We know the Honda Jazz very well since 2001. Hey, the fourth generation has already arrived
to the market in 2020 and the Crosstar version is very similar in appearance. Jazz has always been on the border between a small hatchback and an MPV. The current version of the Crosstar, thanks to its higher ground clearance and plastic edges of the chassis, or bumpers made of unpainted plastic, looks like it belongs to the category of small SUVs.
Although the silhouette is similar to the previous generations, unlike them, it has a very minimalist design, without any overprints, folds or waves. The body has such simple and smooth shapes.
Already in the basic equipment, Jazz is above standard. LED front and rear lights, many safety assistants in the Honda Sensing package, or the Honda Connect system. The Jazz Crosstar is sold only in the top Executive trim, which additionally includes navigation, keyless door opening and starting, smartphone connection or My Honda+ additional connectivity services. It is a great pity that there is no blind spot monitoring light on the rear-view mirrors.
The interior is minimalist and its aim was not to obstruct the view. This was achieved thanks to the small triangular windows in the A-pillars, which are very thin. The interior itself has a minimum of buttons and most of them are controlled via the infotainment display or buttons on the steering wheel. Connectivity is maximally sufficient. The audio with an incredible 376 watts of power and eight speakers, including a bass one, is really surprising. It is true that at almost maximum volume it is no longer very listenable. The bass remains obscured and the speakers don't handle it very cleanly. The upholstery looks very pleasant and is really durable.
The pride of the Honda Jazz Crosstar is the excellently variable seats with the Magic Seats system. All car manufacturers should be inspired by this idea. In addition to the fact that the rear seats can be folded down, as we all know, in this case the rear bench can also be folded down. This will create an incredible number of possibilities for using the space. The volume of the luggage compartment is up to 1203 liters, and with the magic seats, you don't have to worry about how tall you put things in it. You can fit anything from the floor to the ceiling. The seats can be tilted as well as folded in one-third or two-thirds.
In cooperation with the Billa store chain, we loaded the storage space up to the ceiling with shopping, and the Jazz Crosstar was still not filled to capacity. With such a purchase, you would survive more than one quarantine.
The big news, and perhaps disappointing for some, is that the new Jazz and Jazz Crosstar models will only be sold in hybrid versions. The drive will primarily be handled by a traction electric motor with an output of 80kW, which will be supplied with energy by a gasoline 1.5ka i-VTEC with an output of 72kW. The atmospheric 4 cylinder will work in the Atkinson cycle.
The automatic single-speed e-CVT transmission only comes into play at higher speeds, somewhere around 70-
75 km/h, when the combustion engine connects directly to the front axle. However, it is not a rule. Even at higher speeds, it can draw energy from the electric motor's battery if it is more than half charged. At lower speeds, the internal combustion engine only recharges the battery. Honda called this system i-MMD.
Despite the fact that the Jazz Crosstar is more or less an SUV, the signature of Honda's sportier driving characteristics still remains. It sits very nicely in corners and the control is pleasantly sensitive and precise. On 16-inch discs, the chassis is a little harder on bumps, but still very comfortable. In any case, I would certainly not change a softer chassis for less stability in corners. Although the 100-horsepower engine can handle faster driving or overtaking, its louder sound at higher revs makes it clear that it is not a ride for it. Consumption will also rise rapidly. After all, it is a car built for comfortable driving with low consumption. You definitely don't have to worry about a single-gear transmission sounding like a mixer. There's an electronic adjustment to make the automatic sound like it's shifting gears.
When we say that the Jazz Crosstar hybrid is built for comfortable driving with low consumption, we really mean it. During the test, the average temperature was around 10 degrees. During the test, the car was fully used, which means that the air conditioning was on all the time. If it was cold, there were also heated seats or heating, and there was also a car radio with a higher volume. We will start with the district roads, where the consumption was really the lowest. With cruise control at 90 km/h, the electric motor s
gasoline with a consumption of just under 3 liters per 100 kilometers. A total of 250 kilometers of district roads combined with the city was for 3.8 liters. In the city, even with cold morning roads, consumption climbed to a pleasant 4.5 liters. Despite the fully charged battery, after a cold night, even the gasoline engine was still working for a few kilometers in the morning. Driving on the highway at a speed of 130 km/h ended in last place, where the on-board computer showed more than 5.5 liters per 100 kilometers. During the entire seven-day test and over 700 kilometers driven, the average consumption was below 5 liters.
The Honda Jazz Crosstar can only be purchased in the top Executive trim and only with a hybrid drive, for €23,990.
For AutoZine SK magazine, produced by Michal Novotný studio.
