Interesting thread and interesting title. I think you could be right. Our mk3 Jazz feels the worst put together of all the Hondas we have had. Like it has been built to a budget to cut costs. I still can't believe they did not bother to paint under the bonnet or behind the fuel cap etc.
Ours is nearly three years old now and we have got used to the infotainment hiccups and false alarm boings. The body panels seem to be thinner and more prone to car park dings as well. It also has a knocking noise from the engine bay when pulling away in first or second. The dealer did have a look but could not find anything and said they will have another look if it gets worse or breaks. As the warranty is soon to expire I hope it won't land us a big bill.
Unfortunately if you are working you don't have the time to keep taking a car back to the dealer to get stuff checked. On the other hand it may be because it's blue, all the blue cars we have had have been poor.
On the subject of VW, we had a golf and I thought it was quite a good car to drive but my wife found it heavy. The last straw was after a year when I took it to be serviced and waited two hours only to be told "the car doesn't need servicing, it will tell you when it needs fresh oil." We then went straight to the Honda dealer and bought a Mk 1 Jazz which my sister now has and is still going strong (pity we can't have it back).
Anyone wanting an auto, have you considered a Lexus CT. similar equipment to a jazz, Lexus reliability and customer service (although that can vary by dealer) and can be had for similar money. It is smaller than jazz, especially in the boot and rear but may be worth considering.
