[Aditya]

Honda Jazz

What you’ll like:

• Versatile package wearing sharp clothes. One car for several roles
• Spacious, user-friendly cabin. Easily the roomiest hatchback in India
• Big 354 liter boot is the segment best. Magic seats bring tons of flexibility
• Practical & efficient diesel, refined & revv-happy petrol and a convenient CVT. Take your pick
• Comfortable ride quality. Much improved over the older Jazz
• Light controls and easy maneuverability. Effortless to drive in the city
• Features such as feather-touch climate control, reversing camera, touchscreen ICE, paddle shifters (CVT) & more

What you won’t:

• Loud diesel engine is nowhere as refined as the Elite i20's. Doesn't like high rpms either
• 1.2L petrol has a weak bottom end. Feels lethargic <2,500 rpm
• On-road premium for diesel is Rs. 1.3 - 1.5 lakhs! That's higher than the competition
• Magic seats only on the top variant (earlier Jazz had them on all trim levels)
• CVT unavailable with the VX trim! No fully loaded Automatic
• Skinny 175 mm tyres. All competitors offer thicker rubber (Elite i20 = 195 mm)
• Missing goodies (steering reach adjustment, keyless entry & go, rear air-con vents, driver armrest & proper dead pedal)

Link to Official Review

Hyundai Elite i20

What you'll like:

• All-rounded package in a sharp design. Improved over the 1st-gen i20 in nearly every way
• Spacious interiors with outstanding quality, fit and finish. Practical 285 liter boot too
• 1.4L diesel has excellent driveability, refinement, performance & fuel economy. 6-speed gearbox is smooth
• Mature suspension offers a comfortable ride and neutral handling characteristics
• Hyundai's fuss-free ownership experience & excellent after-sales service
• Loaded with features & gizmos (16" rims, keyless entry & go, 8-speaker stereo, rake & reach steering, rear air-con, reversing cam, cooled glovebox and lots more)

What you won't:

• Missing equipment vis a vis old i20: Rear disc brakes, side & curtain airbags, sunroof, auto-wipers & DRLs
• 1.2L petrol is nowhere as impressive as the diesel. Mediocre highway performance for a premium hatchback
• Anyone over 5'11" will find rear headroom to be insufficient. Sloping roof eats into cabin height at the back
• Dynamics & steering aren't to an enthusiast's tastes. Swift, Polo etc. are more fun to drive
• On-road price difference between the petrol & diesel is ~1.3 lakhs. That's higher than the competition
• Rear wiper only on the top Asta trim! No fuel-efficiency indicator, auto-locking doors or height-adjustable seatbelts on any variant

Link to Official Review

[GTO]

My choice would be the Hyundai Elite i20.

After driving it for our official review, one thing was clear = Hyundai got the premium hatch formula absolutely spot-on. The sheer quality is unmatched and the car is an all-rounder in the truest sense of the term. It even removed the steering & handling nervousness that plagued the old i20.

As a premium family hatchback, the i20 is hard to beat. Undoubtedly the benchmark today. Hyundai's reliability & after-sales is also among the best.

The Jazz is a step forward of the earlier car, and Honda has improved it in several areas. If it weren't for the Elite i20, the Jazz would probably be the top pick. But the Hyundai is so good that Honda has its work cut out.

Let this discussion focus on these two cars only. Before anyone asks why other big hatchbacks aren't included, well, we have several existing comparos on them. There's no doubt that a majority of 8 - 9 lakh customers will be shopping between these two.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

So, my neighbours garage list goes like this- Mercedes A class, BMW 5 series, BMW 3GT, BMW X3, Volkswagen Jetta, Volvo S60, Audi A6... and the Elite i20 Asta. Last time I asked them about a small city runabout- they shunned the idea of purchasing a small car. The Elite i20 however - managed to change just that.

It offers something small in size, which doesn't feel cheap in quality. THE premium hatch right now in the Indian context. The only downer is that the 'Indianisation' has robbed the i20 of some features and safety.

Coming to the Jazz- it's 10.7L OTR Bangalore. Every time you get into the car - a dummy button greets you instead of the start - stop button. There is no escaping it- it's right there on the dashboard between the steering wheel and the music system. Sorry Honda, but that's not premium and just not done for something that costs a million.

My vote goes to the Elite i20 Asta.

PS- It's high time they launch the AT version. Also, all said and done- I believe the Jazz won't be a flop this time around.

[vinair]

If not for the Hyundai i20 or the new Elite, I believe Honda would have just written off the Jazz model for India and would have concentrated only on the Amaze!

By taking the Indian market serious, Hyundai has got everything right and it shows in all its products, its almost like a Salman Khan movie!! Hit after hit!!

[Vid6639]

Frankly speaking I am unable to decide between the 2. I like the Elite i20 a lot and on paper it's the better choice.

The problem I am having is that I want to like the Jazz but Honda is trying it's best to make me decide against it.

Lack of features vs the i20, inferior seats in all but the top most spec is really making it difficult to choose the Jazz over the i20.

Right now sitting on the fence and will probably take a vote later on..

[Parth46]

C'mon man - how much did they save by not painting the fuel lid properly and those ghastly AUX/USB cables in the glovebox? And all this for something that costs more than 10 lacs OTR Bangalore.

No thanks, Honda. Elite i20 any day. And if Suhas feels that even the Grand i10 can challenge the Jazz in the overall premium feel of the interior, then no more needs be said.

Contrary to popular belief, the handling piece in the new Hyundai cars are no longer major deal-breakers, might not be in the league of say a Fiesta but not duds either. I own a Grand i10 and have driven the Elite i20 as well and both stay pretty sure-footed and composed at pretty high speeds with hardly any bounciness or boat-like ride.

Cheers,
Parth

[ani_meher]

Somehow this version of Jazz doesn't feel as 'exclusive' or 'upmarket' as the first one. Sure there are comfort features and improvements, but stripping basics such as magic seat in lower versions and start button and twin glove boxes etc, looking at the review doesn't inspire the feeling of seeing something magical. In fact after reading the new car's review, I read the old review on team bhp, and felt that 1st version was good, if not better.

[prkiran]

Originally Posted by Vid6639

I want to like the Jazz but Honda is trying it's best to make me decide against it.

The exact line I was about to type
i20 petrol was a rather underwhelming experience for me and had almost made up my mind to book an SV or V model once the pricing is out. But Honda has successfully made me so confused that I am now reconsidering Swift and Polo as well. Voted for Jazz anyway, as I still consider it above i20 due to the presence of 2 airbags in the mid variant onwards.

[DevendraG]

My vote goes to Elite i20 too.

I hoped a lot from Jazz but unfortunately I was let down. Cutting back on the basics & providing gimmicks were a downer in what looks like a stunning car on the outside.

In my opinion, Honda Jazz CVT would eat share from Polo GT TSI (a teeny tiny share though) & that too only in reliability department (head over heart).

[Rajeevraj]

Voted for i20. But my feelings are mixed. If it were the diesel, no doubt i20. Petrol it is tilted in favor of the Jazz.

The fact that Honda is offer 2 variants of the AT in the Jazz is a huge plus point. But again, I feel they messed it up a little by pricing it a on the higher side not offering a VX CVT. The V CVT will nudge 10L On Road Bangalore and at that price, indifferent performance and missing features are kind of deal breaker.

Of course, I believe it will be successful and not a flop like the earlier one. But like the missing 'Magic' Seats in the lower variants, I feel there the magic associated with the car in its earlier avatar is missing.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by Vid6639

inferior seats in all but the top most spec is really making it difficult to choose the Jazz over the i20.

The 2nd-from-top variants of both are a mixed bag. The i20 Sportz (O) doesn't give you rear wash & wipe , passenger-side airbag or parking sensors. The Honda Jazz V variant gives you all of them (camera instead of sensors).

Give me 5,000 - 7,000 rupees and I'll fix the Honda's rear seat under-thigh support in the after-market in 24 hours. More support than you'll ever need. But you can't do that to the i20 Sportz' missing features.

Forget the V variant, Honda gives you dual airbags & a reversing camera even in the SV variant.

[lazy]

To each his/her own.

For me, back in 2010 when I chose the Jazz, it was simple, this car would hold off the need for a sedan (city, verna, linea types) for much longer than the i20 or punto. And I can go for the next segment when I upgrade.
That in itself is money saved in the long run.

For some gizmos and lights are more important, and for some the space and practicality are more important.

Several variants of the Jazz are priced very close to i20. For such variants - the Jazz easily offer more car for the price.
For the variants where Jazz is more expensive, it becomes a personal decision as to what features/functionality is more important to the buyer.

cheers

[prithvibelli]

More inclined towards the Honda's Japanese quirky styling rather than the Hyundai's European looks.It does not provide creature comfort features as in Elite i20. It does not give the performance nor refinement(diesel) as Elite i20. But it does add a lot of character to the drive, as it has got the basics right and adds to the feel of driving a premium hatchback. Being an FE conscious person, the 27.3kmpl is an icing on the cake. I would be more happy in a Jazz in the long run(6-7years).

On paper Elite i20 is better, but at the heart its the Honda. Hence, voted for the Jazz.

[gearhead_mait]

I have voted for Elite i20. Reasons:

1) The sheer on road presence of Elite i20.
2) The looks of Elite i20 is more matured.

But, I liked the rear seat configuration of the Honda Jazz very much.

Question I have on my mind right now is:

As the length, width and wheelbase are all greater in Elite i20 than the Honda Jazz, how did Honda manage to carve out so much space inside?

[IshaanIan]

The i20 really isn't my cup of tea solely due to the lack of involvement and quickness in the dynamic abilities department. The looks as well are too predictable across the range of Hyundais IMO and I am not a fan.

I like my cars to feel complete. Like I don't have to compromise in any way. I'm not talking about figures and specs and who has the most space or anything of the sort. I just want a well put together package, some practicality, and some brilliant handling and Honda seems to have shattered my expectations in them, doing a very good job at making me hate a car I once loved The lack of magic seats in lower variants and the lack of a CVT in the top end seems really silly I mean Honda is known for offering a reliable decently responsive CVT on its cars and the Jazz in particular is known for its magic seats. What is the meaning of restricting each of those options on other variants? I really expect them to offer better rubber and better interior quality as well, I mean it is a Honda for Christ's sake! Don't even get me started on the "feather touch" ACC and music controls; it is such a cheap gimmick not only does the dash look bad with so much cheap glossy black plastic but Honda's are again known for their ergonomics and this is just a silly implementation that requires one to take his/her eyes off the road and offers no tactile feel whatsoever. While I understand Honda is trying to target the masses here in our country, I have a feeling they have lost sight of their core values in the process and are simply headed for being perceived as what Hyundai might have been a decade ago. Absolutely disappointed with Honda and this is the first time I will be voting for a Hyundai even though I don't really care for the car, me being partial only to those that reward a good driver and/or have bucket loads of character.