Published:
16 October 2020Even with the inclusion of torque vectoring by braking, and the improvements that Honda has made to the new Jazz’s chassis and structural rigidity, this is still no athlete. Unlike a Ford Fiesta or, to a lesser extent, the new Toyota Yaris, it offers little in the way of driver engagement or satisfaction, placing simplicity of operation, ease of use and outright handling security at the forefront of its dynamic repertoire.
There’s plenty of room for small cars with those dynamic priorities in today’s car market, of course, and this one does at least change direction in an accurate but laid-back fashion, with steering that’s medium-paced and reassuringly hefty feeling. Any heavier and it would detract from the Jazz’s easy-going nature; any lighter and it might not instil quite the same levels of assured-feeling solidity.
The car’s chassis balance at speed is neutral enough and it deals with faster corners without much in the way of fuss, although this is a softly sprung car for the supermini class, and one given to a bit of lateral body roll when leant on. The Yokohama tyres conjure a grip level that’s adequate but doesn’t advance much further than that. Even allowing for the underlying sense of predictability that its steering instils, the Jazz clearly isn’t a car intended to be thrown down a road with any feeling, but rather to reassure its driver at all speeds and in all environments with its pervasive sense of calm.
