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-   -   Review: 2nd-gen Honda Jazz (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-drives-initial-ownership-reports/60146-review-2nd-gen-honda-jazz-106.html)

I received news from the dealer today that a Jazz had been allotted to me (booked in Sep 2011). However, I am really not sure if I should go ahead with the purchase now, owing to the following factors:
- Low Ground Clearance (160 mm)
- Many new cars to choose from now (e.g. Ertiga, Sunny)
- City Corporate Edition (can customize to heart's content)
- Diesel options (petrol-diesel price gap has widened now)

Is Jazz in production (in India)? In Chd the dealer has informed me that Jazz production has stopped for 6 months. They are promoting Brio big time.

If you are having second thoughts about the Jazz, please do consider the other cars and finalize before you cancel your booking. Especially as it would be very time consuming to get another Jazz. Maybe that is also once of your concerns?

As for the GC, it has stayed the same and not sure how different it is on the City. Which in any case you may not buy as it does not have a diesel mill.
As for the petrol diesel gap, it may be bridged soon, but that is what we have been hearing for ages now. So its more a case of finding the car that is suited for your requirements and then cancelling the booking.

The diesel factor is not big for me, especially as my office is hardly 2 kms from my home. It is Jazz vs City vs Ertiga primarily.

When I booked the Jazz back then, I was pretty clear about what I wanted - A premium petrol hatchback for easy parking in tight spaces and manoeuvrability in congested areas, with ABS+Airbags and ample space for occupants and luggage.

However, the GC and in-traffic driveability questions have come up in my mind after (re-)reading a no. of posts here, and that coupled with the launch of the City Corp Ed. (safety features in place, powerful engine and the option to customize many aspects) and the Ertiga (Jazz-like in some aspects, with a more powerful engine and possibly more versatile) are making me reconsider my decision.

I have convinced my bro to buy the jazz. The sales guy now says that the jazz has to be serviced every 5k kms and the oil change will be decided at that time by the service engineer. Guys can any one confirm?

Dont worry about the Jazz clearance for Chennai roads. I rarely scrap my belly except when fully loaded and on a very large breaker. BLR roads are different, but I always try to enter the breaker at an angle to avoid scrap.

The City corporate edition is good since you can customize to your liking. But you have the boot to lug around. On the Jazz you design your boot space.

I had the budget for City, but still stuck to the Jazz for its practical nature. I can literally push the Jazz into a small car slot where I see others struggle. I tried the Ertiga last week. Yes, its a great effort, but trust me the last seats are an eyewash. Its not a fair comparision with the Jazz.

What I felt lacking on the Jazz was low end torque.

Yes, the service interval is 5K kms. Oil drain is also done every 5K kms or 6 months which ever is earlier. You can opt for optional oil which increases drain to 10K kms. I prefer the 5K interval. It keeps the car in ship shape.

What do you mean by optional oil? normally how much does the servicing cost come up to? By the way I was surprised to know that Brio inspite of having a carbon copy engine of the Jazz has service intervals of 10K.

Thanks for the clarification.

Optional Oil is Synthetic. I am surprised too at the service interval for Brio being 10K. Someone, please confirm. Normal oil drain for most Hondas were at 5K.

I dont remember paying anything more than 2K per service including all labour and consumables. Some items on Honda have longer replacement period. For example, Plugs @100K kms, fuel filter @ 80K, coolant @ 200K, gear oil @ 60K.

Well spindoc your dilemma is understandable buyt still I think Jazz vs others is a no brainer! It should be Jazz all the day unless you need that big boot of Honda City. Ertiga is not in the same class (unless you need to sit 6/7 people occasionally.) Jazz is just one of the best car we have in India (cannot say this about the other two!)

I'd have gone myself for Jazz if only Honda had provided an Automatic Transmission in it. I feel Jazz AT would have been a big success. People who need a roomy city car and want comfort of an automatic have to go for bigger City unnecessarily. If Honda were not so sure about the 1.2L motor doing business in Jazz AT then they could have provided the 1.5 of the City it it. Opportunity missed for Honda there (or maybe they are pushing people to go for City AT instead. Maybe margins are better on the City.)

Out of the 3, I feel the jazz makes more sense (considering the requirements you have mentioned).

If 1.5L engine matters and you have plans to customize the car, the City CE makes sense. In all other cases the top-end Jazz scores. And from what I have seen, the Jazz bottoms out lesser compared to the City.
Ertiga – yes, only if you need those additional two seats.
Weigh up the requirements again, and decide on what you need. All the best :)

I'm a bit concerned about this too. Also, wouldn't ride height and ride quality also change? Has anyone installed these on a Jazz?

GC is the #1 thing keeping me from finalizing my Jazz booking :(

Thanks for the insight. I have been hearing complaints about the GC from friends who own the Figo / Fiesta (168 mm) and they are supposed to have a better suspension setup than the Jazz too, so that got me thinking. The official BHP review also notes that the Jazz's suspension crashes through bigger potholes.

I had the budget for the City too, but chose the Jazz based on the considerations I had stated earlier. But the new CE (and RavenAvi's brilliant and insightful ownership thread) have planted some doubts in my mind. :)

This is a point to ponder - does it climb slopes (mall parking lots - some are really steep, hill sections) easily or at least manageably?

Yes, a sensibly-priced AT would have definitely changed the Jazz's fortunes for the better. But Honda's initial approach to pricing left no room for an AT - it would have pushed it to 9-9.5L OTR.

I promise I am not being sarcastic or cracking a joke but for your 2 km commute, please buy a bicycle. I wish I had a 2km commute that I could use my bicycle on.

I can confirm this.

I paid about 6K today for my 35k km paid service. Of which 1400 bucks were for a stolen rear wiper. Other costs were attributed to oil, ac disinfectant service (whatever that means), wheel alignment & rotation and few other sundries which I have to investigate.

well about the boot itself we had an airport pickup scenario a couple of months ago for a friend visting from the US. The boot faceoff was between the City and the Jazz, (well there were a couple of Swifts too, but then one Swift would have to tag along for luggage!) and the Jazz could fit the luggage more conveniently than the City. without the magic seating being utilised.
I think our fellow bhpian suhaas307 has captured this in his Goa TL thread too, though cannot remember if he compared the Jazz to a City or a Civic. I will use this as an excuse to re read his TL lol:

Unfortunately low speed ride is a bit bumpy in the Jazz

And if you ask him, his first choice was the Jazz too.

It does so reasonably well. I havent had any problems in ghats, but a couple of times in malls (shows where I drive more!). I have learnt to keep the rpms high while exiting a mall, usually works fine now.

I agree an AT would have been ideal for the Jazz.

That could be due to the stiffer suspension of the Jazz. And due to this reason, the chances of bottom scraping should be less (compared to the softer City).
And this should help in lesser body roll as well.

Well, why I am saying this. You should know anyway :D

yes, less body roll as well.

another thing I really appreciate about the Jazz is that for passengers in the rear seat the sun doesnt beat down on their necks. I had to undergo a journey in the rear seat of a City, and I found that very irritating. I know it can be worked around with by plaving a cushion or a rear curtain, but it was something I didnt ever notice in the Jazz. yes, you may say thats because I am always in the drivers seat there, but I now know it is also a +.

Edit: Mods; I tried to edit my previous post and add this but it seems I was out of the time window by the time I could finish typing. feel free to merge as appropriate