Honda is not only known for manufacturing a wide variety of products, from lawnmowers to private planes, they are also known for their involvement in motorsport across a variety of disciplines. One of the most respected Formula 1 drivers in history, Ayrton Senna, drove a Honda-powered McLaren to achieve great success and more recently, Marc Márquez and the Repsol Honda Team came out on top during the 2019 MotoGP season. Their involvement in racing has seen the creation of truly exciting production cars from the Civic Type R to the S2000 and ultimately the NSX, all of which has a cult-like following. I, however, doubt that the Jazz Sport I drove recently will garner the same following.
Sporty looks
On first inspection, the Japanese contender does put up a good show. Upfront you will find a sleek new grille design incorporate gloss black and chrome elements. Flanking the revised grille is LED headlights with LED daytime running lights. Lower down you will find the bumper newly sculpted to include fog lamps with black surrounds and a new, sportier front splitter with red pin-striping.
Matching the revised grille is the new gloss-black exterior mirror housings which come standard on the Sport while new side sills extend the sporty theme from the front to the rear of the car. In the corners, you will find 16-inch Berlina black alloy wheels. True to the sporty theme is a new rear spoiler, as well as a lower diffuser with the same red detailing as found on the front splitter. The new design elements do change the appeal of the vehicle and as someone who is part of the Fast and Furious generation; I quite like the exterior look.
Interior flair
It is not only on the outside where the sporty theme can be found but also in the black-hued interior. Similar to what you will find in a Civic Type R is red accents which include red stitching on the seats, the console-mounted armrest and the leather-trimmed steering wheel. Furthermore, the pushbutton start system and smart, keyless entry system elevate the exclusivity of the vehicle. Also adding to the more premium feel is the multifunction leather-trimmed steering wheel and soft-padded dashboard.
Mounted in the facia is a 7.0-inch touchscreen display from which you control the infotainment system, including the CD player with six loudspeakers, Bluetooth, USB and HDMI connections. It is also linked to the rear-view camera. The Sport retains the spacious legroom and 359-litre boot which can be extended to 889-litres, folding the split rear bench seat down.
The Jazz Sport is fitted with electric windows front and rear, as well as cruise control, automatic air-conditioning, a tilt and reach-adjustable steering wheel and rear parking sensors as standard. Personally, I enjoyed the interior as it felt solid and did convey the sporty theme effectively without giving up the comfort and which has made the Jazz popular in this segment.
The drive
The small Japanese contender comes fitted with a 1.5-litre i-VTEC motor producing 97 kW and 155 N.m of torque. The engine is mated to a 5-step CVT transmission and will see a sprint to 100km/h only last 9.8 seconds. During the test period, the Honda achieved an average fuel consumption figure of 5.8L/100km which is very respectable.
Verdict
The Honda Jazz Sport retains the comfortable drive despite the addition of the 16-inch wheels and the creature comforts such as the infotainment system is user friendly and thorough in its capabilities. These are aspects I enjoyed during my time with the Jazz, furthermore, the sporty styling does appeal to me but we have to discuss the elephant in the room which is the Sport name.
As mentioned, Honda is well known for their sportier models and even though the Jazz produces 9 kW and 10 N.m more than the Elegance derivative, the Sport did not convince me of its name when I applied a little more throttle than usual. The Honda Jazz Sport is not lacking in power when you are considering a small hatchback but it certainly does when you compare it to the cheaper Suzuki Swift 1.4T Sport.
Warranty and service plan
The Honda Jazz Sport comes with a five-year/200 000 km warranty and a four-year/60 000 km service plan, as well as a three-year AA Roadside Assistance package.
Price
Honda Jazz 1.5 Sport – R 359 300
