Cars in the hatchback segment sell like hot cakes in India. Way back in the 80's, driving around in the Maruti Suzuki 800 was considered to be the coolest thing on this planet. Down the line sometime into the early 2000's, a similar hysteria was created by the Honda Jazz. Stunning looks, brilliant performance and just about perfect in every way, the Jazz sold outright at its inception. As time progressed, though a good car, Jazz succumbed to over pricing and lower fuel efficiency in comparison to the likes of Maruti Suzuki Swift, Hyundai i10 and others. This time around the hatchback is due for return in an all new Avatar. Interestingly the car shall be available in diesel version along with the existing petrol version. The car had been recently unveiled at the Detroit Motor show and is expected to be unveiled in India during the upcoming 2014 Auto Expo event
As per sources, the new engine in Jazz shall follow the Amaze sedan line, with two fuel options – 1.2 litre petrol and the new 1.5-litre diesel engine. The petrol engine generates about 86PS with 109Nm of torque, whereas its diesel counterpart generates about 100PS with 200Nm of torque. As per sources 90PS tuning mark for the diesel engine may work wonders for the Japanese carmaker, this is mainly done to extract better fuel efficiency from the engine and stand at a competitive platform with its competitors. It is expected that the car may retain the five-speed auto box found in petrol versions of Amaze and Brio models.
On the exterior, Jazz features a new grill design and looks bolder than before. Cosmetic upgrades have been carried to bumpers and sides of this car to make it look sportier than before. The tail lights now feature a cluster pattern that makes it visually appealing. The attractive wedge shaped D-pillar has been retained from the yesteryear Jazz version. The new Jazz is expected to compete against the likes of Hyundai i20, Maruti Suzuki Swift, Nissan Micra and Volkswagen Polo GT. Pricing is expected to be on a lower side this time around and expects to gain a strong footing in the Indian market.
