Honda - Jazz Euro NCAP - 4 STAR
Is this Dr Who's new TARDIS?
Despite its compact size, Hondas ingenious design, and origami like "magic seating", has created masses of space and flexibility to make this one of the biggest superminis on the market. The boot itself is a huge 353 litres, bigger than a most of its class.
Jazz by name, jazzy by nature, the cabin materials are of a high standard and the excellent build quality is a cut above most rivals. An excellent driving position and good all round visibility from the tall design and large glass areas the Jazz should be on the list of every 5 door car buyer.
The Jazz hatchback is offered in three 5 door models, the 1.2 iDSI, 1.4 iDSI SE and the 1.4 iDSI Sport. Each offer good head and rear legroom and come well spec'd.
With low emissions, a C rating on the VED banding scale and the 1.2-litre exceeding a combined fuel consumption of 50mpg, the Honda Jazz will appeal to anyone with a frugal wallet and a green mind. To top it all the Jazz can travel up to 450 miles on one tank of
petrol.
The basic model comes with a CD player, electric front windows, twin airbags, split-fold rear seats and central locking. SE cars add rear electric windows, air conditioning, remote central locking, height adjustable driver's seat and alloy wheels. The top SE Sport has climate control.
The Jazz has a long list of security kit and Euro NCAP awarded it four stars for occupant crash protection, three stars for child protection and three stars for pedestrian safety. All models have anti-lock brakes and twin front airbags.
The Jazz seems to hold on to its value exceptionally well - better than pretty much every other supermini.
Every new Honda car is protected by a comprehensive warranty. In addition to the 3 year or 90,000 mile (whichever comes first) Mechanical Warranty, a 3 year Paint Surface Warranty protects the external paintwork and a structural corrosion warranty covers any
corrosion perforating the body from the inside out.
About the manufacturer
Honda - the green thinking persons manufacturer - is committed to environmental technology and is at the forefront of changing advances in fuel, low emissions and alternative energy sources for the future.
Not only are they looking to cut environmentally damaging emissions but in association with The Carbon Neutral Company Honda are promoting projects that absorb, neutralise and offset the carbon dioxide emissions produced by cars. Greener driving gifts offered by participating dealers to new owners, the planting of forests in the UK, and swapping Kerosene burners for solar panels in Sri Lanka are just a few of the initiatives.
Honda were the first manufacturer to launch a hybrid car, and lead development of fuel-cell cars. Their Swindon factory has cut the amount of landfill waste from 60kg per car to just 7kg since 1996 and is on target to reduce this to Zero by 2010.
All major Honda plants worldwide already meet the toughest international environmental management standards (ISO 14001), covering a host of environmental areas, such as waste disposal, water treatment and energy use.
Honda is committed to recycling materials and conserving resources and energy at every stage of its products, from research, design, production, sales, services and disposal, to minimizing and finding appropriate methods to dispose of waste and contaminants. For example reuse of leftover raw steel from stamping for engine and brake components, the use of returnable shipping containers, the development of emission reducing door and truck-sealer materials and on site solar panels. Honda has annually received up to $1.2 million in revenue from recycling paper, cardboard and plastic alone from its facilities.
Having recently won the What Car? Reliability Supertest 2006 Honda has also won the Fleet News survey in its FN50 report - for the second year in succession - for most reliable manufacturer, thus reducing the volume of old oil and other used parts in circulation.
Honda has introduced a new generation of petrol engines around the world that provide extremely low emission levels and increased fuel efficiency while still improving driving performance. To improve energy efficiency even further they have developed gas-electric hybrid vehicles that achieve ultra-high fuel economy. This includes the Civic Hybrid, the first mass-market car with hybrid power.
Hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles have huge "green" potential for the future and it was Honda that developed one of the first fuel cell electric vehicles in the world.
Honda has also produced another fuel-cell first: the ground breaking FCX fuel cell electric vehicle. Likely to be in production in the next few years, this is the first car of its kind to obtain approval for commercialisation in the US.. Propelled by electricity, that is generated by a hydrogen-oxygen chemical reaction, the FCX fuel cell vehicle releases absolutely no damaging emissions. The only by product is harmless water vapour; the exhaust virtually vanishes into thin air.