Honda throws a Fit

MANILA, Philippines - One of the highlights of a media trip I made to Japan last November, aside from covering the Tokyo Motor Show, was driving several export and domestic Honda models at no less than the famed Twin Ring Circuit in Motegi.

One of the cars I drove that November was the then-recently launched Honda Fit, which in our market is called the Honda Jazz. The Honda officials we spoke to at that time were excited about the new model’s impending launch in the Philippines—the exact month of which they wouldn’t divulge.

Well the guessing game is over and the car is well and truly finally here—hot on the heels of its brand-spanking-new City subcompact sibling.

Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI), Honda’s Philippine importer, distributor, and manufacturer, has taken the wraps off the all-new 3rd-generation Jazz at the Metrotent Convention Center in Pasig City.

As a global model in the Honda range, the Jazz was developed with the goal to be “The World’s Best Functional Compact.” The development team who worked on the latest Jazz incorporated key technologies that further improve the car’s dynamic performance, fuel economy, as well as its vaunted versatility and functionality that have been hallmarks since the 1st-generation Jazz debuted in 2004.

Under the new Honda design direction of “Exciting H Design!!!” (yes, it has three exclamation points), which represents three key elements—High Tech, High Tension and High Touch—the new Jazz’s exterior design represents the company’s “Crossfade Monoform Exterior” concept.

The littlest Honda available locally measures 3955mm long (55mm longer than previous model), 1695mm wide, and 1525mm tall, with a 2530mm wheelbase (30mm longer than its predecessor). As a result, the new Jazz has a larger cabin space with substantial increase in passenger space, shoulder and rear leg rooms and cargo space.

The increase in cargo space is best noticed with the seats folded down. With the configurability of the Jazz’s Ultra Seat, which folds flat or flips up, it gives the new Jazz the versatility to quickly and easily adapt to a wide variety of passenger and cargo hauling needs.

The All New Jazz Ultra Seat has also been improved making it possible to have four seating configuration modes: Utility Mode – with Ultra seat folded flat, the vehicle can carry two passengers and larger items;

Tall Mode – with the Ultra seat folded up, the vehicle can carry two or three passengers and tall items with maximum height of 100cm in the second row; Long Mode – with the Ultra seat folded flat and the front passenger seat reclined all the way back, the vehicle can carry two passengers and a long item with maximum length of 226cm; and Refresh Mode – the new addition to the Ultra seat configurations, wherein the front seats can be reclined to connect with the rear seats, allowing the driver and passenger to have in-car relaxation.

Like any other Honda, the application of the company’s “man maximum, machine minimum” design concept enabled the new Jazz to achieve a compact yet highly efficient package—indeed a small car outside and a big car inside.

Furthermore, based on Honda’s trademark “Sophisticated Futuristic Cockpit” interior concept, the Jazz is complemented by an advanced and high-quality cockpit that add to the driving fun. It features a highly-visible “3-eye” design instrument cluster, an engine start/stop push button, and a Smart Key with Push Start System that intelligently locks and unlocks the doors without even touching the smart key.

The new Jazz also offers first-in-class features such as a 7-inch touchscreen with hands-free telephone (HFT) and audio streaming via Bluetooth connectivity.  For added convenience, the Bluetooth HFT and audio can be operated via the controls mounted on the steering wheel.

To take full advantage of the touchscreen audio unit, the Jazz is equipped with different ports such as auxiliary, USB, and a new HDMI port that lets you connect and mirror your smartphone on the touchscreen display. Together with the advanced connectivity, the new Jazz has plenty of storage spaces to fit gadgets as big as a tablet.

The Jazz is equipped with refined 1.5-liter i-VTEC engine that delivers 120ps at 6600 rpm and is mated to an improved 5-speed manual transmission or a new Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) developed under Honda’s Earth Dreams Technology.

Honda has also equipped the Jazz with an ECO Assist system, which consists of the ECON mode that controls the engine, drive-by-wire, transmission, and air conditioning performance to improve fuel consumption; and the Eco coaching ambient light that promotes a more fuel efficient driving habit by changing its color depending on the throttle input.

For safety, the new Jazz is equipped with ABS with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and dual front airbags. Added to the top-of-the-line variant are side airbags and side curtain airbags. Select variants come with additional safety features such as multi-view rear camera with dynamic guidelines, Emergency Stop Signal (ESS), Hill Start Assist (HSA) and Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) and Motion-Adaptive Electric Power Steering (EPS).

The Motion-Adaptive EPS works with Honda’s VSA to detect instability in slippery road conditions both during cornering and under braking. It automatically initiates steering inputs aimed at prompting the driver to steer in the correct direction.

Four variants of the all-new Jazz are made available with the following suggested retail prices:

1.5 V MT        P768,000

1.5 V CVT      P808,000

1.5 VX CVT   P908,000

(Available by August 2014)

1.5 VX+ CVT             P948,000

The new Jazz comes in Rallye Red, Taffeta White, and (exclusive to VX and VX+ variants), Attract Yellow Pearl, Vivid Sky Blue Pearl, and Modern Steel Metallic; and (exclusive to V variants), Alabaster Silver Metallic.