SA Road Tests

Welcome

This is the home of automobile road tests in South Africa. I drive South African cars, SUVs and LCVs under real-world South African conditions. Most, but not all, the vehicles driven are world cars as well, so what you read here possibly applies to the models you get where you live.

My most recent drive is on the home page. Archived reviews and opinion pieces are in the active menu down the left side. Hover your cursor over a heading or manufacturer's name and follow the drop-down.


Review: 2015 Honda Jazz 1.5 Dynamic m/t

 This car is known as Honda Fit in some markets

Needs a sixth

Posted: 27 September 2015

The numbers
Price: R257 300
Engine: Honda L15A7, 1496 cc, SOHC, 16-valve, four-cylinder
Power: 88 kW at 6600 rpm
Torque: 145 Nm at 4800 rpm
Zero to 100 km/h: 9.9 seconds
Maximum speed: 180 km/h
Real life fuel consumption: About 6.4 l/100 km
Tank: 40 litres
Luggage: 363 – 881 litres
Warranty: 3 years / 100 000 km
Service plan: 4 years / 60 000 km; at 15 000 km intervals

Why the dull and boring header? Why no reference to funkiness, jazz, swingin’ sweet melodies, blue notes, syncopation or the French Quarter in N’awlins?

Trouble is; wish as we might, Honda’s Jazz does not induce ecstasy. It’s a fine little car; solid and reliable; practical as a Honshu housewife; but not what you’d pick for a weekend of naughtiness. Middle-aged sons recommend it to mums living in retirement villages - and pragmatic people choose it, once let into its secrets. 

It sells steadily; averaging just over 200 units per month in SA since an extensive “re-do” this past January. That’s more than some manufacturers move in total, but it’s still no Polo TSI.

There are seven models using two engines and a pair of transmissions, spread over four equipment levels. Our test unit was the next-to-top 1.5-litre Dynamic version with five-speed manual gearbox. That means it had all the good stuff: 16” alloy wheels, privacy glass, rear parking sensors and the uprated entertainment centre with 7” touch-screen, app-inspired interface and an HDMI input to supplement two USB sockets.

Obviously, the basics are all there. That would be six ‘bags, Bluetooth, phone and voice control, an onboard computer, steering wheel remote buttons, ISOFix anchors, front fog lights, cruise control, automatic air conditioning, in-motion locking, powered windows with one-touch for the driver, folding electric mirrors and all the expected safety electronics. That includes ABS with EBD and EBA, hill start assist, vehicle stability assist and panic-flashing brake lights.

But let’s not forget the “magic seats.” The cushions on the rear chairs lift up so you can lock them in place vertically – useful for carrying Ali Baba pots, small trees or possibly compact household furniture. Try that in your neighbour’s Polo.

What’s different is a new and longer platform, solider construction, a refreshed face with more angular appearance and a redesigned interior. With the stretched floorpan goes a wheelbase that’s 35 mm longer for greater comfort and more interior volume. Other space-contributing factors are a compacter engine bay, more efficient back suspension layout and redesigned rear wheel arches. The boot grows too, by 26 litres with seatbacks up, although packing space with them folded is much the same as before.

While we’re being technical, the new car also loses two litres of fuel tank volume and about 15 mm of ground clearance, although 135 millimetres is still pretty decent. While on the fuel tank, it’s mounted amidships and under the floor, so an informal observation is that the length of pipe between filler cap and tank would probably make up the nominal difference. The front, ventilated disc brakes have grown from 262 mm to 350 mm (14”) although the rearmost 239 mm discs (on previously equivalent Executive versions) have been replaced by drums.

The experience: It steers and parks easily with its 10.8-metre turning circle and three turns from lock to lock. And vision outward is generally good through big windows, although rear side views are obstructed by wide ‘C” pillars. The five-speed manual gearstick is easy to reach but its action is a trifle notchy, and pedal spacing is comfortable with enough room to find the footrest. The conventional parking brake works well although it’s offset to the left. That’s unexpected in a Japanese vehicle, considering they also drive on the “correct” side of the road.

Its boot is nicely sized for a small car (363 litres), neatly rectangular and easy to load and unload. The lip is about 60 cm above ground level, it's only 10 centimetres deep and it opens and closes easily, helped by a pair of gas struts. There is a light and a full-size alloy spare. Seatbacks split 2/3:1/3 to fold flat and expand storage to 881 litres.

There’s generally enough head space in the back seat although I wouldn’t lean back too far. Knee room is generous, there is a full suite of belts, head restraints and kiddie chair anchors, while the central hump is almost not there. That’s so Malcolm in the middle can get comfortable.

All is not completely rosy, unfortunately. Engine revs of about 3400 at 120 km/h in top gear are high by today’s standards. The resulting buzz makes cruising a chore. This Jazz needs a sixth gear, but perhaps the legacy 'box is a cost-saving measure. Or maybe those middle-aged sons cannot believe their dear, sweet mums could hurtle along highways like fast young women with weekend trysts?

Test car from Honda SA press fleet
 

Your choice: Folded flat or lifted up

What We Do

This is a one-man show, which means that every car reviewed is given my personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.
Every test car goes through real world driving; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads as well.

I do my best to include relevant information like real life fuel economy or a close mathematical calculation, boot size or luggage space, whether the space is both usable and accessible, whether life-sized people can use the back seat (where that applies), basic specs of the vehicle and performance figures if they are published. In the case of clearly identified launch reports, fuel figures are of necessity the laboratory numbers provided with the release material. If I ever place an article that doesn't cover most things, it's probably because I have dealt with that vehicle at least once already, so you will be able to find what you want in another report under the same manufacturer's heading in the menu on the left.

Hope you like what you see, because there are no commercial interests at work here. As quite a few readers have found, I answer every serious enquiry from my home email address, with my phone numbers attached, so they can see I do actually exist.

Comments?
Want to ask a question, comment or just tell me you completely disagree with what I say? If you want advice or have a genuine concern, I will be happy to hear from you. All I ask is that you write something in the subject line so I know which vehicle you're talking about.