Written by: Jan Tuček

Honda has struck a new key with its Jazz model, a single-space compact car with a variable interior.

JUST 3.83 METERS long and 1.52 meters tall, this car with a transverse engine up front and front-wheel drive stands out with its excellent interior. This involves more than the single-space body concept, with four doors and a hatchback and several clever ideas. The designers placed the fuel tank under the front seats, which offers maximum protection in accidents and frees up valuable space in the rear. Together with the space-saving, H-shaped rear axle, this allows for a basic 380 liters of luggage space. Another plus is the revolutionary design of the rear seat, which allows several interior arrangement variants.

The seat is divided in a 2:1 ratio, so one, two, or all three can be folded down. Up to 1,320 liters of luggage space can thus be created behind the front seats, with a completely flat floor. The upright portion of the rear seats can also be folded up to meet the backs, creating a protected space behind the front seats that can be used for carrying rather tall, fragile objects, with the standard luggage space remaining behind the rear seats. The Honda Jazz’s front wheels are powered by a four-cylinder, 1.4-l, 83 hp (61 kW) gasoline engine with a dual and sequential ignition system that is remarkable for its smooth delivery of torque and low consumption that averages not over 5.5-l per 100 km. The Honda Jazz sells on the Czech market for CZK 422,500 with uniform options, including front and side airbags in front, power steering, an immobilizer, electrically controlled exterior rearview mirrors and remote-control central locking.