Honda has three hybrids on offer in the UK and one of the most popular is the Hybrid Jazz.
In the UK, the Jazz was first available as a petrol version and was introduced as a hybrid in 2010. The other Honda hybrids in the UK are the Insight and the sporty CR-Z.
But the next big thing from Honda is all the electric Jazz. Named the Jazz EV, the all-electric version won’t be available in the UK or Europe for a few years yet, but it will be launched in Japan and California and Oregon in 2012 and then to six other US states during 2013. The Jazz is known as the Fit in Japan and the States.
The Jazz EV will have a lithium-ion battery and a 92kW electric motor. The range will be 76 miles in a combined highway/city mode and 123 miles for pure city driving. The electric motor’s battery will charge in 3 hours when plugged in to a 240V supply.
Those driving the Jazz EV can choose between three different driving modes – ‘normal’ ‘econ’ and ‘sport’- simply by pressing a button. Obviously, the ‘econ’ button is the most economical mode of the three.
Meanwhile the current Jazz hybrid in the UK has low carbon dioxide emissions of 104g/km, 21g/km less than the petrol Jazz. It has a combined mileage of 62.8mpg.
Honda’s Jazz hybrid has the Eco Assist function, which helps the driver use the car in the most eco-friendly way. If you brake hard or accelerate aggressively, the speedometer glows blue instead of green. If you drive in a more fuel-efficient manner, the flower emblem on the Econ button grows. You also have a scoring system that grades your eco-driving and adds each journey to your lifetime score. The better the score you have, the more money you will have saved on fuel and the less harm you’ve done to the environment.
Pressing the Econ mode button will adjust all car systems to their eco-driving optimum; by increasing the idle stop time, for example.
The 1.3 IMA petrol-hybrid Jazz costs just under £16,000 and comes with keyless entry, Honda’s ‘magic’ folding rear seats, electric front and rear windows and dual front, side and curtain airbags, to name just a few of its features.
