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Crossover, Honda

All Jazzed up with Crosstar

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2020 Honda Jazz Crosstar

Honda Jazz Crosstar EX e:HEV

By Bill McCarthy

With crossovers all the rage, it seems even established models are getting the treatment Such is the case with the new Jazz, a supermini which has been around since 2001, and is now offering smart styling in two forms, the traditional best-selling hatch and the more SUV-like Crosstar driven here.

The result remains affordability and practicality, with this latest hybrid version, carrying Honda’s new e:HEV badge, delivering amazing fuel economy. 

Driving many cars over the years, despite what official mpg figures may say, experience gives an indication of what kind of economy is being delivered, not to mention the clear evidence of the fuel level indicator on the dash. While official figures are around the 60mpg mark, I was getting nearer 70mph with really trying too hard. This included town, country and motorway driving.

The new Crosstar variant is designed, says Honda, to target those with active lifestyles with a more rugged appearance which includes, increased ride height, new grille, black cladding to wheel arches, roof bars and silver and black alloys. It also has its own blue colour scheme with the option contrasting black roof.

‘On the road, the car feels nippy enough and is a very comfortable place to be’

|nside it features a very less-is-more set up. The firm says its ‘Yoo no bi’ philosophy offers a clean, minimalist interior, wrapping utility, practicality and functionality in a simple, uncluttered ergonomic cabin.

In other words it’s a fairly minimalist setup, with no-nonsense, durable plastics, offset by the occasional soft-touch areas and features wipe-clean seats. It has a central touchscreen, seven or nine-inch, depending on model, which controls navigation, smartphone connectivity with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and an uprated, eight-speaker sound system. Also included are WiFi hotspot capability, while ‘Honda Personal Assistant’ delivers voice-enabled features and My Honda+ app keeps owners connected when they are away from the car

Other rotary controls are simple to use and supplemented by a seven-inch full TFT instrument cluster and multi-function steering wheel.

It feels roomy for a smallish car with the upright driving position, loads of head and legroom both in the front, and, importantly for a family vehicle, class leading legroom to the rear. In addition a large glass windscreen, flanked by narrower A pillars, allows plenty of light into the cabin.

Stowage space is impressive with central bin and side pockets while the boot offers 298 litres, increasing to a maximum 1,199 litres to the roof with the rear seats down. Honda’s uprated ‘Magic Seat’ configuration offers both fold-flat or flip-up seat flexibility to accommodate cargo of various shapes and sizes and a wider tailgate opening and new flat floor eases loading and unloading. A rubber protective mat is also included in the boot space.

The power setup includes two electric motors connected to a 1.5-litre petrol engine and lithium-ion battery. The combination propels the car to 62mph in not-too-pedestrian 9.9 seconds and on to a maximum speed of 109mph. 

Drivers are offered three drive modes: EV Drive where the battery drives the electric motor directly, ideal for congestion charge zones and fuel saving; hybrid drive where the engine supplies power to the electric generator motor, which in turn supplies it to the electric  motor and full combustion engine drive.

In most cases it is a combination of EV  and Hybrid. Engine drive also kicks in where extra power is needed for greater acceleration.The power units are mated to a new e-CVT setup, not my favourite type transmission. There is no doubt it is fuel efficient, but the accelerating hard has your teeth on edge, until it settles down at the required speed.

On the road, the car feels nippy enough and is a comfortable place to be. The higher stance means there is some body roll, but occupants are well insulated from road and engine noise, apart from under heavy acceleration.

It is packed with safety kit, with a full complement of 10 airbags, including a new front centre airbag. Also new is  Honda SENSING technology, which includes new wider angle high-definition camera, collision mitigation braking, adaptive cruise control, lane assist system, road departure adjustment, blind spot and traffic sign system and speed limiter.

FAST FACTS

Honda Jazz Crosstar EX e:HEV

Price: £23,585

Mechanical: 107bhp, 1,498cc, 4cyl petrol engine driving and electric motors, driving front wheels via CVT transmission

Max speed: 109mph

0-60mph: 9.9 seconds

Combined mpg: 58.9

Insurance group: 26

CO2 emissions: 110g/km

Warranty: 3yrs/90,000 miles

Honda, Manufacturer, Performance, Sports saloon and hatches, Vehicle type

Firecracker better than ever

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Honda Civic Type R

By Bill McCarthy

LOOKING for a rip-snorting, fully blinged up full fat hot hatch with the kind of pace to set records at the famed Nurburgring Nordschleife racetrack, but with all the practicality of a family hatchback?

Throw in an affordable, relatively, price tag, then Honda’s pocket rocket rocket fits the bill. Is it successful, well yes, legendary is a word bandied around too much, but now in its fifth incarnation, it has been around for 25 years and still turns heads.

For 2020 there is the addition of two new variants, Limited Edition and Sport Line.

With the Limited Edition, Honda is unleashing the most extreme version of the car, with lightweight components, a stripped-back interior, enhanced driving dynamics and stand-out styling.

The Sport Line is designed to appeal to a customer who seeks a subtler look from their performance hatchback, with lower  height rear spoiler, 19-inch alloys and an all-black interior.

All models now receive a number of styling enhancements. The front bumper is revised with a smoother design, while the lower fog light surrounds feature a new symmetrical design incorporating smooth surfaces and sleek styling blades. Redesigned full LED headlight clusters and daytime running lights complete the cleaner styling direction says Honda.

The car is aggressively styled, all sharp angles and creases, red trim and inserts, huge spoiler, triple exhaust, red Brembo brakes and with the familiar R insignia making it stand out from the crowd.

The two-litre petrol power unit has three selective drive modes and an advanced suspension system front and rear and uprated brakes to delivers exhilarating performance all the way to the redline.

A real firecracker with the added  bonus is the Type R is also a perfectly good every day car, with decent economy – driven carefully of course.

You can change the way it handles by switching between modes even while driving – so when you can easily flick out of +R for a track-like experience.

For a more comfortable ride, switch to, you’ve guessed it, comfort mode, which softens the suspension and quietens the craziness down.

The 320ps of power means it can hit 62mph in just 5.7 seconds and will go on to a top speed of 169mph. It is also the fastest Type R ever around the Nurburgring Nordschleife racetrack, with a lap time of 7min 43.8sec.

The GT Pack adds red highlights to the front and rear, splitters at the rear end, where the tailpipes are positioned in the centre of the rear diffuser.

Main tailpipes on either side deliver exhaust flow from the engine, while a unique, smaller centre tailpipe controls the sonic tone of the engine.

The interior is similarly sporty, although offering more space than ever.

It has sport bucket seats, trimmed in suede-effect black fabric with red double stitching while the rear seat backs split 60/40 to increase boot space. The flat-bottomed multi-function sports steering wheel has red double stitching on the black leather, while red ambient lighting adds a further touch of class.

The centre console has piano-black finish, and hosts  the seven-inch Honda CONNECT colour touch-screen display which controls navigation, climate, connectivity and infotainment and reversing camera, plus smartphone connectivity.

A small TFT screen behind the wheel gives the driver instant information while the dash can be configured for different readouts, from economy to sport, plus features the likes of a digital lap timer and even a G-force meter, should you ever need it on a shopping trip.

It’s not all about blistering pace, a neat innovation in the large boot area is the side-sliding tonneau cover, which can be operated with one hand for extra practicality.

It’s truly a driver’s car, but still offers hatchback practicality with its large boot, 60/40 split rear seats, and when driven sedately decent economy. In spite of such performance it achieves CO2 emissions of 177g/km and reasonable fuel consumption.

In addition there is  automatic dual zone climate control air conditioning,  and comprehensive safety measures include full complement of airbags, traction and stability control, forward collision warning, lane departure warning blind spot information and cross traffic monitoring.

A real firecracker with the added  bonus is the Type R is also a perfectly good every day car, with decent economy – driven carefully of course.

Factfile

Honda Civic TYPE R  GT 2.0 i-VTEC

Price: £33,525

Mechanical: 318bhp, 1,996cc, 4cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via 6-speed manual gearbox

Max speed: 167mph

0-60mph: 5.8 seconds

Combined mpg: 38.7

Insurance group: 33

CO2 emissions: 177g/km

Warranty: 3yrs/90,000 miles

  • 2020 Civic Type R Sport Line
  • 2020 Civic Type R Sport Line
  • 2020 Civic Type R Limited Edition
  • 2020 Civic Type R Limited Edition
  • Civic Type R