Honda aims to Jazz up a first-rate supermini

IT ISN'T hard to see what Honda's game is with the Jazz Si. The standard Jazz is a first-rate supermini but its long list of attributes doesn't include sportines. With most of its rivals playing the sporty card any chance they get, the Jazz is missing an important chunk of the available market.

There are two petrol engines available with the Si trim level and neither is in any danger of melting your shell-suit with its fiery performance. There's an 89bhp 1.2-litre engine and a 99bhp 1.4 which is actually 1,339cc in size, making it a 1.3 in anyone's money except Honda's.

You get admirable refinement with either engine at low speeds, the cabin remaining more hushed than you'd think possible in a car this size. On the motorway, things get more raucous and that tells you a lot about the kind of driving in which the Jazz excels.

There's great visibility, a stubby nose and a tight turning circle controlled with lightweight steering. It makes the Jazz wonderfully at home when road space is restricted and the parking bays appear to have been designed for bikes.

Performance from the two powerplants is smooth and progressive with Honda's i-VTEC variable-valve timing technology hard at work optimising the combustion cycle.

The basic design of the Jazz is geared towards maximising interior space within a supermini-sized body. It achieves this very well but at the expense of an exterior that's tall, flat-sided and has more in common with small MPVs than leading superminis like the Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Polo.

The look is modern but lacking much in the way of dynamism and that's what the Si version attempts to address. Adding an attractive set of Chronos 16-inch alloy wheels, a sports front grille and a rear spoiler, the Si adds some extra sparkle to the Jazz exterior, but there's a question mark over whether it's enough to prise more youthful supermini buyers away from the alternatives.

The cabin of the Jazz feels extremely roomy compared to most other superminis, making this a great choice for buyers who regularly carry rear seat passengers. Honda cleverly repositioned the fuel tank from beneath the rear seats to a position under those at the front to free-up space. It gives the cabin a flat floor and allows the seats to be folded into all sorts of permutations.

The car features the Honda Magic Seating system through which the back seats can fold down in one fluid motion into the footwell with the headrests in place. What's more impressive is that this action doesn't involve scurrying around the car to manually slide the front seats forward, it can all be accomplished from the rear door thanks to a convenient set of levers. You can also fit a surprising amount into the Double Trunk boot.

The Si trim is the plushest you can get with the 1.2-litre engine and sits a step below the EX in the 1.4-litre range. Honda values the alloy wheels, sportier front bumper, rear spoiler, special Si floor mats and Si badging that come with the car at 2,000, but an Si Jazz is less than 900 more than the model directly below it in the range. That sounds like a decent deal and even if it can't attract buyers seeking a sporty supermini, it could well persuade those who were considering a Jazz anyway to upgrade.

Standard safety equipment looks very generous on the Jazz, with dual front and side airbags, plus full-length curtain airbags on all models. There are also five three-point seatbelts with reminders for the belts in the front and the back. Honda's VSA stability control system is available as an option on all models.

Trying to manufacture a sporty supermini out of a supermini as manifestly unsporty as the Honda Jazz might look like a fool's errand but that didn't stop Honda. The Jazz Si actually carries off its larger alloys and rear spoiler well enough, but it's unlikely to persuade the younger clientele Honda is targeting.

The Jazz engines lack the zip needed in a truly lively supermini. The driving experience is set up for ease of use in town rather than sharp handling on the open road and the exterior styling owes more to practical MPVs than thrusting superminis.

Buy this Honda if you want safety, fuel economy, reliability and a versatile interior. There are better products for those looking to turn heads and have fun behind the wheel, but if you'd decided on a Jazz anyway and want to enliven its looks, this is a good way to do it.

FACT BOX

CAR: Honda Jazz Si

PRICE: 12,835-13,510 – OTR

INSURANCE GROUP: 4-5

EMISSIONS: 125-130g/km

PERFORMANCE: (1.2] Max speed 110mph; 0-60mph 12.5 seconds

FUEL CONSUMPTION: (1.2] (combined) 53.3mpg