Honda Siel Cars India is ready to roll its small car into India. The new hatchback model will be called Honda Jazz. It is the only small car model from Honda’s global portfolio in India and it will directly compete with Hyundai Getz and Maruti Swift in India. One of the biggest auto car magazines, Top Gear, has rated Jazz as the number one global hatchback model and Maruti Swift as Number 3.
Honda has been toying with the idea of launching its small car model in India, which is the largest small car market in the world. Now the company looks serious to put its plans into action by introducing Jazz or Fit as it is called in some of the overseas markets. The company has also been encouraged by the lower excise duty on the small cars in the country and has finally decided to introduce its small cars which sports trendy looks and packs plenty of power.
Under the Hood
The Honda manufacturing unit in Greater Noida in Delhi will roll out three different variants of Honda Jazz. These variants will be GLi, VTi and the fully loaded VTi-S. The model features at the Auto Expo 2008 sported a 1200cc VTEC engine. The car has a uni-body construction that includes MacPherson Struts upfront and a torsion beam suspension layout at the rear. The Indian version of Jazz will have electric power steering, 14 inch wheels with an option of 15 inch wheels along with a front stabilizer bar. The overseas models of Jazz are powered with 1.5L VTEC engines; the Indian version is expected to have a smaller engine as shown during the Auto Expo but shall deliver equally dutiful performance. The company may also introduce the 1.4L VTEC petrol engine model capable of producing 100PS of power.
Appearance
The new Jazz Indian version will have a similar dashboard as Honda Civic but without a digital speedometer. It may be lacking in steering mounted controls. However, the company does not compromise on quality and strives to deliver the best ergonomically designed model. Interiors of the car are packed with lots of cubby holes and storage areas. Interiors of the car and their comforts have already been acclaimed many times over by the international press and car lovers. Interior space is quite impressive and the seats can be folded or rolled over to increase the loading capacity of the car.
Apart from stylish and comfortable interiors the car portrays a sleek hatchback model with similar looks as Hyundai Getz. It is a premium model that will definitely pose a threat to its contemporaries.
Additional Features
Mileage of the car will be revealed only upon the launch. SIAM has also made it mandatory for the auto makers to officially declare the mileage for all the models in their product portfolio. The Indian version of Jazz will come equipped with braking system (abs), dual front airbags, dual side airbags, electronic brake force distribution (EBD), front and rear disc brakes, emergency brake assist which enhances the safety during drive.
