'CAFE' in the UK

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Mon 27 Dec 2004 22:24
'CAFE' in the UK - Rhubarb
Hi

A question for HJ really. In the write-up on the 2005 MY Honda Jazz, HJ mentions that Honda are not importing the more powerful version of the Jazz because they are using the Jazz model to maintain their CAFE rating. I had never heard of CAFE but a quick search on the Web revealed it stands for Corporate Average Fuel Economy ( www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/cafe/overview.htm ) but the only references I can find seem to indicate that this is target used for the American market. Is CAFE a target used in the UK?

Andy
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Wed 29 Dec 2004 23:29
'CAFE' in the UK - Avant
So if Honda's reason for not importing a faster Jazz isn't CAFE, it's probably something they don't want to admit, like not having the capacity to make more. I think the Jazz is no.1 bestseller in Japan, so maybe the home market takes up most of the capacity.

It's a pity, and all power to you, HJ, if you have any influence with them. SWMBO was in the market for exactly that earlier this year - her Jazz was excellent but not quite quick enough - and we ended up getting her a Civic Type S which is fast but bigger than she really wants.

Honda would find a niche here for a fast but practical supermini - there isn't much competition. We should have gone for a Skoda Fabia VRS but SWMBO (a Daily Mail reader) is much too conservative for it! She had a 206 HDI before - excellent engine but the rest of the car wasn't great, and the blind spot at the back was positively dangerous.

Has anyone else looked for something like this successfully?
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Thu 30 Dec 2004 11:35
'CAFE' in the UK - Malcolm_L
Avant,
new Daihatsu Sirion is worth a look, we got a nearly new Sirion last year with the 1.3 Toyota engine.
All the toys, very willing engine matched to a close ratio gearbox makes this a hoot to drive.

It's a bit lightweight but it's primary use is commuting in town so it's not an issue.

Being majority owned by Toyota it's a bit like Japan's Skoda.

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