs on well with more bite then before. But have Honda gone back to the jiggly ride of those 2002-model GDs? Maybe the extra unsprung weight of the 16” wheels are to blame, but the suspension crashes more in the bumps and on rough surfaces feels less composed then the previous model. A quick back-to-back run in my 2007 GD Sport (with standard 15” wheels and Honda's second revision of the GD's suspension settings) along the same road confirms this, although the GE is clearly more stable with less body movement and improved NVH (Noise Vibration Harshness) levels. Maybe those fitted with 15” wheels may fair better, for now the jury is still out on if the ride has improved.
Steering has been remapped to tackle another area of criticism of the GD models. It's certainly lighter and sharper; in fact, jump straight in after driving a GD and you may find yourself making over-corrections until you get used to the weighing and responsiveness. Parking requires much less effort (for a car often driven by elderly drivers, the GD did have quite heavy steering!) Can this be considered an improvement? Overall I'll still sit on the fence; this was a short test drive of a dealer's demo car and there where times were I missed the extra weight and meatiness of the GD's steering.
Performance
The eight valve twin-spark engine i-DSi engine has been replaced by a 1.4-litre, 16-valve VTEC unit producing 100PS. The smooth engine feels livelier across the rev then before range and 0-62 time is claimed to be 11.5 seconds. The gearchange is superb – very short throw and with a pleasing feeling. I’ve never come across a better gearchange – BMW 118d included.
It must be noted that as before, the UK is still denied the 120PS 1.5-litre i-VTEC engine even though the Swindon factory which builds the Jazz since late 2009 also ships right-hand drive 1.5-litre models for South Africa.
Overall
The Jazz GE builds on the strong points of the previous model. It's a shame that Honda though didn't pay a little more attention to the ride and interior quality, but nothing comes close for space and build quality is superb.
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