[thedreamcatcher]

@superboy, agree with you as well

Out of pure lust factor, anyday I would go in for the Jazz

[trammway]

I really have no idea about etios but I don't suggest JAZZ for two reasons. I did test drive JAZZ recently not the X model but the base one.

I have driven Honda City for many years, M800, Jeeps and Suzuki Zen Estilo for 2 years on a row now. I don't know if the JAZZ owners will agree but this is what my observation

1. When we test drove JAZZ we found the gear shift is so light and lots of noise and felt uncommon for Honda's quality. Shifting gear is also not that smooth as any other car.

2. When starting the car it shakes like old gen diesel cars (REALLY), we didn't buy JAZZ only for these two reasons.

Now both the above points were compared with Zen Estilo when the test car came to our home. We even asked the honda sales guys to test and tell us, he left our place without a word.

[Devrishi]

Originally Posted by trammway

I really have no idea about etios but I don't suggest JAZZ for two reasons. I did test drive JAZZ recently not the X model but the base one.

I have driven Honda City for many years, M800, Jeeps and Suzuki Zen Estilo for 2 years on a row now. I don't know if the JAZZ owners will agree but this is what my observation

1. When we test drove JAZZ we found the gear shift is so light and lots of noise and felt uncommon for Honda's quality. Shifting gear is also not that smooth as any other car.

2. When starting the car it shakes like old gen diesel cars (REALLY), we didn't buy JAZZ only for these two reasons.

Now both the above points were compared with Zen Estilo when the test car came to our home. We even asked the honda sales guys to test and tell us, he left our place without a word.

In the beginning, yes i too had some problem with gear noise as you are saying but with the passage of time, I got myself tuned to the style JAZZ likes - since then things are smooth except the first gear. My Jazz X is just one month old, i presume, with a little more use the first gear will become more smooth. The car is used by my wife - i layed my hands some 5 or 6 times only - covered one highway too - oh! it's fantastic. I have michelin tyres that ADD to the premium feel too.

Regarding shaking, i completely disagree. It's rather the other way round - when you start the engine, you are not sure if it's actually running. Many a times, i've got to, slightly,pump the accelerator - just to check.

I am waiting for my ordered set of Team-Bhp stickers - got to beautify MY X.

[rajesh_shenoy]

The last couple of days have brought in lots of clarity. We test drove the Jazz, and also visited the Toyota showroom to check out the Etios on display.

Finally, the heart has won. I will cancel my Etios booking soon, and book a Jazz Select for delivery in March.

Main things which went against the Etios were spartan interiors, lackluster plasticky feeling all around, cost cutting glaringly evident all around (e.g., the doors don't even have rubber beadings - only the door frame has). The interiors have an unfinished look that we hadn't seen since the Maruti 800 days - the portion under the dashboard has to be seen to be believed.

After the Jazz TD, my family doesn't even want to get into an Etios now. So much for torque characteristics, driveability, etc!

Once again, thanks a heap to everyone for all the great replies. That really, really helped a lot!

PS: Another thing that went against the Etios was the fact that it was kept beside the Corolla and Camry in the showroom. The contrast is simply too stark - Etios looks like an unkempt outcast *******-child of Toyota and the BRIC economies! I'm sure many Etios customers will feel painfully short-changed.

[Devrishi]

Good decision. While negotiating with Honda, apart from cash discounts and negotiations over mode/active kit etc, see if you can also sneak in under body anti-rust coating worth Rs.3,500/- and 3M/teflon coating for body protection worth Rs.2,500/- free of cost.

[superboy44]

congrats on the decision, i am very sure that one test drive of the jazz and all that premium that it commands gets justified.
even in my buying experience the jazz was the first car i ruled out due to its high price and had finalized the deal on the i20 asta(o) petrol but one drive in the jazz and it definitely felt worth the extra cash.

[crisscross]

Congrats on your decision. I got a Jazz recently and I can tell you it's an excellent car, very quiet and very smooth. I second what Devshri said about the engine being so quiet that you wonder if it's running or not. I have done 2-3 times. Gear shift is also very smooth and there are no problems at all.

One concern I do have is that the suspension seems a lil stiff compared to the Punto for instance, we have noticed this in the rear seat and not in the front. I am still trying to figure out if it's a Jazz issue or just my driving style.

[rajesh_shenoy]

@All Thanks for the wishes!

@crisscross I noticed the stiffness during my TD too. The car was not a new one - the odo had about 16k kms on it. I thought the tyres were over-inflated. Perhaps softer tyres (Michelin Primacy LC?) will help?

Has anyone else noticed this? Cheers!

[biyer]

Originally Posted by RoadTiger

@Devrishi - I completely agree with your comment that your personality is reflected by the choices/ decisions you make.

Jazz = self-indulgent, doesnt look at price tag when one likes something, heart rules
Etios = practical, grounded, seeks value, head rules

There is no right or wrong here - just what you are comfortable with.

Manza = cheaper, more practical, more grounded, seeks most value, head of self and head of ancestors rule.

A jazz owner! :-)

[iSpoke]

Hi Rajesh,
I think you booked it in December, so there would be some big discounts. Sure, with those heavy road taxes in b'lore it must be way high but I wanted to know the OTR cost.
So finally how much a Jazz cost you?

[rajesh_shenoy]

Originally Posted by iSpoke

Hi Rajesh,
I think you booked it in December, so there would be some big discounts. Sure, with those heavy road taxes in b'lore it must be way high but I wanted to know the OTR cost.
So finally how much a Jazz cost you?

Due to a change in plans, I haven't booked any car yet. Will be booking Jazz (X?) this month. Will post back with the deals I get.

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by thedreamcatcher

I beg to differ with what people here quote that the Jazz is far better than the Etios and it seem more a case of brand bias.

I personally am a fan of Honda as well, and the Jazz also (my wife loves it and wants it next), with great space inside and good build quality. But it is highly overrated and the price it commands is downright unjustifiable. It has several vital elements missing, despite the 'premium' it commands. No Auto Climate Control and no USB (excepting the Jazz X, where u cough up some more money).

Trust me, i am not saying it is bad here. It is a very great car indeed, but not value for money

The Etios, no matter if it is chaep, is a Toyota afterall. Enjoy the car, dont feel too bad about it. It is definitely a good move and something you will probably rave of earlier (touch wood)

You might understand the value of the Jazz only once you've actually bought it.

To us, as a family, the Jazz did not sound right at all. I mean, 8.5 lakhs for a hatch? That's what we thought, until we actually bought it. And trust me, it's more VFM than you actually think. It's just that, you have to look at it, and perceive its ability differently. Look at it this way:

It's a hatch, that's about as spacious as the Honda City (not kidding), much more maneuverable in traffic than the City, feels more premium than the City, and has enough power for city-driving and has the legs to impress you on the highway, gives you incredible mileage and looks space age! All for a good lakh less than the City!

Yes, the trade-off is the lack of some equipment like auto-folding mirrors and Climate-Control. But I'm sure you can live with these omissions. It's no big deal.

So basically, the Jazz is a sedan on the inside, a hatch on the outside, and more versatile than some SUVs, with loads of class and appeal! I mean, seriously, what more could one want? In that sense, the Jazz is good VFM.

But if you're going to say that it's a hatch @ 8.5 lakhs, then obviously, you're not looking at it the way one should! And that's the mistake many many people have made, even on this forum. I hope people understand that the Jazz is not just 'a hacthback'. It's so much more than that.

[chevelle]

Originally Posted by RoadTiger

- Lower running and maintenance costs : Etios promises better FE than the Jazz, based on reviews - the low weight and high torque at low rpms being the driver

running costs (FE promised by Etios better than Jazz) ...

Etios owner on team-bhp reports a 11.5 kmpl fuel efficiency. Jazz owners are reporting much higher. Please don't make blanket statements

as for the choice, its premium hatchback vs entry-level sedan. After driving both, i would prefer Jazz than etios.

All your requirements point towards Jazz. One of the many advantage is ready availability of jazz compared to 6-10 months waiting of etios.

good luck and keep us updated.

[adimicra]

Originally Posted by suhaas307

You might understand the value of the Jazz only once you've actually bought it.

To us, as a family, the Jazz did not sound right at all. I mean, 8.5 lakhs for a hatch? That's what we thought, until we actually bought it. And trust me, it's more VFM than you actually think. It's just that, you have to look at it, and perceive its ability differently. Look at it this way:

It's a hatch, that's about as spacious as the Honda City (not kidding), much more maneuverable in traffic than the City, feels more premium than the City, and has enough power for city-driving and has the legs to impress you on the highway, gives you incredible mileage and looks space age! All for a good lakh less than the City!

Yes, the trade-off is the lack of some equipment like auto-folding mirrors and Climate-Control. But I'm sure you can live with these omissions. It's no big deal.

So basically, the Jazz is a sedan on the inside, a hatch on the outside, and more versatile than some SUVs, with loads of class and appeal! I mean, seriously, what more could one want? In that sense, the Jazz is good VFM.

But if you're going to say that it's a hatch @ 8.5 lakhs, then obviously, you're not looking at it the way one should! And that's the mistake many many people have made, even on this forum. I hope people understand that the Jazz is not just 'a hacthback'. It's so much more than that.

don't know how i missed this thread!
But I could not have put it in a better way...after 7 months of buying and owning Jazz, I am so happy with my decision.
One correction, after all discounts, Jazz Select is almost 2.5 lakhs lesser than the ANHC and the Jazz X( which has better features than the City V) is 2 lakhs less, which makes it a very attractive proposition.
To understand the value of Jazz, you have to get outside the normal mentality and have an eye for details and aesthetics! Just dismissing it because it looks like an hatchback and costs much higher is not correct.

About the FE, as @chevelle said, the Jazz gives the best FE among petrol hatches though being pretty heavy (1055 kgs) and is much better than what the Etios or any entry-level sedan gives (Reference: TBHP ownership reviews as well as reviews from Auto mags)

@rajesh_shenoy, congrats dude! You won't repent your decision - I am sure!

[DRIV3R]

Originally Posted by adimicra

About the FE, as @chevelle said, the Jazz gives the best FE among petrol hatches though being pretty heavy (1055 kgs)

And what exactly are the other hatches we are talking about?