Honda Jazz (2015 – 2020) Review

If you’ve ever wondered how to squeeze a quart into a pint pot, look no further than the Honda Jazz. It’s always been a masterclass in making the most of every inch of interior space while keeping the outer dimensions of a small hatchback, and the model launched in 2015 was a superb step on in the Honda Jazz’s development. Although not quite as good to drive as a Mazda 2 or the massive-selling Ford Fiesta, nor quite as classy as an Audi A1 Sportback, the Honda Jazz still manages to be an extremely sound bet for used buyers. Read on for our full Honda Jazz review.

The Honda Jazz is something of an unsung hero among small hatches. Unfairly derided for its sensible image and traditionally more ‘mature’ owner – the average buyer age is over 60 – the Honda Jazz has never quite had the appeal of the likes of the Volkswagen Polo or Ford Fiesta.

But maybe the Honda Jazz that arrived in 2015 – complete with a Sport model – will change your mind.

This Honda Jazz takes all the strengths of its predecessor – namely clever packaging, an incredibly practical interior and Tardis-like amounts of space – and builds on them to create one of the best used small hatches on sale.

It does, of course, retain Honda’s ingenious ‘magic seats’ that fold and flip in various configurations to allow you to carry surprisingly large items – like plants, upright vacuum cleaners and bikes.

Yet there’s even more interior space, a larger boot and plenty of clever little touches to make everyday life easier. In fact, it has the room and versatility to shame much larger cars.

It also has the feel of a much bigger car on the motorway, too, with high comfort levels and a relaxed nature. This Honda Jazz was much better in corners, with lots of grip and nicely weighted steering.

There were big improvements to the interior quality and finish, too, while the Honda Jazz is also one of the most refined small cars around with little road noise and a superbly forgiving ride.

Most Honda Jazz models of this era are powered by a 1.3-litre i-VTEC petrol engine, which does lack low down response, as it’s not turbocharged. However, it has more than enough power for the car and is very quiet. It also works very well with both the standard six-speed manual or the optional CVT automatic.

After 2018, Honda Jazz buyers could opt for a 1.5-litre petrol engine in Sport trim. A clear attempt to attract younger customers, the Sport featured a red stripe on the front, sporty side skirts and a rear spoiler. Gloss black 16-inch alloys were standard, while orange stitching added a touch of raciness to the interior.

Like the 1.3, the 1.5 is a naturally aspirated engine. This means it needs to be worked hard compared to turbocharged rivals, but enthusiastic drivers might enjoy building the revs. Indeed, the Honda Jazz Sport is a surprisingly fun car to drive, as long as you’re not expecting instant thrills.

The Honda Jazz is also well equipped. Add in its big car feel, a high-quality finish and, of course, its unrivalled interior space and practicality – helped by those clever ‘magic seats’ – and this makes the Honda Jazz easy to recommend.

Not only is the Honda Jazz refined, quiet and economical, it’s also a revelation to drive.

The firm has taken all of its handling know-how and applied it to the car. As a result, it’s mightily impressive in corners, with lots of front-end grip and nicely weighted steering.

You can happily tackle a tight bend with some gusto, and the Honda Jazz will give you plenty of confidence.

The ride quality is phenomenally good for any car, let alone one this small. It’s smooth over rough surfaces and glides over speed bumps. On the motorway, the Honda Jazz feels like a much bigger car, with a relaxed and stable feel, plus little in the way of wind or road noise.

Buyers get a choice of two naturally aspirated petrol engines – a 1.3-litre and a 1.5-litre.

Honda has resisted following the trend for smaller capacity turbocharged engines, but the 1.3-litre that most buyers choose still has a reasonable 102PS, which is more than adequate for a car as light as the Honda Jazz – it tips the scales at just over a tonne.

The fact it’s not turbocharged means the Honda Jazz does lack a little in low-down response. It’s fine around town, but can be frustrating when accelerating on to a fast-flowing dual carriageway from a slip road.

This is down to the fact the 1.3 i-VTEC only has 123Nm of torque – in comparison to the Ford Fiesta 1.0 Ecoboost that produces 170Nm.

As it's an i-VTEC engine, the Honda Jazz really comes into its own at high revs, which is somewhat at odds with the car’s billing as a sensible small hatch. It will happily rev all the way up to a dizzy 6500rpm and isn’t coarse in the process. In fact, it buzzes along with real gusto, although we doubt this is what many Honda Jazz owners will want to do.

If you’re after a lazier drive, the 1.5-litre Sport isn’t the Honda Jazz for you. Just like the 1.3, the bigger engine needs to be worked hard for its performance. If you’re willing to do that, however, you might be surprised at just how fun it is. This isn’t a car for those who want to ride a wave of torque, but rev towards the limiter and the Sport can make surprising progress.

During more relaxed everyday driving, both Honda Jazz engines are quiet and refined.

A six-speed manual gearbox comes as standard, or there’s the option of a CVT automatic gearbox. The manual works very well with a positive change, a light clutch and low overall gearing.

But don’t discount the CVT. It suits the relaxed nature of the Honda Jazz perfectly. True it can prove noisy under acceleration, but for the most part it’s smooth. Plus it benefits from European-specific software to give more predictable, manual car-like behaviour.

Every Honda Jazz of this generation has City Brake Active, which provides automatic emergency braking to avoid or lessen the impact of a collision in town.

A speed limiter was also included, and lane assist was standard across the range, with the exception of  the base S model. When new, the Honda Jazz scored a superb five-star rating in Euro NCAP crash tests.

Isofix rear child seat mounts are included with the Honda Jazz, alongside twin front, side and curtain airbags.

The Honda Jazz of this generation can pull a 450kg unbraked trailer. Go for a braked trailer and you can haul as much as 1000kg with the car.

The Honda Jazz may be a small car, but it’s amazingly versatile and practical – more so than many larger cars. Thanks to its clever design, there’s an abundance of space inside, with lots of headroom and plenty of legroom.

In fact, Honda claimed there’s as much kneeroom in the back as a Mercedes S-Class. Even with both front seats pushed all the way back, you can still happily carry four adults in comfort.

Taller drivers may find the driving position a touch cramped. It feels like the seat could do with going back another couple of inches, but the seats themselves are comfortable with decent support. You can happily cover long distances in the Honda Jazz in comfort.

Other features such as the wide-opening doors make getting in the back – or fitting child seats – a painless process. 

What really makes the car so practical is the ingenious ‘magic seats’, which made their debut in the 2001 Honda Jazz. These fold forward in one clever movement to create a flat load floor. Their real party trick, though, is that they flip up and lock in place, allowing you to carry tall items like plants on the rear floor. No other small car can match the clever practicality of the Honda Jazz.

This generation of Honda Jazz is more spacious than its predecessors and that means a bigger boot. It’s a very useful space that’s 17 litres bigger than on the model this car replaced in 2015, with a wide opening and low load lip making lifting items such as pushchairs in a doddle.

If you need to carry larger objects, then the rear seats can be folded, giving a flat load deck with 1314 litres to the roof.

It’s also possible to fold the front passenger seat, meaning items like planks or a surfboard will fit. You can even fold the seats to form two beds.

The quality of the finish and the material used is top notch, which went some way to justifying the high list price of the Honda Jazz when new.

It feels a cut above your usual hatchback, yet is still durable and hard-wearing.

The Honda Connect infotainment system – standard on SE models and above – is one of our biggest gripes with the Honda Jazz.

It’s slow and frustrating to use, and the lack of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will no doubt put off many buyers. However, you do get Bluetooth and a USB port to help with connectivity.

Look for an early version of this generation of Honda Jazz and you are likely to spend from £8000 for an eight-year-old model with about 65,000 miles to its name.

A four-year-old Honda Jazz with less than 20,000 miles on the clock will come in at £14,000 from the company’s approved used scheme, which will also give you the peace of mind of a year’s warranty.

The 2015 Honda Jazz is not going to put a big dent in your budgeting whichever version you choose.

With the 1.3-litre petrol engine, it claimed an official economy of up to 60.1mpg, while the 1.5 was rated at up to 52.3mpg. In every case, you should see around 50mpg in normal use.

Emissions from the Honda Jazz vary between 117g/km and 125g/km, so road tax is affordable whether it’s a pre-April 2017 model, or post this date when road tax costs change for used cars.

Insurance is another easy-on-the-wallet item to fund, as the Honda Jazz sits in groups 13 to 19, and servicing at Honda dealers is not pricey.

The entry-level Honda Jazz S comes with air-conditioning, cruise control with speed limiter and dusk-sensing auto lights. Every grade has Honda’s City Brake Active to help avoid low-speed accidents.

The Honda Jazz SE model adds front and rear parking sensors, electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors and 15-inch alloy wheels. A myriad of drive-assist systems are also standard, including lane departure warning, intelligent speed limiter and traffic sign recognition. 

If you opt for a Honda Jazz EX, you get smart entry and start, automatic air-conditioning and a six-speaker audio upgrade. Styling is enhanced with 16-inch alloy wheels and front foglamps.

Lastly, the Honda Jazz Sport model features styling upgrades, including a thinner front splitter with a red stripe, side skirts and a bold rear diffuser.

A tailgate spoiler is standard, as are 16-inch black alloy wheels. Inside, the steering wheel and gearknob are finished in leather, while orange stitching brightens up the cabin.