By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our
Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our
Visitor Agreement.
Comments
I agree...it looks a small version of the Nissan Murano.
All we can do is hope that the second generation (whenever it comes out) is indeed only evolutionary, and retains much of the good qualities of the current Fit/Jazz.
I wouldn't count on it, though. If you look at every time Honda does a full-model change on the Civic and Accord models the look is quite different when Honda does the model change. Mind you, I do hope that when Honda does the FMC on the Fit/Jazz it will not be a drastic change, given that the current car is already so well-designed to start with.
it's a 1.4L 83bhp CVT Graphite model, the only option is the metalic painting.
The car is fast and quiet like an electric car, and has lots of pick up, the CVT is absolutely great and very smooth.
first picture: Jazz side by side with my Renault van.
http://esed.free.fr/IMG_438282.jpg
http://esed.free.fr/IMG_436565.jpg
http://esed.free.fr/IMG_437777.jpg
http://esed.free.fr/IMG_438080.jpg
http://esed.free.fr/IMG_437373.jpg
http://esed.free.fr/IMG_437676.jpg
http://esed.free.fr/IMG_436060.jpg
http://esed.free.fr/IMG_436161.jpg
http://esed.free.fr/IMG_436363.jpg
http://esed.free.fr/IMG_437070magicseat.jpg
You say no options yet it isn't the bottom of the line is it?
The auto temp control and the stereo controls on the steering wheel are quite nice.
Having seen a Jazz in Nassau I know the size but it's nice seeing people up against the car for perspective.
I see tuner written all over these little things. Add some better brakes, a supercharger, better swaybar, and so on... Cheap, easy to modify, and turns on a dime - all the signs are there. GM has nothing to complete, and Ford's Focus is getting a bit dated. Chrysler should take the Neon and put it out of its misery. Toyota - the Yaris is a toad by comparison - it looks like a Hyundai or Daewoo from the outside - or very simmilar to the Metro. In fact, the only thing that looks this cool and costs this little, with simmilar features, is a Golf. But the Honda is twice as reliable.
Honda's going to have another CVCC marketshare gain on its hands - I can't wait.
On the steering wheel you have on the left the control of the radio and cd and on the right the manual 7 speed mode of the CVT transmission...if you like to play with it! The regular D mode is just fine, there is also a S mode (sport), on this mode the car just fly!
Air conditionning control is on the middle at the bottom of the dashboard, right under the radio, it shows 19°C on the picture.
The car breaks extremely well with the 4 disk brake.
The back seat can be reclined 1/3 or 2/3 or entirely, and the beauty of it is that you get a perfect flat trunk when all the seats are reclined which is nice.
The Ford Focus and the VW Golf are quite bigger car even though they are not more roomy and definitely not as smart as the Jazz/Fit, but I believe they have a smoother suspension.
It depends on the country/region, but for the most part, no.
In Japan, almost all Fits are ordered with an automatic transmission. I don't know about now, but in the past some trim levels did not even have a manual option.
By contrast in Europe, manual transmissions are much more popular. In some countries (Czech Republic, Slovakia), you can't get a Jazz with an automatic. In other countries like Hungary there are 5 "trim levels". Only 1 has an automatic CVT option. The rest are 5-speed manual only.
However, in Germany, UK, France (I believe), the 1,2 L is only available with manual, while the 1,4 has manual and CVT options for each trim line.
About the Mexican page...if you keep looking around (I don't know a word of Spanish either), you can find a page that has a picture of both the CVT automatic and manual transmission shifters.
The US should receive both. I'm hoping that the manual makes it here, just because I prefer manual (even though the CVT is supposed to be excellent). I hope Honda brings the CVT over as the automatic, and not a regular automatic.
It's ridiculous that we don't have a 5-door or wagon Civic in the states, unless you count the CR-V. I miss the old Civic wagons (of course they were pretty rare). I think Honda would do well with a Civic, TSX, or even a TL wagon.
I watched a television program on the Jazz a while ago and they mentioned that the Jazz has a blue LED that comes on when the engine is cold, and goes out when it eventually warms up. I noticed this LED in the pictures, but is there another LED (orange or red, I suppose) that signifies that the engine could be overheating?
Hopefully, on the US/Canadian-market car the gauges will sport both fuel and temperature gauges instead of that LED system for coolant temperature. It's a lot more reassuring to American buyers.
Thanks for the pix, Edouard!
Let's see what HOA brings to North America....
Unfortunately I was unable to copy and paste it here. Maybe someone else can.
Yes that's a Renault Espace, the previous model, the new model looks very different. The Espace is at least as smart as the Jazz it doesn't look much bigger, but it is. There are 7 armchairs, all removable except for the 2 front ones. The Espace is as roomy as a Caravan/Voyager even though the body is smaller and less bulky. Like the Voyager the Espace was the first mini van concept introduced in Europe in 1984 and it is a very popular car, although expensive, over 50% of all minivans sold in Europe are Espace.
Glad everyone liked the picies.
What I do find interesting about Renault is that they literally invented the minivan and "tall wagon" market niches in Europe. The Ford Galaxy/VW Sharan/Seat Alhambra was an reaction to the Espace, and the Ford Focus C-Max, VW Touran, Opel Zafira and Citroën Xsara Picasso were pretty much reactions to the Renault Mégane Scenic. And you wonder why it's not easy to get a cheap deal on a Scenic or Espace in the UK....
But getting back on topic, I think the Fit/Jazz has proven that B-segment "tall wagons" can be extremely successful, given how well this car has sold just about everywhere. Small wonder why Renault had to develop the Modus to compete.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I'm seriously looking at trading in my Civic HX CVT coupé for a Fit next year. :shades:
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
The Yaris? Toyota Aveo comes to mind - it's just ugly and likely to be flimsy. Toyota is too concerned with competing against the Corolla that their entry level cars are always tin cans. No competition here.
The Versa is not in the same class, either. It reminds me of Mazdas boring models - it's a good car, but not innovative.
The Fit? Small and fun - looks like Honda's version of a Mini. Instead of being grafted from another ine(Versa) or a tin can like a Hyundai, it's a purpose-built smaller Honda. In Motorcycle terms, it would be simmialr to entry level bikes.
They all cut costs, lack refinement, and look and feel nothing like the makers' main lines - with one exception(been shopping for a bike, too). The Vulcan 500LTD - it feels 100% "Vulcan". I'm just not sure I want a cruiser instead of a sportbike, but that's a whole other discussion - lol... It's a baby version of the bigger ones, just scaled down. From what I'm seing of the Fit, Honda has taken the same philosophy as well - it's a half sized Accord hatchback. No corners cut - solid, dependable, and useable as a main car. And it gets incredible mileage.
The Audi and Mercedes microcars that sell in Europe are simmilar - full bore vehicles, just smaller and more economical. The U.S. finally gets a car like this instead of the crummy tin cans we've been dealing with for decades.
Honda's going to sell millions of them.
When I was looking at the Scion XA & XB, the first thing I noticed when I sat inside was how flimsy the doors felt. I hope the Honda Fit is a little more substantial.
It's funny you should say that...
One person who reviewed the Jazz asked "If the car is so tiny on the outside, so big on the inside, has such a nice engine that runs so well and consumes so little [fuel], and looks so nice inside and out, then why doesn't everyone buy a Honda Jazz?" The only answer he could find was the higher price (in Europe). Based on the quality of most subcompacts in the US, this won't be a hard title to achieve.
If Honda can keep the price for the model around $13 - $15 thousand like is expected, they really will sell a lot of units. From a quality perspective, the Jazz is said to have one of the nicest interiors in the European supermini class (which has lots of cars).
It has already been proven from recent sales figures that Honda is one of those companies that sells cars and not rebates. They offer the least cash back and rebates of major companies and if they keep up the progress this year, they will have 12 straight years of sales increases in the US. The Jazz helped Honda reach record sales in Europe last year
People will willingly pay the $2000 - $3000 over the competition just to have a higher quality Honda model. To top it off, the model sold in the US (at least in the beginning) will be made in Japan, and I think that counts for a lot.
Initially the Espace was developed by MATRA who asked Peugeot first for partnership, Peugeot was not interested but Renault accepted the project.
The reaction from Peugeot, VW and Ford came..10 to 12 years later!
How about both.
Well, that's what you get if you're a varacious reader of AUTOCAR and CAR magazines from the UK. (Both are sold at bookstores in the USA.)
What I found interesting was that when Renault first sold the Espace, people in Europe totally laughed at the idea (remember, the original Espace was considered a large vehicle by European standards) until Renault was selling them faster than they could make them. The smaller Mégane Scenic was definitely more quickly accepted, since the original Scenic was not much larger than the C-segment hatchbacks of the day (Ford Escort, VW Golf and Opel Astra especially).
There have been many cute small cars imported and after a while they stopped selling (Ford Festiva, Chevy Metro, etc.). I still think the minimum size car suitable for US roads is VW Golf/Toyota Corolla/Honda Civic. It's a matter of physics not the brand, ie, the shorter the wheelbase, the harsher the ride.
I'll wait and see if Fit can change my mind.
The biggest reason why people expressed concerns about the stiff ride of the Fit/Jazz was the fact that in order to get all that amazing interior space, Honda had to resort to using torsion beam rear suspension, which is not exactly known for a smooth ride on less-than-smooth roads. However, Honda may have solved the problem, given what they just did with the mid-model change (MMC) Fit Aria sedan that just started selling in Southeast Asia in the last few weeks; Honda extensively revised the suspension setup for a much-improved ride quality, something we may see in the US-market car.
The problem with those vehicles was the cheap quality. I am a huge advocate of small cars, but even I will agree that those vehicles were of substandard build quality. They ruined the reputation of small cars in the US. The companies that introduced them also brought them out when gas was cheap in the US, and the SUV was becoming popular.
However, times have changed and the companies that have money to spend on in-house crash testing are making very safe cars. It is little wonder why almost all Honda vehicles have 5 star ratings in the US. At the time of the Jazz's Euro/NCAP crash test, it received the highest overall rating in its class.
I think the question of the Fit having a "harsh ride" is a little subjective.
I hate to generalize, but I, as well as the majority of Europeans I know prefer cars with a somewhat stiffer ride. I have found that most of the cars I have driven in the United States have the suspensions set much cushier than those in Europe.
Basically, what an American considers a harsh ride may be different from other parts of the world, and therefore Honda may introduce a revised suspension on the US Fit to accomodate for the different driving characteristics and preferences.
Edouard, how do you like the handling characteristics of the Jazz you purchased? Would you consider the ride to be harsh?
That's why the Mini sells so well, despite the silly prices - it's small and well made. Now, having a more friendly, non-gouged $14K out the door Fit... Mini is going to have a huge problem on its hands. Then the Smart, Mercedes, and BMW minicars start coming in...
One thing - Honda... if anyone form Honda is reading this - PLEASE OFFER THE JAPAN COLORS. All of them. Peolpe are tired of just silver and white.
http://www.honda.co.jp/auto-lineup/fit/style/index.html
The light green and light blue are nice, and the yellow is amazing .
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3334506a30,00.html
http://www.honda.co.jp/auto-lineup/fit/style/index.html
The light green and light blue are nice, and the yellow is amazing .
However, I don't think the Milan Red color will make it to the USA, though. Many Americans don't like red-colored cars on the perception they stand out too much and tend attract the attention of the local constabulary.
Edge
The "Color" page has all 11 color choices available for viewing:
http://www.honda.co.jp/auto-lineup/fit/color/index.html
The light blue and light green colors are at first a bit non-conformist, but those colors usually aren't available until you get into more luxury models. The Anthracite grey is also a more "complex" color that will sell well. It looks so much more upscale than flat black or silver.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
===
Honda's CSX 'tweaked'
YOU can forget about Honda's new, way-cool, Civic five-door becoming an Acura to compete in the burgeoning premium compact class. For now, it's Euro-only. At a launch event for the 2006 Civic lineup, instead of getting something to compete against the likes of Audi's A3, Honda Canada officials confirmed the existing Civic-based Acura EL's replacement would --yet again -- be a loaded-up Civic sedan.
This time called a CSX, according to Honda, its suspension has been "tweaked for a more sporty feel" with a 155-horsepower, 2.0-litre DOHC engine under the hood similar to that found in the base Acura RSX sports coupe. And, er, that's about it. When asked "Why no compact five-door?" officials did confirm the sub-compact Honda Fit will arrive next spring in Canada, but that it will be a fuel-sippin' Toyota Yaris fighter, not a car to give the top-selling Mazda3 Sport a scare.
--CanWest News Service
====
I have to say I continue to enjoy our discussion, but the last couple of weeks have been disappointing in terms of so little news. I've come to understand through our discussion that this is how Honda works.
I supposes it's fun to debate and speculate on what might be, but until we know more, it's all pure speculation. It seems like most of the news came out in August and September, as the Fit's arrival was confirmed. The Edmunds info a few weeks back and Honda's new Fit web page were both very promising, but the weeks are passing now. I did notice that Honda has taken out Google ads that appear on the right when you search for "Honda Fit", and link to their page. So, in a small way, the marketing has begun.
As ever, we stand by, waiting for this savior of an automobile
The only things we've got confirmed are:
1. The US model will sport slightly longer bumpers to meet the NHTSA 2.5 mph (4 km/h) bumper requirement.
2. Will sport turn signals integrated into the headlamp housing.
3. Will definitely be the five-door hatchback initially.
4. Will use the CVT-7 transmission as one of the transmission options.
It's still unknown what kind of engine we'll get, what safety features will be standard, and what will be the trim levels available.
1. Front driver / passenger airbags (obviously)
2. Driver / passenger side airbags
3. ABS
EBD would also seem more than likely given that all European Jazz models have it standard, and therefore wouldn't be difficult to put in the US model.
The only thing I would be skeptical about on the safety is the side-curtain airbags. Those don't seem like the things you can just throw on. Of course, Honda did say all US models would have it in the safety campaign, and the website does say there will be some unique characteristics on the US-market Fit.
I also don't really see why Honda would need to put larger bumpers on the US-market Fit. Honda is the kind of company that does some serious in-house testing. Many of Hondas small cars are smashed into the Legend (US: Acura RL) in a 50 and 55 km/h (31 and 34 mph) 50% offset test to simulate a real-life collision with a larger automobile. These have included the Life, Logo (Fit predeccessor), Fit, and Civic. They also have multi-directional tests in the works. I can't imagine a company so focused on safety would not create bumpers for Japan and Europe that would protect the rest of the car in a 2.5 mph (4 km/h) accident.
Although I've done only city driving my feeling is that the Jazz handle the road very well, the car stick to the road like a good European car and stay absolutely straight in the bends, the 4 disk brakes make you feel safe. The car can be harsh on bad roads as the suspension is pretty stiff and the seats aren't cushier at all, my wife like it though. Altogether the Jazz is fast and responsive and very fun to drive. The ESP device isn't available as an option on the Jazz, therefore I suppose you got to be more careful on wet pavement if you like to drive fast.
Pros:
- High quality construction and steel, unlike Korean counterparts, which are "B" class compared to Hondas.
- No stepping on its own toes. The Yaris is going to be a tin can because it won't be made well enough to go head-to-head with Scion. Honda has no car to compete against since they have moved the Civic and Accord up to compete with the Camry and Avalon, respectively, leaving a new "Civic" type spot in their lineup to be filled.
- Proper dash. Sorry, but I don't think the gauges belong in the center of the dash - call me odd...(grin)
- Innovative seat that folds up, making rear seats actually comfortable. Put your legs *under it like a chair*. Who would have thought?
- 100% flat cargo area and a door cabin that is at least as high as the cargo area is wide(at the narrowest point) means you can fit a TV set in there. Not so with the Volvo V40 and many others.
- Smart styling. Looks as clean and modern as any Honda or European small car. Yaris - just wait - it's horrendously ugly. It lacks that clean, slightly boxy, yet smooth appearance that European vehicles have mastered. The Fit, OTOH, doesn't scream "cheap" from a block away.
- Decent engines. Eventually the 1.2/1.3 will come over. 50mpg highway. Or the 1.5L, which is way WAY more than any other entry level car in terms of power to weight ratios. Remember people - this is Honda's basic car. Of course it's not close to a Scion TC in speed. But compared to an Accent, Yaris, or Aveo, it's a rocket.
- ABS and side impact standard. The problem with offering these as options is that 98% of the models are NOT ordered with the ABS other than the high-end fully loaded model. Why should those with less money have to suffer without critical protection and safety devices? Honda differs in their philosophy from just about everyone else in the under $15K market apparently.
Cons:
- No leather
- No sunroof
- Not RWD(but few things are these days)