It’s hard to believe that it’s been just over six years since the fourth-generation Honda Jazz was revealed. Such has been the rate of progress over the intervening period that the B-segment hatch now looks like a relic from the past. Nowhere is this more true than in China, where the surge of affordable electric city cars has relegated this once-popular model to bit-player status.
To help drum interest back up before the car inevitably gets axed, GAC Honda has introduced a rather drastic redesign for the Jazz, sold in the Middle Kingdom as the Fit. As seen in a previous leak, this country-exclusive second facelift delivers an aggressively sporty look that has now completely expunged the original’s cutesy doe-eyed design – something Honda already ameliorated somewhat with the first revision.
At the front, the Fit gains a now in-vogue split headlight design, with the slim quad daytime running lights joined by an equally slim upper grille. Below this sit slightly odd offset rectangular cutouts, as well as a massive lower grille with “nacelles” on either side.
Moving to the rear, you still get trapezoidal taillights, but the bumper has been extended outwards, presumably to further protect the tailgate. This has the unfortunate effect of giving the Fit the appearance of a swollen lower lip, not helped by the sizeable black rear valance with an integrated diffuser-shaped trim piece. The longer bumpers have contributed to a 59 mm increase in length over the previous Chinese model, itself 115 mm longer than in the rest of the world.
The big exterior revamp stands in stark contrast to the interior, which is practically unchanged save for a 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen – still small by Chinese car standards, but much larger than the eight-inch unit offered in other markets. The display supports Apple CarPlay, Baidu CarLife+ and Huawei HiCar smartphone mirroring functions.
With the facelift comes a significant reduction in equipment, the Fit now only being offered in a single base trim. Big screen and seven-inch instrument display aside, you get steel wheels with hubcaps (incongruous next to the rest of the updated design), fabric seats, just two speakers, no curtain airbags and no Honda Sensing suite of driver assists. You don’t even get keyless entry, for crying out loud.
All this has had a downward effect on the price – the renewed Fit now costs just 66,800 yuan (RM38,900), inclusive of a lifetime engine and transmission warranty. That powertrain, by the way, is a 1.5 litre DOHC i-VTEC direct-injected four-cylinder producing 124 PS and 145 Nm of torque, mated to a CVT.
What do you guys think – would you like this version of the Jazz to be sold here, or are you happy with our City Hatchback instead? Let us know in the comments.
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this new design language from Honda, looks a little awkward. The same design is also used on the newest Honda Integra.
Agree it a bit like the Prelude that John Cena has the front headlamps same look. Also agree a bit out of place appearance
lifetime warranty is inching forward as new trend by various strong brands.
RM 39k a new Honda Jazz, OK. I will forgive its looks. Pls bring it into Malaysia
WoW so sporty and gorgeous like a baby honda prelude
Lifetime warranty is the way to go.
We should not accept anything less as we need to keep our car maintained by them at a high cost in their service centres.
It should be a win2 situation rather than they win only situation.
after all, the warranty is not given by them as they insured it under their extended warranty program with insurance companies.
It’s basically zero cost for the car dealers, only more profit for the job if there’s any warranty claims.
Looks so outdated
Syukurlah ade Myvi dkt pasaran Madani. We could practically get an ADAS loaded P2 for the price as opposed to this piece of potato with 2 sub-par speakers. China man would feel being conned by the Jepunis knowing what Perodua has to offer instead of their geeli that develops piston knocking at 80k km.