Honda To Reveal New Jazz Hybrid At Tokyo Motor Show

• The new Jazz in international markets will get a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol capable of producing 125PS.
• The hybrid powertrain will feature an electric motor paired up with a petrol engine.
• Next-gen Jazz is expected to launch in India by mid-2020.

The Tokyo Motor Show, which will be held from October 24 to November 4, will witness the world premiere of the fourth generation Honda Jazz. Known as the Fit in markets abroad, the hatchback was first introduced in 2001. Honda had brought the second generation Jazz to India followed by the third-generation, which is currently on sale here. Staying in tune with Honda’s plans for electrification, the upcoming Jazz will feature a hybrid powertrain setup. 

Honda has been testing the hatchback abroad and it seems like the Japanese giant’s camouflage game is on point. Nevertheless, we found out that the upcoming Jazz has grown in size and that it now sports a more rounded design. Large headlamps and a bigger grille are some of the other noticeable changes. Similar to the current iteration, the A-pillar still features a large quarter glass. 

The rear end has also been extensively modified with a new bumper, bootlid and tail lamps. The interiors were also briefly spied, revealing a new dashboard, steering wheel and a floating touchscreen infotainment system. The upcoming Jazz is also expected to grow in terms of dimensions thanks to a new platform that could also spawn the 2020 Honda City. However, expect Honda to trim the new Jazz to under four metres in length for the Indian market for tax benefits.

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The new underpinnings will also support new powertrain setups, including a hybrid. According to various reports, a new 1.0-litre 3-cylinder turbocharged engine good for 125PS of peak power will be offered in the US. Meanwhile, the same hatchback in Europe is expected to gain a twin-motor hybrid setup. A powerful electric motor will be paired up with either a 1.2-litre or 1.5-litre engine. Closer to home, the new Jazz is expected to retain the current version’s 1.2-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel engine. In between, a leaked document also gave us a glimpse of the Type-R version of the Jazz with a 220PS 1.5-litre turbocharged engine.

The new Jazz is expected to make its way into India by mid-2020. Currently, the Jazz is priced between Rs 7.45 lakh to Rs 9.80 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) with key rivals being the Maruti Suzuki Baleno, Hyundai Elite i20, Volkswagen Polo and the hotly-anticipated Tata Altroz.

 Image Source: CarScoops& AutoEsporte