Honda Jazz (Fit) 2002 - 2004 hatchback test drive

Second coming

The great saxophonist Ornett Coleman once said: jazz is the only type of music in which the same note can be played in the evening, and each time it will sound differently. The founder of Free Dzhaz would surely appreciate the new Honda Jazz supermini, the creators of which are distinguished by no less liberated thinking ...

The Honda Jazz model appeared in Europe in 1984. It was a micro -litter three -door hatchback, the body of which did not have a single crooked line - cornerstones dominated. It was produced by ISUZU. Designed exclusively for the Japanese market, the Europeans did not like a short and high car categorically, and after a couple of years he was removed from the market. But in Japan, cars of this class continued to gain popularity. In 1996, Honda Logo debuted there, which was replaced by a model with a fitting name Honda Fit five years later. It was an amazing success: the title of Japanese car of the year, the first place in terms of sales - even the bestseller Toyota Corolla had to be squeezed. And at the beginning of the year, the Honda Fit Supermini named Honda Jazz again came to Europe. This time to Russia.

The current Jazz does not resemble a micro-mainstream of the eighties. A five -door single -collar, on the back - not a single straight line, much larger than its predecessor. Only the Jazz inscription on the fifth door is still written with a small letter, above which there is a red point - as if it had left the Japanese flag.

Through the polycarbonate fairings of the headlights, round reflectors of the main light are clearly visible. The indicators of the turns are shifted to the radiator grill, and the overall bulbs are noticeably upward. The machine is very similar to mini -wen - even triangular windows in front of the rear view mirrors are available. A very textured frontal part - you can’t confuse with any classmate. Fourteen-inch wheels organically look in the overall picture of the sidewall-prove-dog-arki. Jazz in some angles resembles a reduced Honda Civic, but the overall impression is more interesting.

Perhaps the main feature of Jazz is a layout. The creators say that they were guided by the Zenshin principle, which means new or progressive. They placed the fuel tank under the front seats, freeing the place behind, which allowed the floor to lower. Given that the planting of the rear passengers is close to the vertical, their legs will be quite spacious - a large achievement for such a small car.

The seats are magical, Magic Seats. The rear are folded entirely and in parts (the right is smaller, the left is large). Surprisingly, it is not required to remove the head restraints, as in most cars of higher classes. Even more amazing is the ease with which the folding mechanism works.

There are three transformation options - Utility, Long and Tall. In the first, with the rear seats folded to the floor, we get a double car with a flat cargo platform with a length of 1.7 m. The loading volume (to the ceiling) - 1321 liters. You can put three mountain bikes without removing the wheels. In the second option, when the front passenger seat is moved forward, we have the opportunity to transport items 2.4 m long. Amazing!

But the main magic is in the Tall version. You can throw back not only the backs, but also the rear seats pillows - up. At the same time, an additional luggage volume is formed directly behind the backs of the front seats, where you can place a heavy load - lowering the center of the car masses. Or drive there, across the car, a bicycle, however, the front wheel will have to be removed. Such are variations and improvisations. One word is jazz. A magic grid and a magic rug for a luggage compartment are attached to the magic seats.

The interior salon. Design, assembly quality and finishes are excellent. From the driver's seat, a very voluminous for a car of this class, the salon seems even larger. The chair is quite rigid, but it did not reach the unpleasant sensation. The landing is convenient, although it seems that you are sitting low - the roof is far away, the torpedo is high.

The view forward is worthy, the side racks do not interfere. Back back is worse, the abundance of head restraints interferes. This is partly commented by electrified external burdocks of a pretty aerodynamic shape, but, maneuvering in reverse, I nevertheless opened the driver's door.

The instrument shield is in a sight for sore eyes. It is illuminated by orange, it looks rich, the readings are read perfectly. Three main dials are placed in separate wells with inclined anti -flaps. It is three - a speedometer, a tachometer with a red zone after 6000 and ... the same size indicator of the fuel level. A hint of high economy? Four airbags, but the windows of the rear doors are mechanical.

After starting, the heating one and a half thousand revolutions quickly become nine hundred idle. Neither noise nor vibrations can be heard only how the audio system plays - a CD -resort with separate timber adjustments, made at the same time with the panel, and four speakers are very good for the interior. The modest external design of the apparatus indirectly performs the anti -vandal function: it makes no sense to break out.

The volume of the clothing box did not hit, but the shelf stretches over the feet of the front passenger. In general, the interior is rather practical than exquisite, but with a certain degree of aesthetics. For example, such a detail - in Jazz there is an amazing cylindrical ashtray, the size of a jar of soda. Autonomous, with a lid. It stands in a special nest - you can take it out and take with you.

The dynamics of the car pleased. Acceleration is confident and intense, the limiter works at 6200-6500 revolutions. In the city stream, the car behaves like a brisk fish. A very effective steering wheel amplifier, coupled with a small radius of the turn, make maneuvers surprisingly light. The steering wheel is beyond praise. The steering wheel is adjustable along the angle of inclination, which makes an overview of the devices trouble -free for a person of any height.

A 1.4 liter engine is not the one that is equipped with Honda Civic. This is a completely new I-DSI motor (Dual and Sequential Ignition) with two candles on the cylinder, like the Alfov Twin Spark. But here, candles give out a spark with a small interval, which depends on the operating mode of the engine, which contributes to a more complete combustion of fuel and increases the economy and purity of the exhaust. Under the motto, everything is ragged.

The sound of the motor is unexpected for a car of such dimensions with solidity. Improvisation begins an example, but from two and a half thousand - confident pickup, acceleration, switching ...

Switching is especially good - with the short and clear moves of the gearbox lever - five -speed mechanics. (A bit later, a modification with a CVT variator will appear - with seven buttons and buttons on a steering wheel. Seven notes, I don’t want to improvise.)

Managing Jazz is a pleasure. I notice that I’m trying to go in third gear all the time - it hurts the sound of release is good. To match him and the brakes are regularly equipped with ABS. It turned on only once - on dusty asphalt. With pleasure I note excellent rolling and almost complete absence of rubber noise.

In turns, the car firmly follows the given trajectory and does not roll at all. The suspension works well with a micro -relief, but it is clearly not worth abuse of flights on rails and hatches: a breakdown makes itself felt somewhat earlier than we would like.

Finally - about the engineering space. The ergonomics there is impressive. All the neck of consumables are easily accessible, just get to the adjusting coupling of the accelerator control cable. The input collector is made of heat -resistant plastic, and the cup of the front suspension racks are connected by an amplifier passing under the lower edge of the windshield. The hood is slammed with a solid metallic sound - like a drummer, hitting plates, immediately grabbed them with his hand ...

A very interesting car. And the name JAZZ suits it the best. After all, real jazz is a democratic, sincere and emotional music.

Text: Egor Karpunin
 
 

A source: Motor magazine [No. 6/2002]