Honda Jazz review
The Honda Jazz is a super-practical, incredibly reliable, and surprisingly spacious supermini that’s famous for its clever features and rock-solid build quality.
Author: Charlie Harvey
18th Dec 2025 – 8 mins read
The Honda Jazz has been a quiet superstar of the small car world for years, earning a fiercely loyal following for being one of the most practical and dependable cars you can buy. It’s a car that might not shout the loudest, but it delivers where it really matters. The third-generation model, launched in 2015, continued this tradition, adding more modern styling, increased interior space, and even more clever features. Often seen as a sensible choice, the Jazz is so much more than that. Its party piece is the incredible interior flexibility, thanks to its 'Magic Seats' that fold in all sorts of clever ways. It's also exceptionally well-built and has a reputation for reliability that is second to none. While it might not be the most exciting car to drive, its user-friendliness, low running costs, and amazing practicality make it a brilliant choice for anyone needing a small car that can handle whatever life throws at it.
Pros
- Outstanding build quality and legendary reliability
- Amazingly practical and spacious interior for a small car
- Holds its value very well on the used market
Cons
- The ride on some older models can be a little firm
- Light steering isn't to everyone's taste
- Doesn't have the most exciting driving dynamics
Interior
Dashboard & tech
The inside of the Honda Jazz is a masterclass in user-friendliness. The dashboard is logically laid out, with all the switches and dials exactly where you’d want them to be. It might not have the flashy design of some rivals, but its simple, no-fuss approach makes it incredibly easy to live with every day.
The quality is excellent. Everything feels solid and built to last, with sturdy buttons that feel like they'll stand up to years of daily use. Higher-spec models come with Honda’s seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system, while even entry-level cars get Bluetooth and a DAB radio. It’s a cabin that prioritises function and durability over fancy thrills.
Comfort
The Jazz is a very comfortable car for a supermini. While very early models were known for having a firm ride, this was improved over the years, and the third-generation model is smooth and composed in most situations. It's a particularly easy car to drive around town, with light steering and great visibility that make parking and manoeuvring a doddle.
The driving position is good and the seats are comfortable, making it a perfectly pleasant companion for longer journeys as well as short hops. It’s a car that’s designed to be as stress-free as possible, and it succeeds brilliantly.
Quality
This is where the Jazz, and Honda in general, really excels. The build quality is superb. The cabin feels incredibly solid and well put together, giving you the confidence that it will remain rattle-free for many years to come. It’s one of the main reasons why the Jazz is so popular and has such a loyal owner base.
Honda consistently tops reliability and owner satisfaction surveys, and the Jazz is one of the brand's most dependable models. You can buy a used Jazz knowing that it’s one of the most robust and trustworthy cars on the road.
Practicality & boot space
Interior space
For a small car, the practicality of the Honda Jazz is simply astonishing. This is its real superpower. There's a huge amount of space inside, with plenty of head and legroom for passengers in the front and back. In fact, the latest model offers more rear legroom than many cars from the class above.
The real genius, however, is the 'Magic Seats' system. Not only do the rear seats fold completely flat, but the seat bases can also be folded up, like in a cinema. This creates a tall loading space in the back of the car, perfect for carrying things like a bicycle or a tall plant pot home from the garden centre. It’s an incredibly clever and useful feature.
Boot space
The boot in the Jazz is also impressively large for a supermini. At 354 litres, it's bigger than what you'll find in a Ford Fiesta or Volkswagen Polo. It’s a really practical, square-shaped space that will easily swallow a large weekly shop or luggage for a family holiday. When you fold the rear seats flat, the space expands to a van-like level, making the Jazz a surprisingly capable load-lugger.
Driving
Driving experience
The Honda Jazz is not a car that's designed to set your heart racing on a twisty road. The focus is very much on being easy, safe, and comfortable to drive. The steering is very light, which is great for parking in tight city-centre spots, but it means you don't get a lot of feedback from the road.
It’s not as fun or engaging to drive as a Ford Fiesta or a Mazda 2. Instead, it’s a calm, predictable, and sure-footed companion. For most drivers, who simply want a car that is easy to get along with and confidence-inspiring, the Jazz is perfect.
Performance
The third-generation Jazz (from 2015) comes with just one engine choice – a 1.3-litre petrol engine producing 101bhp. It’s a smooth and reliable engine, but it doesn't have a lot of low-down pulling power, so you have to work it quite hard to get up to speed. It’s perfectly adequate for town driving and motorway cruising, but it can feel a little breathless when you need a burst of acceleration.
It's available with either a slick six-speed manual gearbox or a smooth CVT automatic. A more powerful 1.5-litre petrol engine was introduced on the Sport model from 2018, offering a bit more punch. The previous generation was also available with an efficient hybrid powertrain.
Running costs
Fuel economy & CO2 emissions
The Honda Jazz has always been a very cheap car to run. The 1.3-litre petrol engine is incredibly efficient, capable of achieving up to 61.4mpg. This means you won’t be spending much time or money at the petrol station.
Low CO2 emissions mean that road tax is also very affordable. All versions of the Jazz sit in a low insurance group (group 13), which helps to keep premiums down, making it an excellent choice for drivers of all ages who want to keep their motoring costs to a minimum.
Value for money
The Jazz is famous for holding its value exceptionally well. This is great news if you’re buying one, as it means you won’t lose a huge amount of money when you come to sell it on. It’s a testament to the car’s popularity and its reputation for bulletproof reliability. Because of this, it's not the cheapest used supermini you can buy, but you are paying for quality and dependability.
Reliability & Warranty
As we've mentioned, reliability is the Honda Jazz’s trump card. It’s one of the most reliable cars you can buy, bar none. Owners report very few problems, and the cars are built to an incredibly high standard. From new, all Hondas come with a three-year warranty, but their reputation is built on cars that last for many, many years with just routine maintenance.
Safety
Safety features
The Honda Jazz is a very safe little car. The third-generation model was awarded the maximum five-star rating when it was crash-tested by the safety experts at Euro NCAP in 2015. It scored particularly well for protecting adult and child occupants.
All models from the SE trim upwards come with a comprehensive package of active safety features, including forward collision warning, traffic sign recognition, and lane departure warning, which is excellent for a car in this class.
Trims & Engines
Trim levels
The Jazz is available in a handful of trim levels, all offering a good amount of standard kit.
S: The entry-level model is well-equipped for a base car, coming with Bluetooth, cruise control, automatic lights and wipers, and the brilliant 'Magic Seats'.
SE: This popular trim adds features like front and rear parking sensors, 15-inch alloy wheels, and the seven-inch Honda Connect infotainment system.
EX: This top-spec model adds larger 16-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry and start, climate control, and a reversing camera.
Sport: Introduced in 2018, this trim gets the more powerful 1.5-litre engine and a sporty body kit.
Engines
The engine lineup for the third-generation Jazz is simple.
1.3-litre i-VTEC: This 101bhp petrol engine is the standard choice. It's smooth, reliable, and very economical. Available with a manual or CVT automatic gearbox.1.5-litre i-VTEC: A more powerful 128bhp petrol engine, available only on the Sport trim level. It provides a welcome boost in performance.