[suhaas307]

Pareyshaan & Bblost,

I'm not sure if you'll are aware of this but it's been 6 months since we've bought a Honda Jazz. And it has been a glorious 6 months! We've realized that the Jazz isn't just what people perceived it to be i.e. an expensive hatch-back.

I've quoted above, the link to my Initial-Ownership-Thread. Please feel free to check it out and leave a comment!

Well, I do agree that the Jazz could do with more power; ideally, the same 1.5 litre Vtec motor from the City, but the 1.2 litre 90 bhp engine works pretty well within city-limits and it has the power and torque to do the occasional highway jaunts. In fact, rev the engine past 3k RPM and you'll be catapulted to three-digit-figures before you know it. The only problem is that the 1st and 2nd gears are tall and feel pretty sluggish.

Originally Posted by sbraj

BTW, why not the Yeti? I know it is not a hatch in the pure sense of the word. But, since we are comparing apples vs oranges, why not?

We would be looking to replace our Civic in say, a years time, and that's when we would consider the Yeti. Over the past decade, we've enjoyed our yearly trips to Goa and the Yeti should be perfect for those trips.

Originally Posted by ampere

1. No apprehensions between Petrol and Diesel.
Because, since money is no bar, diesel would be welcome for enthusiast.
(Total distance travelled not being the diesel deciding factor).

We never really considered an oil-burner when we were in the market for a new premium hatchback. Our driving would be only within the city, and the mileage would be less than 300 km a month. Diesels don't make sense for that sort of usage. Petrol was the default choice for us!

Originally Posted by ampere

If one adds Honda services into equation compared to VW/Skoda, does it still tilt it the Honda way?

Absolutely! Skoda can't hold a candle to the after-sales-service of Honda. In fact, Honda's service can give Maruti and Hyundai a run for their money. It's just that the spare parts are comparatively more expensive. That's of course, when compared to Maruti and Hyundai, and not Skoda.

[veedub89]

the jazz is the car to go for here. the hyundai is good car but when you are comparing it to a honda, the honda is a clear winner in terms of build, features, the badge and not to mention the after sale support.
also please share why you have dropped the polo 1.6 from the equation. is it just because of the service issues?

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by veedub89

the jazz is the car to go for here. the hyundai is good car but when you are comparing it to a honda, the honda is a clear winner in terms of build, features, the badge and not to mention the after sale support.

In terms of build quality I would rate the i20 on par with the Jazz. Both are pretty good. But not even close to the Fabia/Punto/Polo. In terms of features, the i20 is the clear winner followed by the Punto. The Jazz doesn't come with several deal-breaking features like climate-control and auto-fold ORVMs.

Originally Posted by veedub89

also please share why you have dropped the polo 1.6 from the equation. is it just because of the service issues?

The Polo 1.6 was not introduced when we were looking to buy a premium hatch. In fact, VW had just introduced the Polo when we booked our Jazz. If we had waited for a few months, the Polo 1.6 might have just pipped the Jazz. Nevertheless, we are more than happy with our buy!

[ampere]

The reason I dropped Polo 1.6 was space constraints. Jazz and (I think I20 also) have lots of it. (Fabia does have enough space, but again looses out because of after sales).

@Suhaas,

Thats what I mentioned right at the beginning. Let us not look at distance covered as a metric to decide between petrol and diesel.

I was convinced right from day one that the best hatch had to be Jazz. Only reason I thought of an outside chance for I20 diesel was those moments when one tends to enjoy on long drives. Since diesel would provide much greater torque it may be fun driving then.

Thats why I asked:

1. What have folks experienced driving Jazz on the highway?
2. How difficult/easy it is to drive I20 diesel in the city (say for example in a bumper to bumper traffic) ?

[sbraj]

Originally Posted by ampere

I have no idea about I20 issues on steering column.

I am not following hatches that closely, hence I don't have much details. I was referring to this post. This post led me to this thread later.

If you are seriously considering i20/Jazz, methinks you should go deeper into the products to find out about such issues.

[ampere]

@Raj, I am in no hurry to buy right now. But these were very pertinent questions, from a usage standpoint, which I was thinking about.

[crisscross]

How does the Jazz compare with the new Fabia? I had almost closed in on the Jazz when I read about the new Fabia- more power and cheaper?

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by ampere

@Suhaas,

Thats what I mentioned right at the beginning. Let us not look at distance covered as a metric to decide between petrol and diesel.

I was convinced right from day one that the best hatch had to be Jazz. Only reason I thought of an outside chance for I20 diesel was those moments when one tends to enjoy on long drives. Since diesel would provide much greater torque it may be fun driving then.

Thats why I asked:

1. What have folks experienced driving Jazz on the highway?
2. How difficult/easy it is to drive I20 diesel in the city (say for example in a bumper to bumper traffic) ?

1) My father loved the feel of the Jazz on the highway. It felt pretty sure-footed and rooted to the ground. Although, the steering can get a bit twitchy when you go beyond 130 and it's very light so it's not really confidence inspiring. But among hatch-backs, I;d say the i20, the Fabia and the Jazz are the best when it comes to highway-manners. And I cannot put them in order.

2) from what I've been told, very difficult! The i20 cannot be lugged and the torque is not low down in the rev-range and that makes it hard for you to crawl in traffic. You need to give the gas-pedal constant feathering to keep moving. But once you're above 2k RPM, it's as good as diesels get!

Originally Posted by crisscross

How does the Jazz compare with the new Fabia? I had almost closed in on the Jazz when I read about the new Fabia- more power and cheaper?

The Fabia is a great car and the new power-plant is quite a performer. Compared to the Jazz, it's a little better in terms of power and performance. The build quality in the Fabia is unmatched. However, when it comes to space, practicality and reliability, the Honda beats the Fabia quite comfortably. The Jazz is the best example of efficient and supreme Jap-engineering. It's a fantastic car. It all boils down to your preference and your priorities.

[uneet]

Originally Posted by crisscross

How does the Jazz compare with the new Fabia? I had almost closed in on the Jazz when I read about the new Fabia- more power and cheaper?

The new Fabia with aggresive pricing, nice neat features and solid built, it is surelly gonna make the buyer noticed. A.S.S is surelly improving. Iam already using this car for more than 2 years now and have no issues at all.

[crisscross]

Thanks for your feedback guys. I am leaning towards the Jazz will keep you guys posted.

[EssYouWe]

Originally Posted by suhaas307

But among hatch-backs, I;d say the i20, the Fabia and the Jazz are the best when it comes to highway-manners. And I cannot put them in order.

I would really disagree here. None, but Fabia, deserve to be in the list of good highway manners. I haven't driven the Jazz on a highway, so will hold my comments on that.
However, the i20 is one of the worst cars for the highway. The handling is abysmal, the steering lifeless and the ride unnerving. For the city, I can't think of a better hatch though. Add to that, its sheer quality on the inside. Still i20 is one car regular highway travelers should pass on.

[spindoc]

Isn't the lack of the rear wiper and defogger a deal-breaker in the Fabia's case? Or, is there an easy solution (retro-fit, OE accessories)?

[valhallen.282]

The jazz is an absolute hoot to drive! Especially on the highway. I got to try at dakshin honda on hosur road on a holiday and believe me with passenger plus a frail sales staff from honda the thing flies holds a straight line, does speed and does not get as jittery as say the i20 or the swift. And I'm coming from a wagonR so you know I know what jittery at speed really means.

That apart its got a LOT more space so I'd say jazz up your life anyday.

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by EssYouWe

I would really disagree here. None, but Fabia, deserve to be in the list of good highway manners. I haven't driven the Jazz on a highway, so will hold my comments on that.
However, the i20 is one of the worst cars for the highway. The handling is abysmal, the steering lifeless and the ride unnerving. For the city, I can't think of a better hatch though. Add to that, its sheer quality on the inside. Still i20 is one car regular highway travelers should pass on.

There you go! You've got the answer. I've driven the Jazz on the Mysore road and honestly, it is very very calm and composed. And as Valhallen has mentioned, point and shoot, the Jazz is fantastic! It really does fly especially after the needle finds itself past 3k RPM. And it can effortly cruise at speeds in excess of 140. After that, you need to push it a bit, but we didn't bother trying.

And honestly, once you've done a highway blast in a Jazz, I kid you not, you will get out of the car and check to see if it has a boot or not. It feels like a big car! And dare I say it, on par or even better than the Fabia!

As for the i20, I guess I spoke to soon! A friend of mine who owns a i20 said that it's great on the highway. I guess he might be wrong. But then again, he upgraded from a '02 Santro! that should explain things!

Originally Posted by spindoc

Isn't the lack of the rear wiper and defogger a deal-breaker in the Fabia's case? Or, is there an easy solution (retro-fit, OE accessories)?

Well, that way, the Jazz doesn't come with auto-climate-control or auto-retractable-ORVMs. And those can be deal-breakers as well. Especially since every other car in the premium-hatch segment comes with them. Every car has it's positives and negatives. One must just learn to live with it.

I'm sure the defogger and rear-wiper can be installed at the dealership.

[EssYouWe]

Deal breakers and deal makers vary from person to person based on their priorities. I, personally, am perfectly okay without ACC and Auto mirrors but demand handling and ride quality.

I drive a Santro nowadays, and the i20 still feels like a boat! That is one car I would take out to the highway only in the Asta(o) trim.

I really want to try the Jazz after reading your comments. It definitely is a great product in its own ride. Can you throw more light on how it fares through potholes and corners?

Cheers