DAZZLING WITH THE ALL NEW JAZZ

The All-New Jazz was introduced by Honda Malaysia to purposefully defy the conventional ways of perception, embodiment, style and design of a compact vehicle.

A quick look at the latest Jazz entails thought provoking agenda in regards to its forward-shifted, slanted windshields and front hood sharpness motives. The exterior appeal boasts an exemplary advanced super-forward exterior styling, aero dynamism and energetic semblance.

Combined with the opulent Cerulean Blue Metallic, signature color of the All New Jazz, and the cut-off rear, though a lot smaller compared to the first generation (left), the overall sporty lines impression has an increased exterior appeal. A downsized rear doesn’t mean lesser interior space as the all new Jazz has a cabin space measuring up to 384 litres, and ample legroom and headroom for the driver’s and passengers’ comfort.

The inside of the All New Jazz presents a fresh appeal and comes complete with a refined dashboard, featuring the meter cluster for user-friendly functions; vehicle information display (VID) LCD (left) and an integrated audio player.

The all new Jazz’s interior has been much expanded with the inclusion of three-mode folding ULTRA seats to accommodate utility, long and tall modes for all kinds of road trips. The speedometer display is basic, only the essentials were incorporated.

Amenities wise, the Jazz provides up to eight essentials; dual glove box (above left), utility centre console and front centre consoles, cup holder, push lift fuel lid, rear underseat box (above left), driver’s armrest and tilt and telescopic steering (left). Additional essential amenities for the Grade V include the power retractable door mirror with side turn lights (below left) and steering audio controls(below right).

Its air-condition capability, although more apparent for the driver and front passenger, did not have as much effect on rear passengers due to the lack of rear air vents and extra space. Do pay particular notice, especially when you’re the only one driving, on the automated lock function that doesn’t exactly auto-lock when the car is in motion or while driving, quite unlike most vehicles on the road these days.

Another department on the flip side of the coin was the entertainment system which included a USB port for iPods and portable devices, and an AUX jack (above left). The fitted integrated audio (4-speakers) with MP3/WMA compatibility did not quite provide that typical stereo ‘surround’ sound normally available in other Honda variants. After the research, we quickly indulged to drive with the shift hold control (Grade V) as it took a brief moment of getting acquainted with. Surprisingly, the gear changes were able to be performed with the greatest of ease and could be activated either on D-mode or S-mode.

The rainy season had allowed us lots of opportune moments to utilize the wipers more frequently than usual during our weekend allocation. Though the all new Jazz has extended and larger windshield, the standard wipers weren’t as conforming as expected. We discovered that the wipers while in operations were a tad bit too loud, especially on hi-mode. To counter the effects, we had decided to turn up the volume of the audio player and drive a little faster. We took the North-South highway route to Malacca to scrutinize the vehicle earnestly. The route presented an opportunity to concur or not Honda’s claim that the all new Jazz boasts the most powerful engine in its class, yet fuel efficient. Its 1.5-liter with an output of 120PS@6,600rpm and torque of 145Nm@4,800 rpm conformed to more than adequate speed while pushing the limits on the highway between 180-200km/h. The car felt minimal strain for a long stretch and was rather gentle on bumpy surfaces.

We also had opportunities to rely on the effective cruise control (left) which was incidentally the best feature on the all new Jazz. However, its body roll was evident when sudden lane change was required, possibly due to its height and width specification.

Of course, the car does have its counter measures in the form of the ABS, EBD, BA and high-mount stop lights to ensure body roll effects to the minimal and for obvious safety aspects.

Though it is not recommended to lane change frequently, the car did perform relatively good cornering ability at nominal speeds. The sturdy handling of the car was possible thanks to its enhanced front and rear suspension system; the McPherson strut with stabilizers and H-shape torsion beams. In addition, the fitted Bridgestone Turanzas were markedly quite and most noticeable on continuous drive.

After our 2 1/2 hour journey to the historic city due to some traffic, we barely felt lethargic and were ready for the inner city adventure. Second phase of the trip was also a refreshing one, mostly attributed to the versatile and comfortable ULTRA seats. A word of caution on the all new Jazz, we found that reversing the vehicle proved a little tricky because as soon as the driver engaged ‘R’, the loud sensors triggered continuously until nearer to an object behind the car rather inaccurately. Drivers should be on a constant look out when reversing and not be too reliant on the reverse sensors. The all new Jazz wasn't real easy on fuel as we made the KL-Malacca-KL trip with a full tank and a half. The fuel consumption was pretty erratic at 12.8 (Highway) – 14.1 (city) litre per 100 kilometers, allowing only 385KM in total on a full tank of fuel.

The stipulated pricing for the all new Jazz at RM104,800 for Grade S (above & right) and RM109,800 for Grade V, though on a high side, are matched with formidable automotive advancement and technology. For more information, contact Honda Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. at 1800-88-2020 or log on towww.defyconvention.com.my

SPECIFICATIONS Model Honda Jazz Grade S Grade V ENGINE Engine Type SOHC 4 Cylinder 16 Valve i-VTEC Fuel Supply System PGM-FI (Programmed Fuel Injection) Bore & Stroke (mm) 73.0 x 89.4 Displacement (cc) 1,497 Compression Ratio 10.4:1 Maximum Power [PS (kW) / rpm] 88 (120) / 6,600 Maximum Torque [Nm (kg-m) / rpm] 145 (14.8) / 4,800 Drive-by-Wire Yes TRANSMISSION Transmission Type 5-speed Automatic Transmission with Shift Hold Control Gear ratio 1st 2.995 2nd 1.678 3rd 1.066 4th 0.760 5th 0.551 Reverse 1.956 STEERING Type Rack & Pinion with Power Assisted (EPS) Turning Radius (m) 4.9 Turns, lock to lock 3.29 BRAKING SYSTEM Front Ventilated Disc Rear Solid Disc SUSPENSION SYSTEM Front MacPherson strut with stabiliser bar Rear H-shape Torsion Beam DIMENSIONS Length (mm) 3,900 3,920 Width (mm) 1,695 Height (mm) 1,525 Wheelbase (mm) 2,500 Treads (Front) (mm) 1,490 1,475 Treads (Rear) (mm) 1,475 1,460 Ground Clearance (mm) 150 (unloaded) Curb Weight (kg) 1,110 1,120 Wheel Size 175 / 65 R15 185 / 55 R16 Fuel Tank Capacity (Litre) 42

MAJOR EQUIPMENT Model Honda Jazz Grade S Grade V EXTERIOR Multi reflector headlight Yes Body color front & rear bumper Yes Sport type Door mirror with side turn light No Yes Front intermittent wiper system Yes Rear wiper system Yes Exhaust pipe finisher No Yes Wheel Alloy 15" Alloy 16" INTERIOR Interior color Blue Black Black Height adjustable driver seat Yes Rear seat reclining Yes ULTRA seat Yes Driver armrest Yes Tilt & telescopic steering wheel Yes Paddle shift No Yes Cruise control No Yes Self-illuminating meters Yes Vehicle Information Display (VID) Yes Power window Yes Power door lock Yes Vanity mirror with lid Driver Yes Front Passenger Yes Dual glove box Yes Utility center console Yes Ten cup holders Yes Rear underseat box Yes Seat back pocket Driver Yes Front Passenger Yes Map light Yes Key alarm Yes Light alarm Yes Seatbelt reminder Yes Accessory socket Yes AUDIO Integrated audio (MP3 & WMA Compatible) Yes Steering wheel audio control No Yes USB port Yes AUX jack Yes Speaker 4 speakers SAFETY Dual SRS airbag Yes Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) Yes Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) Yes Brake Assist (BA) Yes Front pretensioner seatbelts Yes Front seatbelts 3-point ELR with shoulder anchor adjuster (x2) Rear seatbelts 3-point ELR (x2) + 1 point MAN (x1) Immobiliser Yes Security alarm Yes Wave blade key Yes Pinch-free window (driver side only) Yes High-mount brake light Yes Ultrasonic sensor Yes

About Honda Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. Incorporated on 15 November 2000, Honda Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. is a partnership between Honda Motor Co., Ltd. of Japan, which owns 51% of the company, and two Malaysian companies, DRB-HICOM Berhad and Oriental Holdings Berhad, which hold 34% and 15% respectively.