Pre-First Generation

Prior to the release of the first-generation Jazz, the UK had already seen the Jazz nameplate on a rebadged version of the Japanese Honda City (as Opel already had a model called the City in Europe). The original Jazz is almost a full metre shorter than the current day model, making it closer in size to the original mini than anything else, and with its 1.2 litre engine it was very nippy. It stayed on the market between 1984 and 1985.

After the first Jazz, there was nothing in the European market that filled this segment in the market till 2000, when the Honda Logo came along… for 9 months. The Logo was originally released in 1996 overseas, but reached Europe to try and fend off the likes of the Fiat Punto and Peugeot 206 which were booming in popularity. The Logo came with a decent array of standard equipment and in general it is considered to be rather underrated.

First Generation

The first-generation Honda Jazz, as we know it came in 2002, and was a real hit with consumers compared to its predecessors. It was far more contemporary than its competitors, the likes of the Fiesta and the Punto of the time with its innovative ‘magic seats’ that made the interior truly adaptable and spacious, a feature that has defined the supermini.

Not only this but it was incredibly stylish, distinctive and with reliability that really was second to none. In fact, these models were successful that even now, almost 20 years on, you can find examples for as much as £6,000!

Second Generation

Building on the success of the first generation, the second generation carried over a lot of the things that made it so popular in the first place. With a wide array of standard equipment, and new additional options, such as satellite navigation and cruise control, whilst retaining, most importantly the magic seats, one of the defining features of the first generation. This newer Jazz adopted a new appearance, new size, growing in both width and length and new engines and specification.

Most notably in 2011, the first Honda Jazz Hybrid was introduced. At the time, Hybrid technology hadn’t made its way into the supermarket, being reserved for SUVs and Saloons. The Jazz Hybrid was able to do a claimed 63 MPG, making it competitive with diesel superminis as far as efficiency was concerned.

Third Generation

In 2015, the new and improved third generation Jazz was introduced, with an even more modern and interesting appearance. Unfortunately, despite the fact that it was an excellent powertrain, the hybrid engine from the previous generation didn’t make it to the third. Instead, Honda went with a more conventional 1.3 petrol engine, and later a 1.5.

As between the first generation and the second, the Jazz had again grown in size, with a longer wheelbase meaning a bigger interior and again, a boot that was competitive with the class above. As expected, this generation retained the magic seats, whilst introducing the ability to fold the front seat flat, to make a bed.

Fourth Generation

The most recent Jazz was introduced in 2020, and is arguably the biggest change of any Jazz model to date. For a start, the fourth generation Jazz was sold exclusively with Honda’s all new e:HEV hybrid powertrain, combining seamless driving performance with impressive fuel economy. As a by-product of this, the latest generation of Jazz is available exclusively with a CVT, even in the cheapest models.

The latest Jazz retains the magic seats again, whilst integrating premium materials to make this an upscale and relaxing place to be. This generation of Jazz also introduced the Crosstar, a SUV styled model, with higher ground clearance, roof rails and water-resistant upholstery. This generation of Jazz has won countless awards and it really isn’t hard to see why!

The Future

Honda is already on track to reach 100% model electrification by 2025 in Europe as planned, in fact the UK line-up will very soon be made up exclusively of electrified models. This means that going forward, it can be expected the Jazz will retain the e:HEV powertrain, which certainly isn’t a bad thing.

Honda is already looking to the future towards there next stage of electrification, introducing more fully electric models, such as the e:Ny1 prototype that was recently unveiled. This means that there is a very good chance that we can expect a fully electric Jazz somewhere in the distance.

Discover the Honda Jazz