Honda Jazz face-lift around the corner

The updated Honda Jazz will benefit from a new infotainment system and more standard safety equipment.

It has recently come to light that Honda India will soon launch a face-lifted version of its Jazz premium hatchback. OEM dispatches fell from a stable 2,200 – 2,500 units a month to just 680 units in May 2018, following which it did go up to 1,175. This indicates that the shift in production has been made, and, in fact, the face-lifted model could be launched soon enough, if not by the end of July itself. While there is no official confirmation of the matter, there is word that dealers will open bookings for the Jazz soon.

Prices for the Honda Jazz currently range between ₹5.99 lakh and ₹9.31 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). It’s worth noting that Honda will hike new car prices in August, and the Jazz may kickstart that initiative as it is expected to launch around that time frame.

The launch of the face-lifted i20 has gathered traction in the premium hatchback space this year, with it ranking 6^th on the sales chart in June 2018 and with 11,262 units sold. Meanwhile, the introduction of the new Swift has also shaken things up in the hatchback space.

Honda’s Jazz has always been a very capable product by being the most spacious car in the segment and indeed the most fuel efficient too on the diesel side of things. While there is no clarity on details about the face-lift, expect minor styling changes both inside and outside the car. The only major change will be an upgraded infotainment system that will feature the same touch-screen unit found in the City, WR-V and BR-V. ABS and EBD, currently standard on the diesel model, will be made the norm for the petrol versions as well. The car currently gets front airbags as standard across all variants.

Needless to say, there will be no mechanical changes to the car. It will continue to be sold with its 1.5-litre i-DTEC diesel engine and the 1.2-litre i-VTEC unit that comes with the option of a CVT automatic gearbox.

of a CVT automatic gearbox.