Finally got rid of the Jazz

[JJazz]

The car in front is a Jazz

[Jazzik]

A little over two years ago (August 2021) I wrote this on the Dutch Toyota Hybrid Forum:

After a lot of doubting and extensive test drives in the Yaris Hybrid Executive and the Honda Jazz e:HEV Executive, and an investigative look into the Yaris Cross, the decision has been made.
As for the Yaris Cross: Larger exterior, more luggage space. Interior more cramped, especially in the rear. Doors, especially back doors, only open a crack. Ugly and expensive. Out of competition...

Our Yaris Hybrid Selection Passion will make way. Not for a new Yaris Executive, not for a Yaris Cross, but for a... Honda Jazz Executive in the color Premium Sunlight White Pearl!

What are the arguments for that choice?

1. Comfort: The Yaris (on 17" rims) is clearly more uncomfortable compared to the Jazz (standard 16"), especially on less good road surfaces. The Yaris is also noisier, more tyre noise. The Jazz only makes itself heard (also very clearly) when accelerating sharply. The seats in the Jazz are (at least for us) more comfortable.

2. Space: Not only is the Jazz more spacious (especially in the rear and slightly in terms of luggage space), the spacious impression due to the windscreen placed far forward and the narrow front A-pillar is impressive. The visibility is also very good.

3. Practical: In the Jazz you will find much more storage space. After the previous Jazz, we really missed the cup holders on the dashboard, double glove box and especially the so-called "magic seats".

4. Consumption: In practice, the Yaris (according to Spritmonitor) is marginally more economical. The Yaris 1:23.6 km/l and the Jazz 1:22.5 measured over 15,000 km. Which at about 10,000 km. per year and Polish petrol prices (Euro 95 E5 now for € 1.23) make the Jazz only slightly more expensive on an annual basis.

5. Finances: Although the Jazz Executive is about € 2,200 more expensive here, the dealer made such an offer that the price is the same as the Yaris Executive and then, at our request, it has Vredestein Quatrac all-season tyres, the standard Garmin navigation and heated steering wheel. In addition, the first year of all-risk insurance for € 1 and a 5-year warranty.
Then we miss (not very much) the HUD and JBL audio.

6. Appearance/exclusivity : My wife really doesn't like the Yaris, she thinks it has too big a butt... Not that the Jazz is a beauty, either, but to clarify that "exclusivity": You almost stumble over the new Yaris here and you have to look for the Jazz with a magnifying glass and searchlight.

All in all, we will say goodbye to the Yaris at the end of this month. It has taken us everywhere smoothly and cost-effectively for over four years. We hope the Jazz will (at least) do the same.

[Hicardo]

Hiya, we have a 2021 Crosstar and a 2022 Yaris Cross Excel. 

We like them both for different reasons. 

I bought the YC to replace a Golf, and its been loads better.  My Golf was a mk8 2020 model, it was incredibly infuriating with software errors and sudden alarms.  I couldn't wait to get rid of it.  Shame in a way because it drove very well, and super refined, but I could never trust it. 

The YC is 100% reliable, that puts it light years ahead of the Golf for me.  It also has a bigger boot, and MUCH better fuel consumption, about 15-20mpg more.  I use the YC for long trips primarily, and it is better than the Crosstar at this, primarily because it feels bigger and more relaxing on a long run. 

Its only slightly more economical than the Crosstar, CS average currently around 63mpg, and YC average currently around 66mpg. My wife prefers the Crosstar, she likes the airy feel, and more places for nick-nacks, slightly more comfortable.  I know nobody buys this type of car for hustling along a winding road, but the YC is considerably better, as the steering more responsive, and body control better. 

But the Jazz has a plusher ride. The YC has a big boot, but overall its not as versatile as the Crosstar.  One big mark for the Crosstar is the retained value which in 2 years has been close to 100%.  Not much can match that.  Helped by Honda dramatically increasing prices. 

Both great cars though. I wish one of them had a sunroof, then id be 101% happy. 

Hope that helps!

Cheers!

[Jazzik]

Our Honda Jazz turned five this month; we usually keep a car for about four and a half to five years before looking for a new one. That might not be the most financially prudent approach, but we enjoy the experience of driving a brand-new car again.
The Jazz didn't put a foot wrong during those five years and served us excellently. So, normally, a new Jazz would be the prime candidate for a replacement.
Unfortunately, Honda isn't doing well here in Poland. The dealership in our hometown of Toruń has closed down. The nearest dealer is now 81 miles away (one way) in Poznań. That makes maintenance during the warranty period (now eight years) somewhat inconvenient.
So, we’re looking at other options—but we still want a (supermini) hybrid. Where does that leave us? Exactly: the Toyota Yaris or Yaris Cross. Or perhaps a Renault Clio? Or—for a bargain price—the new Dacia Sandero hybrid?

1. Toyota.
We’re familiar with the Yaris (our daughter drives one), and... no. It’s too cramped (I couldn't fit my mother-in-law in the back ), too noisy, and there are hassles with the 12-volt battery.
Still, we decided to take a look at the Yaris Cross and go for a test drive. My wife quite liked it, but I found the interior dismal and the back seat cramped. I also really dislike that "brick-like" SUV style. On top of that, the test drive was disappointing: it was quite noisy and felt bumpy—uncomfortable—on poor road surfaces.
And the prices...!!! A decently equipped version—the Executive—costs a fortune!

2. Renault.
The Clio Hybrid 160 Esprit Alpine. Not a bad-looking car (though... that front end... :? ) and quite a nice interior. Rather cramped in the back seat; the trunk is just adequate. A downside (for us retirees): getting in and out is annoyingly low. Unfortunately, the price isn't...
And the driving experience: Renault still has a lot to learn from Toyota and Honda when it comes to hybrid powertrains!
That gear shifting... it’s as if the Clio sometimes has no idea what to do... Apparently, that’s something you have to get used to. The suspension is firm—not annoyingly harsh, and (at best) reasonably comfortable.

3. Dacia.
Unfortunately, the Sandero Hybrid wasn't available for a test drive yet. The Sandero Stepway doesn't look bad, and the interior is... well, Dacia. Plenty of space, certainly, but the powertrain comes from Renault. So... there are better options out there.
Then again... it does come with an attractive price tag!

4. BYD.
I had been looking into that Chinese supermini with a plug-in hybrid powertrain for a while: the BYD Dolphin G DM-i.
For us—with a garage under our apartment that has its own dedicated circuit and meter—it seemed like an attractive idea. Charging very cheaply using off-peak electricity (the equivalent of less than 13 pence per kWh) means very cheap driving.
So, we decided to check out at the BYD dealer here in town. And there it was, parked outside in bright orange, in the 'Comfort' trim level. We took a good look at it and concluded: it looks pretty sharp, especially with that large panoramic roof (which comes as standard!). We decided to go inside. We got all the information we wanted, were able to examine the car thoroughly inside and out, and were pleasantly surprised!
Not bad at all, that Chinese car.
It comes standard (and I mean standard—no pricey £££ option packages) with everything you could think of, right down to a head-up display and that panoramic roof. You can easily turn off all those annoying beeps, and you can talk to the car. It then obediently does what you say. 
Plenty of space up front (with an electrically adjustable driver's seat featuring adjustable lumbar support); space in the back is decent, though not huge. But a huuuuge trunk!
The test drive: The salesperson sent us straight to a road undergoing maintenance—full of potholes, bumps, and manhole covers! "That way, you'll immediately see how the suspension handles a bad road..." The Dolphin G passed that test.
The car is quite quiet up to about 60 mph; above that, you do hear tire and wind noise, but it’s not intrusive. When the petrol engine kicks in, you simply don't hear it—except when you floor the accelerator. At 75 mph, you can still hold a perfectly normal conversation.

Upon our return, we looked at each other and nodded: we were completely won over. Also considering that this car is significantly cheaper than the Toyotas and Renaults in a (somewhat, almost, not quite) comparable trim!

The BYD Dolphin G DM-i is going to be our next car. Yes, in this bright pearl metallic orange! It’s arriving in late September or early October.

That leaves just one question: as a Honda driver turned defector to a Chinese brand, am I still welcome on this forum..?

[Marksla]

I looked at the BYD last week.  Seems to me like a plugin Jazz and I'm tempted. However my wife isn't keen on

1. so much being controlled from the screen compared to the simple knobs and buttons of the Jazz

2. The lack of speed limiter.  Seems no Chinese cars have a speed limiter?  The Jazz limiter is our favourite because the speed limit gets auto adjusted whereas most other brands bleep/flash but expect you to adjust the limiter.  Chinese brands just bleep/flash but don't limit your speed.  The BYD dealer suggested using cruise control as a workaround, even in city driving!

[Jazzik]

Did you just view the car, or did you take it for a test drive as well?
In our case, while looking at the exterior and interior, we thought: "Oh... nice car." Sort of like, "Nice... maybe... or perhaps the Clio after all... or the Yaris Cross..."

After the test drive, we simply looked at each other, nodded, and were absolutely certain: this is our next car—the successor to our Jazz!
(There wasn't a moment's doubt about the color, either: ORANGE!!! )

1. As for the missing knobs and buttons—which ones are you missing? Let me guess: the controls for the heating-/cooling system.
Regarding temperature control: you don’t need a knob for that (anymore). The BYD offers ways to adjust it without one.
Did the dealer show you the trick where you swipe down the screen with three fingers (without looking!) to change the temperature? It’s really simple.
Even simpler: You can communicate with the car. You tell your car you’re too warm, and it (no, she...) replies that she (yes, a female voice...) is lowering the temperature by one degree. Or you ask her to raise the temperature by two degrees and... you get the idea!

2. We never used the speed limiter in the Jazz, so we won’t miss it.
As the dealer told you: just use the cruise control! We tested it in (heavy) city traffic during the test drive: it works perfectly! The car follows the vehicle ahead, maintains the set speed as the maximum (effectively acting as a limiter!), brakes and accelerates automatically, and does it all very smoothly.

[John Ratsey]

I've just sold my 18 month old Mk 4 Jazz back to the dealer and will be collecting a Hyundai Inster in a few days. What spurred the change? Curiosity! The Honda Super-N aroused my interest but is too lacking in both size and range (I told my dealer that I want the Maxi-N). I concluded that the best way to find out if we could live with an EV was to get one. The Inster appeared the best of the options that were no bigger (particularly the width) than the Jazz and with good interior space flexibility. The new Kia EV2 looked interesting until I found that the width is slightly more than the HR-V which was exchanged for the Jazz because it was inconveniently wide.

Among the Inster's useful features are: Sliding rear seats which can be changed between more boot space or more rear seat legroom; higher seats from ground level than the Jazz; a heat pump and buttons on the steering wheel to disable the lane-keeping feature and the speed warning noises (hold down the mute button for several seconds). I wait to see what the WLTP range of 223 miles becomes under my driving conditions. The Inster has its deficiencies: There's too much safety tech and internet comments suggest that the speed sign recognition is much worse than on the Jazz and the model I'm getting has 17" wheels with low profile tyres (as with the Jazz, wheels with more comfortable tyres are only on the base model). How long I'll keep it remains to be seen. It will be very cheap to run for day trips from home but charging away from home is likely to cost more than the Jazz's petrol bill.

[FMIB]

I took a look at the Inster a few months ago when I was thinking to change the Jazz, it looked to be a viable alternative at a reasonable price, retaining practicality and city car dimensions. Its range looks to be reasonable for most day to day use and economical when charged at home.

It would probably have worked for me where my previous Honda E's hopeless winter range, did not.
In the end I decided to keep the Jazz and change my larger second car.

You are right, that some of the new "city cars" are becoming too wide.

I also like the looks of the Inster, enjoy your new car.