Honda Jazz First Anniversary Drive Report

We plan on going to Samode, a hamlet on the outskirts of Jaipur, about 60 kilometres away from the city centre. Known for its 475-year old palace, the sheer scale and grandeur of the place is awe-inducing. A brilliant mix of Indian and Mughal architecture, the long corridors and the massive rooms are as palatial as things get.

Parked in front of the palace, the Jazz did turn a few heads. The design does have interesting elements, such as the gloss black grille, the lovely 15-inch wheels, the spoiler and the vertically stacked tail lamps, all giving the Honda a bit of character.

The Jazz seemed like a hatch that echoed similar sentiments about space. We tested the ‘magic seats’ out in a race against the clock, using different modes to accommodate potted plants, and a bicycle; and made a makeshift bed, too! We put it through a tight slalom course as well, that the neutral steering and high seating posture made easy to negotiate. As we retired for Day 1, I reflected on what makes the Jazz a compelling package. It is easy to drive within the city thanks to the light clutch and the steering, and has no qualms making room for five full-sized adults on a road trip. Practical? You bet!

On day 2, the Jazz accompanied us through the dizzying maze that is Jaipur for a set of challenges. We put it through long open highway stretches and quaint little roads in succession. We visited everything from the Amer Fort to the Hawa Mahal and the famous Laxmi Mishtaan Bhandaar, too. While the challenges kept our spirits up, the car itself felt relaxed about whatever Jaipur had to throw at it. The steering felt nice zipping through Kanak Ghati and was light enough squeezing through the narrow bylanes heading to the Hawa Mahal.

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The long-ish drive gave me a chance to hop into the rear bench for a considerable distance as well. The backrest is reclined at a comfortable angle and there's acres of legroom and headroom at your disposal. What we particularly like is the airy feel the large glasshouse lends to the cabin. In spite of the all-black upholstery our test car wore, the interiors feel anything but claustrophobic. That said, I did miss a set of rear aircon vents even though the heat outside was a fairly acceptable 30°C. With the AC set to the lowest setting, it does take time for the rear seats to reach non-sweating temperatures due to the sheer volume of the car. 

Also, the ride quality at the rear bench doesn't feel as planted as it does at the front. There's a fair bit of bounce at high speeds as well. We reckon if we had more luggage and four occupants instead of three, the ride would've been comparatively planted.

Since we were driving the petrol, we did miss outright grunt on the highway. However, once we settled into a relaxed cruise it was more than happy to putter along calmly, with good songs playing through the stereo and a light right foot. That's the perfect way to drive the Jazz. Yes, it can get a move on quickly, but you'd have to rev the socks off it. And that isn't what it is meant to do. The 1.2-litre, 89PS motor isn't supposed to participate in traffic-light drags. It is meant to chow down the highway at a leisurely pace, while the family (and possibly the dog too!) nestle in the seats comfortably. Moreover, the massive 343-litre boot will swallow pretty much everything you can pack for a weeklong road trip. 

Is there anything new that we learnt about the Jazz? Not really. It's still a hatch we recommend when anyone says space and practicality ranks high on their wish list. The engines are frugal, and given their track record, are reliable as well. It's a practical hatch made for a family that enjoys travelling, nay exploring together.