• 
• 

Published on February 27, 2008

"The crowd never leads, it only follows," were my father's words years ago when I tried to follow the coolest kid in school by wearing the same brand of boxers he wore, because the girls were "digging" his gear.

As an eager schoolboy, I failed to understand an essential truth: every new fashion, trend or style comes from pioneers who strike out on their own to do what others fear to do. And the rest of the crowd tags along behind, to pick up what measure of success is left over.

The Honda Jazz is a pioneering sort of car. While so-called "industry experts" insisted Thais did not like hatchbacks, Honda calmly invited them to put their statistics and conservative ideas where the sun didn't shine and launched the Jazz.

The Jazz was almost an instant success. To date, 81,000 of them have been sold in Thailand, and the reason the car worked was because it had the right formula: a very attractive and modern design, a fuel-efficient yet punchy engine, intelligent interior design with folding seats and continuously variable transmission, which meant super-smooth gearshifts. It also came in either i-DSI or the more powerful Vtec form.

The Jazz stirred things up in the hatchback market. Toyota launched the Yaris, Nissan the Tiida and Ford the Focus. Where the Jazz was once king, it must now fight to prove its worth.

After being sold in Thailand for  years, the Jazz has now been given a new beat. The version of the new Jazz that Honda offered for a test drive was made to Japanese specifications. In Japan, the Jazz is known as the Fit, and it even comes with a four-wheel-drive option for snowy conditions. This is the version I test drove. It came in RS form, which meant a more sporty front and rear bumper.

Apart from the four-wheel drive and the added 50-70 kilograms of the four-wheel-drive transmission, the car was the one we'll soon be seeing in Honda showrooms.

Since the previous-generation Jazz was a winner, the changes Honda has made in the new model are not radical. A new, shorter bonnet clearly distinguishes the new Jazz from the old, and it had plenty of women turning their heads for another peek as I drove around the streets of Bangkok.

Bigger and sharper lights also add to the new appearance. The rear lights look great, with a jagged LED design, but I'm told these may not make it to the Thai market. The overall length and width have been increased by 55mm and 20mm, respectively. Basically, the car has more space inside. However, the first-generation Jazz already felt roomy, so the slight difference is not noticeable.

The interior of the old-model Jazz was one of the best in the Thai mass market, and it just got better. It is of higher quality, and features have become even more ergonomic. The climate-control display is digital, and the control buttons have a more "premium" look than the switch knobs of its predecessor. The whole centre console is tilted slightly towards the driver - a very sensible idea considering that the majority of Jazz users drive alone. There are plenty of cubby holes, as well.

The seats, like before, can be folded into any position, allowing you to carry anything from fishing roads to an Airbus A380. Well, okay - but you get the point. The Japanese version I drove came with a tyre-repair kit rather than the spare tyre that will be standard equipment on the Thai version.

Honda says the upgraded 1.5-litre engine will produce 120 brake horsepower, a whole 10hp more than the engine in the earlier model. But like those toothpaste commercials that claim the product makes your teeth whiter, but then it never does, the extra horses are barely noticeable. The first-generation Jazz was hardly a speed machine, and the new version does not feel much faster.

This could be because the Jazz now comes with a five-speed automatic transmission as opposed to the continually variable transmission. Honda says Thai owners use the Jazz with heavy loads, which is why the company decided to switch to normal automatic transmission. I guess five people and a lot of luggage, such as you commonly see packed into a Jazz on trips upcountry, could be considered a heavy load. So no longer does the Jazz have that continuous engine note while accelerating.

The new Jazz is planted more firmly in corners and feels like the suspension set-up is slightly stiffer than in the old version. Body roll seems also to have decreased, but this could be a result of the Japanese specifications.

The braking felt good, although it's likely to feel even better when the rear drums on the Japanese version become rear discs for the Thai market.

The driving position, as in its predecessor, is perfect. The window behind the A-pillar is now bigger and actually allows you to see things in tight-turning situations. But it's the interior, with its sporty dials, that grabs your attention. Set deep and with a metallic touch, you won't see many racer boys modifying this part of the Jazz.

Overall, the new Jazz is another winner. It does all the things it used to do, but it does them better. Although there will be slight changes to the new model for the Thai market, the overall packaging is very attractive. Honda officials say prices won't be too much higher either. So are you ready to dance to the new Jazz beat?

Vijo Varghese

The Nation

Ultimate in Luxury

The Luxury LS 460 is a wonderfully comfaortable car fitted with all mod cons, althoough not necessarily the most fun vehicle to drive.