True fans of Honda Jazz have a good news coming their way for this new year. The Honda Jazz is set for relaunch in a bigger and better Avatar! The previous 1.2 litre i-VTEC petrol car went off the production line due to rising fuel prices. This time the hatchback is also available in diesel version along with the existing petrol version. The car had been recently unveiled at the Detroit Motor show and is expected to be unveiled in India during the upcoming 2014 Auto Expo event.
It is uncertain if the hatchback shall carry its old name Jazz or shall be rechristened as Fit for the Indian market. As per sources, the new engine in Jazz shall follow the Amaze sedan line, with two fuel options – 1.2 litre petrol and the new 1.5-litre diesel engine. The petrol engine generates about 86PS with 109Nm of torque, whereas its diesel counterpart generates about 100PS with 200Nm of torque. Sources have also stated a possibility of new diesel engine in Jazz to be detuned to the 90PS mark, this is mainly done to extract better fuel efficiency from the engine and stand at a competitive platform with its competitors. It is expected that the car may retain the five-speed auto box found in petrol versions of Amaze and Brio models.
The new Honda Jazz is speculated to feature an overall length 3.96m, which is in-fact 60mm longer than the old car version. The wheelbase has also been slightly extended to give a difference of 2.58 meter over the previous version. The boot comes with 390 litre capacity, thus allowing you pile up ample luggage to be carried for trips. Moreover, steering has been re-calibrated and suspension has been reworked to deliver a smoother ride.
On the exterior, Jazz features a new grill design and looks bolder than before. Chiseled look has been carried to bumpers and sides of this car. The tail lights now feature a cluster pattern that makes it visually appealing, the wedge shaped D-pillar has been borrowed from the previous Jazz version. The new Jazz is expected to compete against the likes of Hyundai i20 and Volkswagen Polo. Pricing is expected to be on a lower side in comparison to the Amaze sedan.
