Jazz drive

The Honda Jazz is that vehicle that started the hatchback segment in the industry — that was in 2004. This year, Honda launched what it calls “The One,” further strengthening the benchmark that the Jazz has set.

And that is Jazz the way I like it. The Honda Jazz is what I like to call an old reliable car. Small, yes, but never small when it comes to performance.

The Honda Jazz has built itself a reputation for being a versatile, reliable and city-driving friendly vehicle. And now, its so modern styling, with sharper design for the front and an edgier rear-end with long vertical taillights — make it another cool looker.

What immediately makes the Jazz so great is just how much space the car has inside. Its headroom is plenty, and there is room enough for four adults in the front and back without any complaints. I might even add that it seemed to me that legroom space could even put medium-size sedans to shame. I did sit in the back seat — just to try it out.

But, what makes the Jazz even more cool is the “magic” rear folding seats, which are easy to fold in when more space for loading bigger items is needed at the back.   With the rear seats folded flat, it became my best friend because I was able to load my road bike for a weekend ride out of town.

The Jazz Ultra Seat has been so improved that these seats can be used in four modes: Utility mode, with ultra seat folded flat, so the vehicle can carry two passengers and larger items; Tall mode with the ultra seat folded up, so the vehicle can carry two or three passengers and tall items with maximum height of 100 cm in the second row; Long mode with the ultra seat folded flat and the front passenger seat reclined all the way back, so the vehicle can carry two passengers and a long item with maximum length of 226 cm; and the Refresh mode, the new addition to the Ultra seat configurations — the front seats can be reclined to connect with the rear seats, allowing the driver and passenger to have in-car relaxation.

I have to share with you that after I did my 20-k bike ride, I headed straight to the Jazz and tried out the refresh mode of fixing the seats. This gave me the best way to cool down after the bike ride and to take a short nap under the cool shade of the trees nearby.  A perfect drive with the best seats in the house.

FUNCTIONAL COMPACT

Honda has re-engineered the the all new Jazz the goal of becoming  “The World’s Best Functional Compact.” Matter of fact, Honda says that the development team that worked on the all new Jazz incorporated key technologies aimed at further improving its dynamic performance, fuel economy and essentially its versatility and functionality.

Up from my nap, I gave the Jazz one more lookover. Based on the “Sophisticated Futuristic Cockpit” interior concept, I was impressed by the cockpit because it assimilates advanced and high-quality textures that add to the fun of driving.  It features a highly visible “3-eye” design instrument cluster. Another addition to the advanced dashboard design is the push start button. The Smart Key with Push Start System intelligently locks and unlocks the doors without even touching the smart key and a push button to start or turn off the engine.

There are some things in car that are better appreciated from the back seat — believe me.

The Jazz also offers first-class features such as the seven-inch touch screen display audio, the application of which minimizes the use of buttons and thus makes it easier to operate while radiating a premium feel. The 7-inch touch screen display audio features functions such as hands-free telephone (HFT) and audio streaming via Bluetooth connectivity.  For added convenience, the Bluetooth HFT and audio can be operated via the controls mounted on the steering wheel.

Of course, not to be missed are the different ports such as auxiliary, USB, and the new HDMI port that lets me connect and my smartphone on the display audio screen and an accessory socket. Together with the connectivity, there was plenty room to fit other gadgets as big as a tablet. 

TIME TO HEAD HOME

But it is always best to be at the cockpit and in control of the car.  The Jazz that I drove was equipped with a 1.5 liter i-VTEC engine that delivers maximum power output of 120 ps at 6,600 rpm. I made sure to use the ECO Assist system. This consists of the ECON mode that controls the engine, drive-by-wire, transmission, and air conditioning performance to improve fuel consumption; and the Eco coaching ambient light that promotes a more fuel efficient driving habit by changing its color depending on the throttle input.

I also give a bit of a test to the braking system as I drove on the SLEX. As standard, the Jazz is equipped with Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and driver and passenger SRS airbags; added to the top-of-the-line variant are side airbags and side curtain airbags.  The Jazz followed my lead and stopped each time I gave the brakes a push.  I know how often I have been blind-sided by the many motorcycle drivers who seem to feel that they are invisible or invincible  — and immune to danger. These motorcycle drivers often drive with reckless abandon, making them even more dangerous than the jeeps I encounter in the Port Area.

There is also a Motion-Adaptive EPS that works with Honda’s VSA to detect instability in slippery road conditions both during cornering and under braking. It automatically initiates steering inputs aimed at prompting the driver to steer in the correct direction.

Driving is such a pleasure — there are never any bad-driving days for me, no matter the traffic conditions.  The all-new Honda Jazz made for the perfect weekend date for me — and I live for weekends and car rides, just like this one.