Honda is in a very awkward problem. Earlier on, the demand for the Jazz was so low that the company had a pile of cars stocked up at dealers. Now with the recent price revisions, the demand has soared so high, that the Japanese automaker is not able to supply enough cars to the dealer. Furthermore a parts shortage has interrupted production, resulting in the company having to stop bookings for the Jazz. Some components, which are brought down from Japan are in short supply due to the Tsunami which took place earlier this year. Honda also sources parts from Thailand but a flood has caused delay in the production of the Jazz. Honda plans to double production at its Greater Noida facility but won’t be able to fulfill demand in the near term.

“The demand for Jazz has taken us by surprise. The initial production target for Jazz was much less. Dealers can’t take more bookings as they have lesser number of cars allocated to them and it becomes irritating for the customers to wait as long as six months for a car,” a Honda spokesperson said.

2012 Jazz vs Swift - Click above for picture gallery

Maruti Suzuki launched the all new Swift recently and Honda has followed with the launch of the Jazz facelift. The battle of the Japanese rivals has just commenced as Honda has undercut the price of the top end Swift ZXi by Rs. 3000/-. Now the Jazz can only rival the Swift petrol as there is no diesel Jazz yet. The Swift LXi and VXi are priced much cheaper than the base Jazz so we will just compare the Jazz S to the Swift ZXi to help buyers decide which car they should opt for.

Styling - When it comes to design and styling, the Honda Jazz is the winner. Both the cars have the same width (1690 mm) but the Jazz is slightly longer (by 50 mm) at 3900mm and taller (by 5 mm) at 1535 mm. All the variants of the Jazz come with 15-inch wheels, while only the top end ZXi variant of the Swift gets 15-inch wheels. We can’t really pass a judgement on looks as it is completely subjective. But the design of the new Swift is an evolution of the old model, which has certainly not gone down well with many people. Thus, the Swift easily looses out on the Who is the looker parameter and we prefer the Jazz when it comes to looks, as it looks relatively fresh and big (thanks to the small hood and generous glass area).

Interiors - The dashboard of both the cars looks premium but the Jazz features beige interiors, something which we Indians love. The Swift’s interiors have been vastly improved, taking heavy cues from its elder sibling, the Kizashi. However its the Jazz which beats the Swift outright when it comes to practicality and space. The Jazz not only has more space and cubby holes but also boasts of flexible seating (magic seats). The rear seat can be folded in multiple ways in the Jazz, whereas in the Swift, you can only fold it completely down (no split folding here). The legroom at the rear is much higher in the Jazz and the passenger seldom feels he is sitting in a hatchback. In the near Swift, rear seat space has been improved but the small glass area makes the rear passengers claustrophobic. The boot space of the Swift is just 206 liters, whereas the Jazz offers a 384 liter boot, making the Jazz the perfect hatchback for weekend gateways.

Features - When two cars cost almost the same, one expects the features to be similar. Both the Swift ZXi and Jazz S boast of dual airbags along with ABS and EBD. Both cars have received 5-star rating by EuroNCAP and are equally safe. The Jazz and Swift also have steering mounted audio controls, audio system with USB/AUX compatibility, rear wiper and defogger. However the Swift boasts of more features than the Jazz (the Jazz S is the base variant while the Swift ZXi is the top variant, so isn’t that obvious). The Jazz S lacks front fog lamps, alloy wheels and driver seat height adjuster which the Swift ZXi comes with as standard. However the feature different is not vast and one cannot decide on either car based on the feature list alone.

Ride, Handling & Braking - The Swift ZXi is 65 kgs lighter than the Jazz S. The ground clearance of the Swift is more at 170 mm compared to the Jazz’s 160 mm. However none of the cars scrape speedbreakers. The ride of the Swift has been vastly improved and is a match for the Jazz. However the Jazz can’t match the razor sharp handling of the new Swift. Mind you, the Jazz isn’t a bad handler, the Swift is just so good. High speed stability and braking of the Swift is slightly better than the Jazz. But overall it is difficult to choose these cars based on their ride, braking and high speed stability. If you are looking at handling, than the Swift definitely emerges out ahead of the Jazz. But slap on some good rubber on the Jazz and it will handle much better, but still not as sharp as the Swift.

Performance - The Swift is powered by a 1.2-liter K-Series motor, which gets VVT and produces 87 PS of power and 114 Nm of torque. The Jazz on the other hand uses a 1.2-liter motor too but gets Honda’s famed i-VTEC technology, producing 90 PS of power and 110 Nm of torque. The power and torque are almost similar but both engines are very different. If one says that the K12 motor is revv happy, then he needs to witness Honda’s VTEC. The Jazz loves to be revved and urgency is apparent above 5000 RPM. The Swift on the other has good low end grunt along with decent mid and top range. The Jazz is very tall geared while the Swift is relatively short geared. The Swift is faster of the two hitting a ton in 12.8 seconds, while the Jazz takes 13.5 seconds. Both cars will do 170 kmph with ease. Both cars have a light clutch and smooth gearbox.

Swift vs Jazz Pricing

Jazz S – Rs. 5.50 lakhs, Swift ZXi – Rs. 5.53 lakhs (ex-showroom, New Delhi)
Jazz S – Rs. 6.01 lakhs, Swift ZXi – Rs. 6.04 lakhs (on-road, New Delhi)
Jazz S – Rs. 5.75 lakhs, Swift ZXi – Rs. 5.78 lakhs (ex-showroom, Mumbai)
Jazz S – Rs. 6.41 lakhs, Swift ZXi – Rs. 6.45 lakhs (on-road, Mumbai)
Jazz Select – Rs. 6.70 lakhs, Jazz X – Rs. 7.06 lakhs (on-road, Mumbai)

Fuel Efficiency - The Swift petrol delivers an ARAI certified mileage of 18.6 kmpl, while the Jazz delivers an ARAI certified mileage of 16.7 kmpl. The Swift is marginally more fuel efficient but these figures will differ in the real world. However the Swift will still consume less fuel than the Jazz, albeit marginally.

Conclusion - Deciding between both the cars is very easy. If one wants style, space, brand image, quality then it is the Jazz which is the car for them. On the other hand, there is not much (not even the price) going for the new Swift petrol which easily gets beaten by the new Jazz. There is no reason one would opt for the Swift ZXi when the Jazz S comes for almost the same price. The Jazz offers so much more and is a premium hatchback in the true sense. Not only is the Jazz more spacious of the two but is more practical too and can actually replace a sedan for many buyers. No wonder is is then, that out of the 50000 bookings Maruti Suzuki has received for the new Swift, only 10000 are those for the petrol model. Now with Honda undercutting the Swift, expect alot of cancelled bookings of the petrol Swift. When was the last time you heard a Honda being available cheaper than a Maruti. Well almost never. But now when it is, there is absolutely no reason to opt for a Swift ZXi over the Jazz S. Now only if Honda launch a diesel Jazz!

Honda has announced the launch of the new Jazz in Delhi. The company has not made any mechanical changes to the Jazz. The Jazz continues to be powered by the same 1.2-liter, SOHC, i-VTEC motor which produces 90 PS of power and 110 Nm of torque. The ARAI certified mileage of the Honda Jazz is 16.7 kmpl and the car is Euro 4 compliant and E10 compatible. The Jazz now gets beige interiors and also featues ABS and EBD as standard. The tyres on the Jazz are 175/65/15, while the luggage capacity is a class leading 384 liters. The new Jazz is available in five colours namley Tafeta White, Crystal Black, Alabster Silver, Ralleye Red and Urban Titanium.

New Honda Jazz Prices (ex-showroom, Delhi)

Jazz S – Rs. 5.5 lakhs (Rs. 37,000/- less than discounted price), Rs. 7.12 lakhs (before discount)
Jazz Select – Rs. 5.75 lakhs (Rs. 24,000/- less than discounted price), Rs. 7.35 lakhs (before discount)
Jazz X – Rs. 6.06 lakhs (Rs. 25,000/- less than discounted price), Rs. 7.56 lakhs (before discount)

What Is New?

New front grille
New front bumper
New headlights
New design 15 inch silver alloy wheels
New rear chrome garnish (in Jazz Select)
New rear bumper.
New beige black interior (in Jazz and Jazz Select)
New Amber coloured stereoscopic dials
New Rear reclining seats
Electrically Retractable Outside Rear View Mirror (Jazz X)
Audio system with USB Port
New Urban Titanium colour
Three mode “Magic Seat” configuration
ABS and Dual Airbags across all variants
No change in ride quality
No CVT gearbox currently, may be launched later on in the year

“During the past couple of years, HSCI has focused a lot on localization and cost down activities for our volume models through the R&D function in India. The new Jazz with its attractive pricing will surely appeal to the customers and expand on customer base of the Jazz,” Mr. Seki Inaba, Director Marketing, Honda India said.

Honda says the price reduction was possible due to supply chain and production efficiency. The company has achieved 76% localisation on the car and claim the Jazz to be the world’s best compact car. The engine and transmission will be manufactured at Honda’s Tapugara facility and the same powerplant will do duty on the upcoming Brio. For the next 2-3 months, Honda does not see good sales due to supply constraints from Honda, Japan. After that, the company expects the Jazz will do decent numbers.

Update - Images from the launch floor have been added.

- Joy Chatterjee
Special Correspondent

Honda will launch the facelifted Jazz on 18th August, 2011. The Japanese automaker recently offered massive discounts on the Jazz, which was to clear inventory and to make way for the new version. The new Jazz will feature changes to both the interiors and exteriors but very subtle ones. The exterior of the 2012 Honda Jazz now features revised bumpers, headlights, grille and tail lights. The interiors see a change of dashboard colours along with the addition of chrome rings on AC vents. The suspension has been tweaked for better ride and handling, while the 1.2-liter i-VTEC motor is now revised to offer better fuel economy.

The new Honda Jazz will also get a CVT gearbox in the top variant. The AT unit will help Honda lure buyers who are looking at an easy to drive urban runabout. The Japanese automaker will most likely hike the prices of the new Jazz but will still keep them in-line with the price cut they made recently. So with the new Jazz, we can expect a new pricing for the premium hatchback as well. This new pricing should start at Rs. 5.99 lakhs for the base Jazz variant.

Honda India just sold 361 units of the Jazz last month. The sales are totally appalling for a hatchback and now Honda has taken due measure to increase the sales drastically. The company has slashed prices of all variants of the Honda Jazz by upto Rs. 1.75 lakhs in a bid to attract customers. Post the price cut of the City sedan, we had pondered over a price cut of the Jazz too. But little did we know that Honda would go ahead and slash prices to the tune of 20-25% on the Jazz. But wait, there is a catch.

No, the price cut is for real, but could Honda just be clearing stocks till the new Jazz comes along soon. The facelifted Jazz has already been spotted in India and features a slight change to the exteriors as well as interiors. Honda might be clearing its stock so that they can make way for the new model. Furthermore, if they do plan to stick to these prices, then its a blessing in disguise for Honda fans. Because at these new price levels, we can expect the Brio to start at Rs. 3.99 lakhs, with the top model coming at around Rs. 5 lakhs (all prices ex-showroom, Delhi). The Brio goes in sale in October, 2011 across all Honda showrooms in India. It will utilize the powertrain from the Jazz.

The discount of Rs. 1.75 lakhs is actually a Rs. 99,000/- discount. Honda dealers have been offering Rs. 55,000/- discount on the Jazz since quite some time now along with Rs. 1 insurance. Now this certainly makes the Jazz a very tempting alternative for B-segment buyers who want a competent hatchback, who can put sedans to shame with its high level of space and practicality. The price cut will certainly hit the resale value of people who already own a Jazz before this price cut. Plonk in a diesel engine in the Jazz and Honda has a full proof formula for success. Now will they take two years in developing an oil burner or should they just ask their friends down at Ranjangaon to lend them some Multijet magic!

Honda Jazz New Prices (ex-showroom, Delhi) -

Honda Jazz Base Price – Rs 7,12,500/- (old price), Rs 5,87,500/- (new price)
Honda Jazz Select Price – Rs 7,35,500/- (old price), Rs 5,99,000/- (new price)
Honda Jazz X Price – Rs 7,56,500/- (old price), Rs 6,31,000/- (new price)

Yesterday, Honda shocked everyone in India by cutting the prices of its bread and butter model, the City by upto 6%. Now with the new revised prices, the City’s basic variant is cheaper than the top end Jazz X. For the uninitiated, the Honda City E is priced at Rs. 7.49 lakhs, whereas the Honda Jazz X is priced at Rs. 7.56 lakhs (all prices ex-showroom, Delhi). Such pricing can be a disaster for the Jazz, considering we are a boot loving country and don’t mind paying extra to get a bigger car. But since the Jazz is more expensive, customers planning to buy a Jazz will automatically switch to the City, which is not only bigger in terms of luggage space but even sports a faster engine.

Last month Honda sold 1848 units of the City, whereas it only sold 170 units of the Jazz. Sales of the Jazz are dropping faster than Honda thought and now there are left with no option but to correct the pricing. Unofficially dealers have been shelling out big discounts to the tune of Rs. 50,000/- to push the Jazz. However till Honda bring in a diesel, we expect the Jazz to sell in double digit numbers. We had driven the Jazz last year and find the car a very practical alternative, but priced very incorrectly. You can read our review on the Honda Jazz here.

Honda has given the Jazz a facelift in Malaysia. The facelifted Jazz will grace the roads of India soon, however we won’t be getting the 1.5 liter, iVTEC motor. The sales of the Jazz have been absolutely dismal, and a more powerful engine would only lead to increase in prices and further reduction in sales. This 2012 Jazz has slight changes to the exterior and the interior including new grille, bumper and colour schemes. Hopefully Honda won’t hike the prices with the launch of this new version.

Honda’s engineers set about revising the popular Jazz model, one of the priorities was to give Jazz customers an automatic transmission that would not impact on fuel economy or CO2 emissions. The solution they came up with was to combine a Continuously Variable Transmission, similar to that seen in the first Jazz, with a torque converter unit. The torque converter replaced the start clutch arrangement of the previous CVT unit, giving improved parking speed drivability and better highway fuel economy. It meant customers could benefit from the smooth, low stress driving experience of an automatic, without compromising its environmental performance. Honda India will launch the refreshed Jazz in 2011.

The exterior of the Jazz has been given a makeover with the front lights given a subtly different shape, which are complemented by a new matt black mesh grille in between. The front bumper has also been re-profiled to enhanced aerodynamics and appearance. At the rear of the car the lights now have red sections at the top and bottom, with the centre section remaining white.

The interior has seen a total change of dashboard color, with a much darker plastic now used, giving a completely different ambience to the cabin. Chrome rings have been added to the climate control display and air vents, to contrast with the new dashboard. The seat fabrics have been given a new blue and black pattern to compliment the new surfaces of the dashboard areas. All illuminated areas of the dash are now lit in a soft amber color, unified across all instruments and complimenting the new interior materials.

Honda has been quite slow in responding to market needs of late. The company was not quick to launch the Jazz and when it came, it was overpriced. It was not even the most powerful hatch on sale, something which does not go well with the Honda name in India. Then there was news about the Jazz getting the City’s 1.5L VTEC engine and after the launch of the Volkswagen Polo 1.6 and Skoda Fabia 1.6, Honda seems to have taken notice. We spotted the Honda Jazz 1.5L in Pune undergoing tests. The car looks the same as the current Jazz except the more powerful motor underneath.

The 1497cc Jazz uses a SOHC, 4 cylinder, 16 valve i-VTEC motor which produces 118PS of power at 6600Rpm and 146Nm of torque at 4800Rpm. This results in 0-100 kmph coming up in just 9 seconds with a top speed of over 180kmph. Mileage is expected to revolve around 12kmpl in the city and 15kmpl on the highway. Spotted in the Jazz X variant, the spotting of the Jazz 1.5L only confirms the launch to be quite near. The Jazz 1.5 will be priced around Rs. 80,000/- more than the Jazz 1.2 variant. An AT might feature on the Jazz 1.5 along with wider tyres helping in better grip for the faster Jazz.