Honda Jazz keeps the good stuff, adds hybrid tech in new model

Honda Jazz: the stalwart hatchback has been updated with hybrid tech.

Those of you waiting for the new Honda Jazz/Fit, here it is.

It’s finally been revealed at the Tokyo Motor Show 2019, alongside the cute Honda e battery-electric vehicle (BEV).

What’s new with the Honda Jazz?

The new Honda Jazz gets Honda’s two-motor hybrid powertrain tech as standard for the first time.

It’s newly developed for the Jazz and is meant to provide “smooth, responsive and direct” driving.

Hybrid tech comes as standard on the new Honda Jazz or Honda Fit.

It’s part of Honda’s efforts to bring hybrid power to the mass market for the first time to ultimately achieve the aim of having all its European mainstream models to feature electrified powertrains by 2022.

For those who hate SUVs, sorry: the Jazz gets its own crossover variant for the first time.

That’s the new ‘Crosstar’ variant which Honda says is designed to appeal to those “seeking a more crossover style” design.

The new Honda Jazz Crosstar adds a crossover to the Jazz/Fit range for the first time.

Essentially a jacked-up Honda Jazz, it’s available with the same hybrid powertrain and interior features as the standard model but gets a taller ride height, a unique front grille design, water-resistant upholstery and integrated roof rails.

Honda will release exact engine specs in early 2020.

Jazzing up the design

Honda didn’t mess about with the previous Jazz’s design, maintaining its boxy looks but refreshing its front and rear.

Thanks to new structural technologies, the A-pillar is half the width of that on the previous model to improve forward horizontal visibility, Honda says.

That slimmed-down pillar is down to greatly improved torsional rigidity and new structural technologies that move impact stress towards the front quarter light pillars.

Meanwhile, the Honda Jazz’s rear design of echoes the clean lines at the front, with a sleek new horizontal light cluster layout and discrete roof spoiler.

Inside the Jazz

The new Honda Jazz gets a new LCD touchscreen with swipe controls to browse recently-used applications and media lists.

New wider, body-stabilising front seats get mat-structure support to help prevent fatigue on long journeys, replacing the previous spring set-up.

Interior of the new Honda Jazz.

Improved rear-seat design and a thicker rear seat pad provides greater comfort for passengers too.

Honda’s ‘Magic Seats’ are brought over in the new Jazz, which can either fold flat or flip-up depending on the cargo space required.

Magic seats make a return.

The new Honda Jazz also gets Honda Sensing, a suite of driving aids.

There’s now a new wider, higher-definition camera, replacing the previous camera and radar set-up.

This enables improved awareness of vehicle surroundings, including recognition of verges without kerbs or roadside markings.

Also, the Collision Mitigation Brake System (CMBS) is improved with night-time operation to detect pedestrians and cyclists in the absence of street lighting and now applies the brakes when oncoming vehicles cut across or turn into the path of the car.

The new camera system also enables Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) to follow traffic at low speeds in congestion and applies Lane Keep Assist on urban and rural roads – as well as multi-lane highways – for increased safety in more situations.

The new Honda Jazz goes on sale in European markets in mid-2020. Stay tuned for local availability!