2020 Honda Jazz & Jazz Crosstar

The all-new Honda Jazz and Jazz Crosstar provide an effortless driving experience with efficient and responsive performance delivered by advanced e:HEV hybrid technology as standard. Part of Honda's new e:TECHNOLOGY range, the next-generation Jazz is the first of six electrified Honda models scheduled to be introduced in Europe by 2022.

An evolution of the timeless Jazz shape, the design of the new Jazz introduces smooth contours which follow the short nose and cabin-forward style of previous generations. Intuitive technology and seamless in-car connectivity integrate with occupants' everyday lives with ease, supported by a comprehensive suite of infotainment services, including Honda Personal Assistant and My Honda+ app (not available on all grades). Featuring the most comprehensive suite of advanced safety features and driver aids in its class, the Honda Jazz and Jazz Crosstar are fitted with active and passive Honda safety technology designed to make driving both easier and safer.

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The new Jazz Crosstar

The Crosstar variant of the all-new Jazz presents a more SUV-style proposition, for those with active lifestyles, with a bolder front grille design, black cladding around the wheelarches and stylish side sills. Available with the same hybrid powertrain and interior features, the new Crosstar adds increased ride height, water-resistant upholstery and integrated roof rails.

Powerful e:HEV hybrid technology

The e:HEV hybrid system is newly developed for Jazz and engineered to deliver an enjoyable driving experience. It consists of two compact, powerful electric motors connected to a 1.5-litre DOHC i-VTEC petrol engine, a lithium-ion battery and an innovative fixed-gear transmission via an intelligent power control unit, which all work harmoniously together to provide a smooth and direct response.

The total output of 109PS can propel the car to 62mph in 9.4 seconds and on to a maximum speed of 109mph. The effect is an effortless and comfortable journey, whether travelling through urban areas or cruising at high speed on motorways. Its fuel-efficient hybrid system produces CO² emissions from 102g/km (WLTP) and fuel economy of 62.8mpg (WLTP) on the standard model and 110g/km (WLTP) and 58.9mpg (WLTP) on the Crosstar.

To deliver such a highly-rewarding driving experience and exceptional efficiency, the advanced e:HEV hybrid set-up seamlessly selects from three interchangeable drive modes:

• EV Drive: the lithium-ion battery supplies power to the electric propulsion motor directly
• Hybrid Drive: the engine supplies power to the electric generator motor, which in turn supplies it to the electric propulsion motor
• Engine Drive: the petrol engine is connected directly to the wheels via a lock-up clutch and driveforce is transmitted directly from engine to the wheels

In most urban driving situations, optimum efficiency is achieved through seamless transitions between EV Drive and Hybrid Drive. For driving at highway speeds, Engine Drive is used, supplemented by an on-demand peak power 'boost' from the electric propulsion motor for fast acceleration. Switching between the three driving modes is unnoticeable to occupants.

Seamless contemporary design

When designing and developing the latest generation Jazz, Honda engineers took the bold step of completely reimagining the model from the ground up. The new seamless and contemporary design evolution introduces a beautiful simplicity to the timeless shape of Jazz. Its smooth contours follow the short nose, long roof line and cabin-forward style of previous generations, to form the instantly-recognisable monoform silhouette. The result adds a new emotional appeal to the class-leading levels of comfort and practicality for which the Jazz is renowned.

To revolutionise the essence of its compact city car, Honda focused on a new design philosophy, encapsulated in the Japanese notion of 'Yoo no bi'. This recognises the beauty that exists in everyday items, which have been honed over time to make them even more beautiful and ergonomically satisfying to use for their specific purpose.

Baek Jongkuk, all-new Jazz designer, explains:

I wanted to create a car which was a kind companion for the owner, while maximising its usability. I did this by minimising unnecessary features and simplifying exterior lines to deliver a car which features a friendly, fresh appearance, complete with a comfortable and practical interior.

Sleek styling enhancements, including a refined rear roof spoiler and a premium-look light cluster design, complement the dynamic Jazz shape and maintain the well-balanced profile.

Class-leading comfort

The philosophy of 'Yoo no bi' continues in the clean, minimalist interior, wrapping utility, practicality and functionality in a simple, uncluttered ergonomic cabin. Adding to the refined ambience, the flat, wide centre console armrest is height-aligned with the door armrest, echoing the interior comfort levels of larger, premium cars.

The luggage capacity (with rear seats up) starts from 298 litres and increases to an impressive 1,199 litres (to the roof with the rear seats down). This was achieved through the clever packaging of hybrid drivetrain components into the chassis and within the engine bay.

Front seat occupants also benefit from Honda's newly developed body stabilising seat frame and a 30mm seat padding thickness increase. These changes enhance comfort and provide greater lumbar support to minimise fatigue. The position of the brake pedal has been changed to provide a more natural foot placement, and to support taller drivers, the steering wheel is now more upright and the range of adjustment revised to allow the wheel to be come closer to the driver.

Adults in the second row also travel in increased comfort thanks to the redesign of the Magic Seat structure, with class-leading rear leg space of 986mm and seat padding thickness increased by 24mm.

An effortless driving experience

Building on the Jazz's driving dynamics and responsive performance, Honda has enhanced the car's chassis, suspension and body rigidity for exceptional agility and best-in-class ride comfort.

Responsive handling combined with enhanced ride composure is further optimised by Honda's Agile Handling Assist (AHA) system. AHA is another advanced technology that improves the dynamic stability of the car, particularly when reacting to fast steering inputs or high cornering loads. AHA operates through the Vehicle Stability Assist system and applies a light braking force, imperceptible to the driver, to the inner wheels when the steering wheel is turned. The result is increased vehicle responsiveness and stability, and a more stable driving experience.

Powerful stopping power is ensured by an all-disc braking system featuring 262mm ventilated front discs and 239mm solid discs at the rear. Electronic brake systems include: Vehicle Stability Assist, Brake Assist System, Hill Start Assist and Automatic Brake Hold.

Increased insulation and sound deadening reduce road noise from road surface variations and contribute to a 10% reduction in noise intrusion to the cabin over the previous Jazz model.

Advanced in-car technology

The all-new Jazz combines intuitive technology with seamless in-car connectivity, first seen on the Honda e. Owners will be able to access a wide range of easy-to-use built-in connectivity features, accessed via touchscreen or voice activation, including weather, parking locations, music, navigation, location finding, and telephone services.

The simple-to-use LCD touchscreen interface is designed to minimise driver distraction, providing a safer and more ergonomic experience. The system interface is navigated using familiar smartphone-style usability, with swipe controls to scroll through pages and lists.

The comprehensive suite of in-built apps can be supplemented by smartphone mirroring, enabled by Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, with the latter available via wireless connection for the first time in the Jazz. Even the owner's manual can be accessed via the onboard touch infotainment system or through AI voice control for customers who have subscribed to Honda Personal Assistant. Occupants also have the opportunity to benefit from in-car WiFi.

In response to consumer demand, Honda has reinstated physical controls for key functions, with tactile, precise-feeling dials for heating and ventilation.

My Honda+ app

Honda has launched its My Honda+ smartphone app to keep owners connected to their car remotely. The smartphone service has been designed with a simple, intuitive experience that provides secure access to a range of in-car functions, including convenience and security features. For example, journey information can be set up and sent from the app to the car and it can also lock and unlock the car remotely.

For additional security, the app provides location monitoring and car tracking via GPS. Intelligent Geofencing can also be activated to alert the owner if the vehicle breaches a pre-set zone, plus a security notification delivered to the smartphone app if the car's security alarm is activated.

Honda Personal Assistant

The infotainment and connectivity features accessed via the advanced touchscreen interface can also be activated using voice commands, through Honda Personal Assistant. First seen in the Honda e, the intuitive Honda Personal Assistant is a smart artificial intelligence (AI) agent which harnesses natural, smart instruction-based conversations to access a range of services.

The Honda Personal Assistant assesses command inputs with a level of complexity beyond the capabilities of other voice activated virtual assistants. The system understands several levels of interaction, for more exact responses to specific queries. An owner can ask, for example:

OK Honda, find me an Italian restaurant with free parking, WiFi, and that's open now.

The Honda Personal Assistant locates suitable options and presents them on the touchscreen interface, before plotting the optimal route to the chosen location and displaying it on the navigation screen.

To achieve optimum stress-free ownership, Honda will deliver over-the-air updates to ensure that features and apps benefit from enhancements and new functions.

For added security all vehicles feature E-Call for roadside assistance as standard. In the event of an emergency, such as airbag deployment, the car's location is automatically shared with the relevant emergency services.

Honda safety technologies

The latest-generation Jazz incorporates as standard a suite of premium active and passive safety technologies designed to make driving both easier and safer.

Enhanced Honda SENSING active safety technology offers a broad range of driver assistance features and driver aids as standard, thanks to a newly-developed front wideview camera that enhances the field of vision and night-time operation, increasing safety in more situations.

The enhanced Honda SENSING suite of technologies includes:

• Collision Mitigation Braking System with improved night-time operation to also detect pedestrians when there is no street lighting. The system also alerts the driver when it detects a cyclist cutting across. In addition, the system now applies the brakes when the Jazz cuts across or turns into the path of an oncoming vehicle. This is enabled by the newly-developed front wideview camera.
• Adaptive Cruise Control which manages the gap to the car in front automatically and allows the car to follow traffic at low speeds in congestion (Low Speed Follow).
• Lane Keeping Assist System operates from 47mph on urban and rural roads - as well as multi-lane highways - for increased safety in more situations.
• Road Departure Mitigation System assists the driver to not stray from the road. It alerts the driver if it detects the vehicle approaching the outer edge of the pavement (into a grass or gravel border), an oncoming vehicle, or drifting into another lane without indicating.
• Blind Spot Information, complete with Cross Traffic Monitor is standard on EX grade.
• Traffic Sign Recognition System uses the front wideview camera to detect road signs whenever the vehicle is moving forward. The system automatically recognises and displays the signs via the seven-inch LCD display once the vehicle has passed the sign. The system is designed to detect circular road signs displaying speed limits and 'No Passing' information. Two road signs can be displayed at any one time - the right side of the display only shows speed limit signs while the left shows 'No Passing' signs and speed limits with additional information; such as weather conditions, for example.
• Intelligent Speed Limiter recognises traffic speed signs and sets the speed limit. If the traffic sign shows a slower speed compared to the actual vehicle speed, an indicator on the display flashes with an alarm sound and the system gradually decreases the vehicle speed.
• Auto High-Beam works at speeds of more than 26mph to switch High Beam head lights on/off automatically depending on oncoming/preceding vehicles (cars, trucks and motorcycles), bicycles and environmental brightness.

The new wider angle, higher definition camera replaces the multi-purpose camera and City-Brake Active System sensor set-up of the previous-generation Jazz. The camera recognises a more comprehensive range of road surface and traffic characteristics. These include detecting if the vehicle approaches the outer edge of a pavement (into a grass or gravel border), an oncoming vehicle, or drifting into another lane without indicating, and road signs. The camera is also able to eliminate condensation for a constantly clear field of view.

Passive safety engineered into the Jazz

The all-new Jazz incorporates Honda's proprietary Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure technology. A network of connected structural elements distributes crash energy more evenly throughout the front of the vehicle, protecting the car and its passengers.

Passive safety is as important to Honda as active safety to protect occupants in the event of an accident. Jazz owners and occupants are now protected by 10 airbags, including two new rear side airbags installed in the rear seats and a new front centre airbag installed in the front seat. The new front centre airbag is a first-to-market in it's class and activates in the event of a collision to reduce impact caused by contact between passengers. The Jazz has also been fitted with whiplash-mitigating front headrests.

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Honda Jazz

Honda Jazz Crosstar