One of the key advantages of a diesel car, which attracts most buyers is the fuel efficiency it offers over their petrol counterparts. My drive through NCR (Gurgaon to Noida and back) for the daily office run meant that I was going to be relieved by the regular fuel station visits for a refill. So, the Jazz with the diesel engine is the perfect premium hatchback thanks to its exceptional mileage figure. Most of the time, the car was stuck in the peak hours of traffic between Gurgaon and Noida while sipping a litre of diesel every 20 kilometres thereby reducing running cost. Speaking of cost effectiveness, in an incident where the car was parked in the basement of a mall, someone damaged the front bumper. This meant Honda had to take the Jazz back to the workshop. After insurance claim and other formalities, the bumper was replaced incurring Rs 9,842 including all taxes, painting charges, new bumper, towing pin cover and other miscellaneous items which is acceptable.
In addition to the fuel-efficiency, which is a huge plus point, another factor to consider is the immense cabin space one gets in this premium hatchback. Four adults can comfortably sit without shoulders of the rear occupants rubbing each other or the knees of the rear occupant intruding in the front passenger recline. This coupled to an ample boot space of 354 litres makes it a perfect combination for a nuclear family. This is the top-end V grade diesel and the clutch is light and one would not need to apply the extra effort required in some of the other diesel cars. The car is almost four metres long and a little over 1.5 metres and Honda seems to have carved out every possible inch for added cabin space. Despite ample space all around the cabin and the Jazz being one of the larger cars in the sub-four metre segment, it feels nimble to drive.
For reference, I’m over six feet tall and there’s enough space even at the rear to comfortably accommodate a person of similar size. Adding to the comfort, we also get one aspect of the ‘Magic Seats’ featured in the higher versions of the Honda Jazz petrol. The front seats, unlike other cars from this segment can be rolled to the foremost point and reclined flat, thereby joining it to the rear bench. This is really handy when the co-driver plans to have a more relaxed riding position. The proper magic seats have a 60:40 split fold of the rear recline and the rear bench can be folded up in case more cargo space is needed. These different configurations allow the owner to ferry even something like a medium-sized flower pot, which otherwise would not fit in the boot. Also Read:Â Honda Jazz Long Term Review, Fleet Introduction Report
However, some aspects could have been better as we found out over the course of more than two months. The Honda Jazz diesel could have had better NVH (Noise, Vibration & Harshness) proofing, a touchscreen audio system and more cushioning and underthigh support on the seats. Of most diesels driven recently, the Honda Jazz has a fair bit of the diesel clatter filtering into the cabin, especially when accelerating hard. There is another kink in the Honda Jazz’s armour and that is the infotainment system. A number of manufacturers in this segment and a few below this category have a touchscreen system which adds to the premium feel inside the car. Plastic quality too in certain areas leaves room for improvement, when viewed in comparison to some of the Jazz’s competitors.
All said and done, if someone is looking for a practical and spacious hatchback with a decent set of features and high fuel efficiency, the Honda Jazz with its diesel engine is one of the best options in the market presently.
Date Acquired:Â 1st October 2016
Initial Odometer Reading:Â 7,250 kms
Current Odometer Reading: 9,419Â kms
Fuel Efficiency: 20 kmpl
Cost of Bumper Replacement: Rs. 9,842 including all taxes and consumables
