Yes, empty-nesters will still find the Jazz attractive, but the new model should also appeal to the younger customer, says Honda Motor Southern Africa (HMSA) operations director Graham Eagle.
He believes the more dynamic- looking Jazz – the third iteration – will broaden the appeal of the hatchback beyond moms and older couples.
The Jazz will be available in showrooms from mid-February.
It is built in India, at Honda’s new Tapukara plant.
In fact, with the strong yen hurting Japanese exports for a number of years already, Honda has diversified its production base to the degree that South Africa now sources only the CR-Z sports hybrid from Japan.
Eagle says HMSA imports its vehicles from India, Thailand and the UK.
He hopes the new Jazz will see sales of between 200 and 300 units a month, as was the case with the previous model.
The Jazz competes in the top-end of the B-segment, against the likes of the Ford Fiesta and the Volkswagen Polo, notes Eagle.
However, he thinks the Jazz can continue to secure a number of buyers shopping for larger vehicles in the C-segment.
“If you get into a Jazz, you will see that it is really the same size. I think buy-down makes up a strong proportion of our buyers.”
The availability of an automatic gearbox in a smaller car also helps.
Compared with its softer, more rounded predecessor, the new Jazz looks slightly more linear and aggressive.
There are also some new colours on the menu, such as sunset orange.
Inside, Honda has retained its magic seat system in the new Jazz, offering a variety of seating/folding configurations. There is also additional legroom for rear passengers.
The vehicle is offered with a choice of two engines, namely a new 1.2 ℓ four-cylinder engine, as well as the 1.5 ℓ four-cylinder unit, which is retained from the previous Jazz.
Both engines employ Honda’s i-VTEC intelligent variable valve timing system.
There are two transmission choices: a five-speed manual gearbox or a constantly variable automatic transmission (CVT).
The most affordable Jazz will be the manual 1.2 Trend, starting at R179 900, followed by the Jazz 1.2 Comfort, which is available with a choice of manual or CVT transmission.
With the 1.5 ℓ engine, there is a choice of four Jazz derivatives. The 1.5 Elegance can be ordered with either manual or CVT transmission, while the range-topping 1.5 Dynamic offers the same two transmission choices. This model is priced at R264 900.
This price tag also buys you Honda’s new seven-inch touch-screen display as the interface to the car’s audio system and trip computer, as well as Bluetooth audio streaming and hands-free telephony.
An adapter cable allows content from a smart device, including music, movies and images, to be played back on the display. It also opens the door to an extended, and growing, list of compatible applications.
The Jazz Elegance comes equipped with a five-inch infotainment system, while the Trend and Comfort models are equipped with an in-car entertainment solution that offers USB and auxiliary inputs, an FM/AM tuner, and a Bluetooth interface for hands-free telephony and audio streaming.
Electric windows, electric mirrors, air conditioning and six airbags are standard on all models.
All models except the entry-level Trend include a four-year/60 000 km service plan.
Service is on all models is at 15 000 km intervals.
•HMSA has also announced that the NSX, with its turbocharged hybrid engine, will be launched in South Africa in the first quarter of 2016.