Item: Used Honda Jazz 2008 - 2015
Rating: 3
Author: Steve Huntingford

The Jazz’s closest rival is the Nissan Note, which was introduced in 2005 and features the same sort of elevated seating. It has a more comfortable ride than the Jazz, but its boot and rear seats aren’t as clever. A second-generation version of the Note with similar attributes followed in 2013.

A slightly bigger alternative is the Citroen C3 Picasso. On sale since 2009, it has sliding rear seats to let you alter the balance between passenger and luggage space, and the ride is comfortable, putting the Jazz’s to shame. It’s reliability record is merely average, though.

If you like the idea of an elevated driving position, but want something a little more stylish, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/renault/captur/hatchback/review/n20">Renault Captur</a> (introduced in 2013) is worth considering. It looks like a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/small-suv">small 4x4</a>, despite all versions being front-wheel drive. Although it isn’t as spacious as the Jazz (or the Picasso), it also has sliding rear seats and a very comfortable ride.

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The iShift automatic gearbox is more likely to need a fluid service than the manual or CVT-7 alternatives, and if this isn’t carried out quickly enough it can lead to clutch damage. The most obvious sign that a fluid service could be needed is if the car judders when you pull away.

It is also quite common for water to leak into the underfloor storage compartment in the boot in heavy rain, although this is an easy fix, with a new seal generally all that’s needed.

Be sure to check any relevant recall work has been carried out. For example, cars built between September 2009 and May 2010, fitted with steel rather than alloy wheels were recalled to have their wheels replaced after it was discovered that the tyre sidewalls may have been damaged during fitting.

A larger recall saw 136,000 cars brought in for examination after it was discovered their headlights may not illuminate correctly due to the layout of the wiring harness.

The Honda Jazz gets through wiper blades and brake pads slightly quicker than most small cars, with these items typically needing to be replaced every 26,000 and 30,000 miles respectively.

However, it’s lighter than average on brake discs, bulbs, brake fluid and pollen filters, according to data from CAP Derwent, a scheme which pools repair information from some of the UK’s biggest vehicle leasing firms to predict when parts will need to be replaced.

The data also shows that it’s typically more than 100,000 miles before expensive items, such as the engine, gearbox, clutch or air conditioning need to be repaired.

This comes as no surprise given that the Jazz topped the What Car? Reliability Survey in 2015; this survey also showed that it has reasonable average repair costs.

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Hatchback

Honda is a company that doesn’t like to follow the crowd. So, while it competes in most of the traditional sectors of the car market, in each case it does something a little bit different.

The Jazz, for example, might look like just another rival to Britain’s best-selling car, the Ford Fiesta, but it’s actually much more practical than its rivals, with a flexible boot and Tardis-like interior.

The bigger Civic is also a practical choice, but it’s mainly distinguished by having eye-catching, love-it-or-hate-it styling, despite competing in a sector of the market that’s usually more conservative than a blue rosette.

And while it may not seem so radical now, Honda’s large SUV, the CR-V, was one of the first to forego any pretence of being an off-roader and instead focus on on-road driving dynamics.

HONDA

JAZZ

The Honda Jazz offers all the space and versatility of amuch bigger car and should give you years of trouble-free motoring. The biggest weakness is its ride.

Used Honda Jazz 2008 - 2015

The 1.2- and 1.4-litre petrols average about 50mpg in official tests, while the hybrid manages 62.8mpg. However, the petrols both need to be revved quite hard, while the hybrid rarely switches into electric mode, so in the real world you’ll struggle to get within 10mpg of the official figures no matter which engine you choose.

The same is true of rivals, such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/note/hatchback/review/n73">Nissan Note</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/citroen/c3-picasso/mpv/review/n17354">Citroen C3 Picasso</a>, although unlike the Jazz, these are available as diesels, which offer improved fuel economy, particularly on the motorway.

Road tax bills will be small no matter which Jazz you choose, with the hybrid costing just £10 a year. Servicing isn’t that expensive, eitherm despite Honda dealers having a strong reputation for customer care and quality.

Insurance is expensive compared with rivals, though. The 1.2-litre models are in group 13-14, while the hybrid is in group 16 and the 1.4s are rated at 16-19.

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The Honda Jazz offers all the space and versatility of amuch bigger car and should give you years of trouble-free motoring. The biggest weakness is its ride.

Prices for this second-generation Jazz range from about £2500 for early 1.2-litre petrol cars that have covered more than 100,000 miles, to about £13,000 for low-mileage hybrids built just before the car went off sale in 2015.

A 2013 1.4-litre petrol car in our favoured ES-T spec that has covered 24,000 miles will cost about £7000 if bought privately and £8000 if bought from a dealer.

The 1.2-litre petrol engine feels underpowered, so it’s worth spending a little more to get the 1.4-litre.

Both came with a five-speed manual gearbox as standard, while the alternative when the car first went on sale was Honda’s i-Shift automatic gearbox, which is best avoided because it causes the car to lurch disconcertingly whenever it changes up.

Fortunately, Honda dropped the iShift in favour of its CVT-7 auto gearbox in February 2011; this is much smoother, even if it does let the engine get raucous under hard acceleration.

A petrol-electric hybrid was added to the range at the same time, and this gets the CVT-7 gearbox as standard.

Our favourite used Honda Jazz: 1.4 ES-T manual

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Spacious enough for four adults to sit comfortably</li> <li>Logically laid-out interior that doesn’t</li> <li>feel too cheap</li> <li>Mature driving manners </li> <li>Decent-sized boot</li> <li>Competitive buying and running costs</li></ul>

Small cars, or superminis as they’re also known, used to be bought almost exclusively as first cars or by people with no children – but the likes of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/fiesta/hatchback/review/n106">Ford Fiesta</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/ibiza/hatchback/review/n17359">Seat Ibiza</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/polo/hatchback/review/n83">Volkswagen Polo</a> have grown to the point where they can be considered all-round family transport, albeit with the odd compromise.

The Fiesta remains a star of the class, thanks to its strong Ecoboost petrol engines and suspension settings that are beautifully judged for British roads. However, the latest Volkswagen offers even more practicality, decent performance and a classy interior that has the edge on the Ford’s for quality.

Any of these models will be a competent commuter car – especially if fitted with one of the increasingly popular small turbocharged petrol engines – but just remember that while you’ll be able to carry two adults and two children, it might still be a struggle to get all of their luggage into the boot.

Small

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/honda">Honda</a> Jazz owners tend to take care of their cars, but it’s worth looking for parking damage, such as scuffed alloy wheels and uneven front tyre wear.

The Jazz was given a mid-life refresh in 2011, which brought smarter headlights, subtly reshaped bumpers and small improvements in fuel economy. More significantly, the suspension and steering were tweaked to make the ride slightly softer and the handling a little more reassuring.

It's a mark of the Jazz's durability that there are few negative comments from owners. Make sure you buy a car with complete service history, though.

A vehicle history check will show if there's any outstanding finance and if the car has been written off in an accident and then put back on the road.

There are plenty of small cars that are more stylish or better to drive, but none are more practical than the Honda Jazz.

Its boot is larger than that of a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/focus/hatchback/review/n37">Ford Focus</a>, despite the Jazz being shorter than a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/fiesta/hatchback/review/n106">Fiesta</a>. What’s more, a series of flaps let you divide up the space to stop smaller luggage sliding around, and there’s a suspended net for loose items.

The cleverness doesn’t stop there. The rear seats cantilever down when you lower the backrests so they lie completely flat. Or alternatively, you can flip the bases up, like cinema seats, to fit bikes or other large items across the car.

When the rear seats are in place, a six-foot passenger can sit behind a similar-sized driver without their knees touching the seat in front. All the seats are also mounted higher than they are in most small hatchbacks to make it easier to get in and out.

Light steering makes the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/honda/jazz/hatchback/review/n17343">Honda Jazz</a> pretty effortless to drive in town. However, the firm suspension jostles you and your passengers around. True, comfort improves with speed, but there’s so much wind noise at 70mph that you can hear little else.

The steering is rather vague, so on winding roads it’s difficult to find an enjoyable rhythm in the Jazz.

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Used Honda Jazz 2008 - 2015 review

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Wondering what the best used Honda Jazz 2008 - 2015 is for your money? The expert What Car? review team can help you out.

The 1.2-litre petrol engine feels underpowered, so it’s worth spending a little more to get the 1.4-litre.,Both came with a five-speed manual gearbox as standard, while the alternative when the car first went on sale was Honda’s i-Shift automatic gearbox, which is best avoided because it causes the car to lurch disconcertingly whenever it changes up.,Fortunately, Honda dropped the iShift in favour of its CVT-7 auto gearbox in February 2011; this is much smoother, even if it does let the engine get raucous under hard acceleration.A petrol-electric hybrid was added to the range at the same time, and this gets the CVT-7 gearbox as standard.Our favourite used Honda Jazz: 1.4 ES-T manual 

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Used Honda Jazz 2008 - 2015 review

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